Mentor Lisa Auslen Shares Knowledge, Helps Promote Edelman

by Megan Brooks

It was my last semester at San Jose State University. You know, the final days of your college career when everything in front of you just doesn’t seem clear. I was questioning what I wanted to do after graduation, my professional goals, where I want to live and work, etc. Although I received plenty of advice from colleagues, teachers, family and friends, it was my mentor, Edelman Silicon Valley Executive Vice President Lisa Auslen, who did the most to help relieve my stress.

Signing up for PRSA Silicon Valley’s mentorship program was one of the best decisions I made in the three years I was a member of PRSSA. I was nervous about meeting my mentor for the first time. Fortunately, Lisa is one of the most down-to-earth PR professionals I’ve ever met. The experiences Lisa shared about her career reminded me why I love PR and boosted my confidence.

“I volunteered to be part of the PRSA mentorship program because I believe it’s a great way to share the knowledge I’ve gained throughout my career with somebody who is just embarking on theirs,” Lisa said. “For me, a big part of being a mentor is helping mentees avoid mistakes they might make if they didn’t have a mentor to provide counsel.”

Over the last two months, Lisa helped me perfect my cover letter and showed me how good communication skills and consistent follow up are essential to becoming a successful PR professional. I plan to keep in touch with her after graduation.

What It Takes to Be a Mentor
For PR professionals considering becoming mentors, Lisa advised, “Being a mentor simply means making yourself available to your mentee and providing guidance based on their specific needs, related to where they are in their career. Don’t be concerned that you don’t have enough experience or that it’s a big time commitment. Even if you’ve only worked in PR for a year, that is a year of experience you can share. If you put yourself out there and give of yourself, you will always find it rewarding.

“Being a mentor is good for your company as well. It’s important to me that I represent Edelman well across the PR industry, and this is one way I’m able to do that. It’s also a great way to introduce mentees to Edelman, where they may have the opportunity to start their career. Even if they land their first job somewhere else, if their initial exposure to Edelman was a positive one, then they may consider us as a future partner.”