The ATA Chronicle - January/February 2023 - 31

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generation of audiovisual
translators succeed. "
And I think the most
effective tool to achieve this
goal is through mentoring.
In the following, I want to
briefly explore the meaning
of the term " mentor, " as
well as the benefits and
responsibilities of being one.
Meaning
In the epic poem The Odyssey,
by Homer, Mentor was a
friend of Odysseus who
stayed in Ithaca in charge of
Odysseus' son, Telemachus.
Athena appears to Telemachus
disguised as Mentor and acts
as his adviser. The common
noun meaning " wise
adviser " was first recorded in
English in 1750, going back
through Latin to the Greek
character name.1
Benefits
The benefits for mentees
are evident. Mentoring
empowers them with
essential information,
feedback, and support, and
helps them build confidence
and grow, both personally
and professionally.
But are there any benefits
for the mentor? Yes. There
are benefits beyond " it looks
really good on your résumé. "
It improves your leadership
and communication skills. You
gain a renewed sense of pride
in your profession. You get to
share your experiences with
a kindred spirit, somebody
hungry to hear them, which
is very satisfying. Most
gratifying of all is helping a
colleague succeed.
Mentoring will also teach
you a few things. When your
mentee says, " We do that
differently now, " and shows
www.ata-chronicle.online
If you've ever wanted or had
someone to help you find your
footing, consider doing the same
for someone else.
you a more efficient route to
doing the same task, you'll
be amazed. When you're
explaining things to a novice,
it makes you stop and look at
how and why you do things
and helps you see everything
through fresh eyes and
revitalized interest. You'll
learn while you teach!
Responsibilities
While the mentee has
responsibilities-to be open
to constructive criticism, to
learn and do homework, to
be willing to correct course,
etc.-the mentor has greater
responsibilities. Our mentee
will adopt our way of doing
things, both the good and the
bad, so we have to be careful
when we teach and never lose
sight of ethics and values. We
must set a higher standard
for ourselves because we'll
be leading by example. We
must remember that our
mentee looks up to us, and our
opinions and advice will carry
a heavier weight than normal.2
For me, as a mentor, the
task is not to carry anyone up
the mountain. It's not even
to hold their hand during the
climb. For me, it's preparing
them for the climb: letting
them know what kind of gear
they will need, what kind
of terrain lies ahead, if they
will encounter inclement
weather, what type of
obstacles will be waiting for
them, and teaching them
how to sort them.
You Can Be a Mentor
But who has time nowadays,
with the pressures of work,
family, and daily life in
general, you say? We all do.
We all have to. In most cases,
this commitment will only
require a handful of hours a
month from the mentor, but
it will have a great impact on
the mentee's life. All of us
could spare that kind of time
to give back, right?
That's why mentoring
programs are so important.
Nevertheless, the need for
mentors is great. And the
new generation needs you.
Yes, you, the language
professional who is reading
this. It so happens that ATA
has a mentoring program!
You can look at the guidelines
on ATA's website and watch
the free webinar.
ATA Mentoring
Program
No matter where you are in
your career, the advice and
encouragement from working
professionals with on-the-job
experience is priceless. But
finding the right mentor is not
always easy.
ATA's Mentoring Program
offers a unique one-to-one
matching service for a
limited number of mentees
and mentors. Matches are
made based on business
goals defined by the
mentee, but both sides of
the partnership benefit from
the rewards of collaborating
and sharing knowledge.
Members interested
in participating must
submit an application
by March 31. The program
runs from May 1 through
October 31. Watch the ATA
Mentoring Experience
video or visit the Mentoring
Program page on ATA's
website to learn more!
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES
1. " Etymology of 'Mentor.' " English 591, Doctoral Colloquium,
University of California, Santa Barbara (October 8, 2004).
2. Hart, E. Wayne. " Seven Ways to Be an Effective Mentor, "
Forbes (June 30, 2010).
Deborah Wexler, CT is an ATA-certified
English>Spanish translator and editor with more
than 20 years of experience specializing in
audiovisual translation and Spanish orthography.
She has translated and reviewed over 6,000
program hours for television, VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, streaming
media, and the big screen. She is a frequent speaker at
international conferences and an educator who has mentored
and trained many translators wanting to get into the audiovisual
field. She is the director of localization of the Americas at
Pixelogic Media and the co-founder and administrator of ATA's
Audiovisual Division. debbiesantos@yahoo.com
American Translators Association 31

https://www.atanet.org/video/the-ata-mentoring-experience/ https://www.atanet.org/video/the-ata-mentoring-experience/ https://www.atanet.org/video/the-ata-mentoring-experience/ https://www.atanet.org/career-education/mentoring/mentoring-program/ https://www.atanet.org/career-education/mentoring/mentoring-program/ https://www.atanet.org/career-education/mentoring/mentoring-program/ https://www.atanet.org/career-education/mentoring/mentoring-program/ http://oldsite.english.ucsb.edu/faculty/ayliu/courses/english591/2004-2005/materials/mentor-etymology.html http://oldsite.english.ucsb.edu/faculty/ayliu/courses/english591/2004-2005/materials/mentor-etymology.html https://www.forbes.com/2010/06/30/mentor-coach-executive-training-leadership-managing-ccl.html?sh=797445ef3fd3 https://www.forbes.com/2010/06/30/mentor-coach-executive-training-leadership-managing-ccl.html?sh=797445ef3fd3 http://www.ata-chronicle.online

The ATA Chronicle - January/February 2023

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