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The 911������ Mentoring Programme connects students and alumni to facilitate career design and self-development. It is about mutual benefit and learning. The programme brings together over four hundred Finnish and international students and alumni in Finland and abroad each year.

We asked two participants of the latest mentoring programme, mentor Inka Vettenranta and student Marek Hudeček to share their mentoring experiences. In this article, they share their advice for building a good mentoring relationship, even though they were not paired with each other as mentor-mentees.

Flexible scheduling of meetings

The 911������ Mentoring Programme runs annually from January to June. The core of the mentoring programme are the monthly one-to-one mentoring meetings between the mentor and the actor.

It is recommended that the mentoring pairs meet once a month in 1–2-hour mentoring discussions. The time and place of the meetings and whether the meetings are held face-to-face or remotely can be agreed on by the pairs themselves. ‘I took part in the mentoring programme now for the first time. At first I thought it would be difficult to fit mentoring meetings to my own schedule, but it turned out to be on the contrary – the whole process was smooth and the programme well designed from the perspective of a mentor working full time, as we could agree on the schedule freely with my mentee,’ shares Inka Vettenranta, who works as Communications Director at Anora and is a School of Business alum.

A School of Business master’s student Marek Hudeček also took part in the programme for the first time, as an actor. He agrees with Vettenranta that the programme was very applicable: ‘I think that at first, I expected the mentoring experience to be more of a process that is bounded or defined by a clear start and an end. In the end, I realized that it was an important part of a self-discovery process that is ultimately more abstract and volatile.’

'I found a mentor who caught my attention due to being a native English speaker with a rich academic and professional experience in international business. He was retired, which for me was a green flag, as I expected him to be able to give me more time, as well as to be detached from the day-to-day practicalities that current professionals might face. My assumption was that this could prevent a younger mentor from engaging with more existential or bigger-picture topics faced by a young person still figuring out what to do or who to become. In the end, we connected well with each other and were able to structure our meetings in a way that suited us.’

Grateful for the experience

Mentor Vettenranta shares her own experience of the programme: ‘All in all, it was a very positive experience, thanks to my actor, who chose me as their mentor and who was very proactive. In addition, the tools Aalto provided (e.g. discussion framework and tips for the meetings) made it easy to get started with our meetings.’

In both of their answers, the support the mentoring programme is offering for students in shifting into the working life and in planning one’s career is highlighted. Vettenranta tells that originally, she became interested in the mentoring programme because it included the possibility to support Aalto students finishing their studies in their journey towards the working life. ‘The highlight of mentoring was being part of achieving the goals of my actor. Shifting from studies to working life is exciting and especially during these times, a very challenging change, so it was rewarding to provide support’, she says.

‘At the start of the mentoring, I didn’t know which path to pursue. At the end, I was determined to pursue a PhD. Now, several months later, I see that it’s not necessarily the right way or the only way to move forward. Nevertheless, I feel like I know myself and my professional prospects better and I am grateful for the experience. I am especially grateful to my mentor Gerard for the time and care that he put into our meetings. His perspective and actionable advice gave me the confidence to think more broadly about my future’, Hudeček says.

Little to lose and a lot to gain

Both interviewees were satisfied with the mentoring programme and would recommend it to others. ’Give it a shot, it’s a unique opportunity that you have right now, you have little to lose and a lot to gain. Do not underestimate personal alignment or getting to know interesting people, even if they do not work in exactly the same field as you. Remain open-minded’, Hudeček summarizes.

Vettenranta wants to encourage students to seize the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge of the alumni and receive extra support: ’In the conversations with a mentor you can hear what it is really like to work in your field or in your dream job, and at least you will get one new contact in your network, which is always useful. If you are interested in mentoring, I encourage you to think in advance what it is that you actually want to get out of the process – this way you make sure that your expectations are met!’

For alumni, Vettenranta wants to emphasise that the mentoring programme provides an excellent opportunity to pause and reflect on one’s own competencies and the realities of professional life: ‘In working life, you tend to move forward with blinders on, without stopping to reflect. I personally gained a lot of insights, especially for my own work as a manager. At the same time, it is possible to broaden your network with future professionals. So, participate in the mentoring programme!’

Interested in the mentoring programme?

You can apply for the Aalto Mentoring Programme 2026 in October. Mentors can register between 5^th and 16^th November. Students can send mentoring requests between 24^th and 30^th November. You can read more on the mentoring programme website.