Achim Reinhardt graduated from the TU Berlin with a degree in business administration. Today he works as an entrepreneur and manager.

Q: What made you decide to get involved as a mentor?
A. Curiosity and the desire to also learn something from the students.

Q: What topics were talked about most often?
A: On the one hand, it was about possible jobs and career developments after university: what do I want? what do I need? what should I do? I also assisted with contacts from my network who work in companies that we had previously identified as possible employers.

Q: What might you also have learned from your mentees?
A: What are current issues for students and how does TU Berlin work today? What questions should I ask myself? I also learned how to approach the topic seriously and yet with joy.

Q: What was the most valuable experience for you during the mentoring tandems?
A: Realising how many doubts even the best-educated students have about their own abilities ... and that it wasn't just me. And that it was not at all easy to act as a mentor without slipping into active managing.

Q: What advice would you give to new mentors?
A: Don't get too involved and accept the solution developed by the mentees themselves. And don't forget to celebrate together!