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As part of our drive to further strengthen ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s mentoring community, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ CEO John Worne spoke with Yolanda Vercher, one of our most active mentors, about her experience supporting fellow language professionals through the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mentoring Platform. Here she shares insights from her mentoring and why she finds mentoring so rewarding.

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Sharing diverse experiences

When Yolanda joined ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s mentoring platform a year ago, she brought with her many years of experience and a career path which included a number of important transitions within the language profession.

Yolanda’s motivation to mentor was simple: to help others benefit from her diverse experience, whether they were just starting their careers or looking to make a change while using their languages, as she has several times.

"I've worked with languages for many years, and my professional life has had many twists and turns," Yolanda explains. "I thought I could offer something to people who are starting their professional lives and also to those who are looking for a change in direction, given my own experience in changing career."

One pleasant surprise was the diversity of mentees she encountered. "I've had ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ mentees from India, Spain, Brazil, Ireland, Poland – quite diverse people with different languages and backgrounds," she explained. This variety has been one of the most enriching aspects of Yolanda’s mentoring experience.
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Clear goals, focused support

Another unexpected discovery was how driven many of her mentees were.

"Many of the people I've been mentoring are actually very driven and have some very clear goals," Yolanda notes. This focus has helped make the mentoring relationships particularly productive.
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How many mentoring sessions?

The ideal length of mentoring relationships has varied considerably in Yolanda’s experience. While some mentees need just one or two sessions to address their specific needs and questions, other relationships have spanned several months.

Importantly, Yolanda has found that ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ mentees are consistently professional and respectful of mentors' time, with sessions typically lasting around 45 minutes by mutual consent.
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Choosing the right match

Yolanda also offers some valuable advice for potential mentees:

"It's important to choose your mentor carefully because, while we're all linguists, ourÌý career paths and areas of expertise are very varied." She illustrated this through her work with a mentee who has a background in law and policy – areas outside Yolanda’s immediate expertise – and, while she could help in some ways, she suggested that going next to a mentor with relevant specialisation would provide more targeted support.

The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mentoring platform offers filters and free text to enable Mentors and Mentees to say more about what they are looking for and can offer help with.
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Connections that matter

One of the most memorable Mentoring moments this year for Yolanda came recently when a young mentee secured a much sought-after internship with the EU.

"She was delighted to tell me, and I was delighted too," Yolanda said with a big smile, perfectly highlighting how rewarding it can be to witness mentees achieving their goals.

For those considering becoming mentors, Yolanda emphasises the very real personal benefits: "If you enjoy interacting with people and helping others, mentoring offers you that and more. It also opens up your network to new relationships for the future."
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Making a difference

When asked about the single best thing about being a mentor, Yolanda's answer is simple but powerful:
"It's the feeling that you're making a difference to people's careers, even if it's just in a small way."

Dr Yolanda Vercher is a language professional with over 20 years’ experience as a translator, language teacher and manager of translators. A former head of translation in a major international organisation, she currently offers translation and interpreting services to commercial, non-profit and public organisations, as well as to individuals. She has higher degrees in Biology (Spain) and Linguistics (UK), a professional qualification in education (PGCE-PCET) and holds ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (DPSI) Health. She is the former Chair of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½â€™s Membership Committee and is currently a member of the Educational Trust Board. Find out more about Yolanda at:

Are you interested in becoming a ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mentor?

Join our mentoring platform to share your expertise and make a difference in fellow language professionals' careers, visit ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mentoring to learn more.

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Views expressed onÌýÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ VoicesÌýare those of the writer and may not represent those of the wider membership or ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½.

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