Mindset, Setbacks & Squiggly Career Paths
Making the most of your mentoring journey
Not everyone’s career journey is straightforward, and that’s OK. Whether you're just starting out with a mentor, facing rejections in your job search, or unsure what comes next, this page will help you adopt a mindset that supports growth, resilience, and realistic career exploration.
Adopting the Right Mindset for Mentoring
Approaching your mentoring journey with the right mindset can make a huge difference. Whether you're feeling confident, unsure, or overwhelmed, being open to learning, reflection, and challenges will help you get the most out of the experience.
What is a Growth Mindset?
A growth mindset is the belief that your skills and intelligence can be developed over time through effort, feedback, and persistence. It encourages:
- Curiosity
- Resilience
- Willingness to learn from both success and failure
In contrast, a fixed mindset may lead you to avoid challenges or give up when things get tough. The good news? Mindsets can shift, and your mentoring partnership is the perfect space to practise this.
Strategies to Develop a Growth Mindset
Here are a few ways to strengthen your mindset during your mentoring journey:
- Shift your self-talk: Instead of saying "I can’t do this", try "I can’t do this yet."
- Be open to feedback: See feedback as helpful, not personal. Ask your mentor for honest input, you’ll likely gain new perspectives.
- Celebrate progress, not perfection: Track what you're learning along the way. Even small steps matter.
- Reflect regularly: What worked? What didn’t? What could you try differently next time?
Discussing Mindset with Your Mentor
Your mentor has likely faced challenges, doubts, and detours too. You could ask:
- Have you ever faced a setback that helped you grow professionally?
- What mindset helped you stay resilient through challenges?
- How do you approach learning something new or stepping into the unknown?
These conversations can normalise the ups and downs of career development and help you feel less alone in your own journey.
Facing Setbacks in Your Career Search
It’s common to experience rejection or uncertainty while looking for work experience, placements, or graduate roles. That doesn’t mean you're not capable; it’s part of the process.
Here’s how to navigate it:
- Talk to your mentor about their experiences. What helped them stay motivated?
- Learn from rejections: Ask for feedback from unsuccessful applications, then discuss how to improve with your mentor.
- Remember you're not behind. Career timelines vary, and everyone moves at their own pace.
Exploring Squiggly Career Paths
Worried about not having a clear career path? You're not alone. Many people:
- Change sectors
- Try different roles
- Return to study
- Discover unexpected interests along the way
Speak to your mentor about how they got to where they are today. Was it what they expected? Their story might reassure you that non-linear paths are not only normal, but valuable.
You might also enjoy listening to the Squiggly Careers podcast to hear real stories about career change and exploration.
Alternative Routes After University
You don’t have to go straight into a graduate job. Other valuable options include:
- Further study
- Volunteering
- Travelling or working abroad
- Temporary or part-time work to build experience
- Taking time to reflect before choosing your next step
Our Careers webpages can help you explore these routes in more detail and plan how to present them confidently on applications.
Keep Exploring at Your Own Pace
You don’t have to follow a fixed structure in your mentoring journey. Use the resources available in a way that suits you:
- Explore our full set of mentoring topics
- Pick the ones most relevant to your current situation
- Use them as conversation starters or personal reflection prompts
Need More Support?
- Visit our Knowing Yourself page to explore more tools around mindset and self-awareness
- Reach out to the mentoring team at: mentoring@reading.ac.uk
- Access our Careers Service for wider guidance on applications, interviews, and planning your next step
Remember:
Your career journey doesn’t have to be perfect – it just has to be yours.
Whether you're learning from a challenge, redefining your goals, or simply exploring your options, you're moving forward.