How to follow in the footsteps of a more experienced counsellor

Following in the footsteps of your mentor can be one of the most challenging situations you will ever experience in your career.

When I was hired at an international school, I found myself in exactly that position. I was hired into a role that was held by someone with decades’ more experience than me. She was a cornerstone of the institution, particularly when it came to navigating the complex world of high-school academics and university planning. 

When she departed, it felt like she’d left a hole behind. Years of accumulated wisdom, in-depth understanding and recall that hadn’t been formally documented had suddenly vanished. Her absence was particularly felt among the graduating Grade 12 (Year 13) students, who looked to her for leadership and guidance. 

For me, the task ahead felt daunting, to say the least. How could I possibly absorb – let alone replicate – that depth of knowledge quickly enough to effectively support our students and staff? 

Downloading knowledge from another person

In my previous role as an academic adviser for a charter school in the US, I was surrounded by a large team of colleagues, who worked primarily with parents and families to help students earn associate’s degrees while graduating from high school at the same time. 

In my new role, most 12th-Grade students came to my predecessor for advice on any and all things related to academic counselling. Her knowledge wasn’t just deep; it was intricate, built over countless student interactions and endless university planning. 

While she was always generous and patient with her time during the transition, the sheer volume of information felt overwhelming. The initial temptation was to try frantically to download everything directly from her – every anecdote, every exception, every preferred method. I recall a handful of marathon sessions, endless note-taking and an attempt to become her clone. 

An unwritten encyclopedia

However, I realised this approach was flawed. It was impractical, unsustainable and short-sighted. 

Impractical in that no amount of hurried knowledge transfer could truly replicate my colleague’s years of lived experience. Unsustainable in that it would place an immense burden on me to become the sole repository of this vast, unwritten encyclopedia. 

I realised I wasn’t supposed to become her – I just needed to ensure that the functions she performed continued effectively. 

I needed to draw input from our SLT, the academic counselling team and stakeholders in the community. I scheduled multiple meetings with the principal, laying out the situation: the immense value of my predecessor’s knowledge, the risk of losing it and my inability to absorb it all. 

I proposed a different path: instead of trying to internalise everything myself or spread it throughout our academic-counselling team, I wanted to make use of her advising brilliance: notes, random procedural documents, emails containing opinions on specific cases and recorded experiences. My goal was to create a resource that would benefit all of our stakeholders, and especially the 12th-Grade students. 

The Graduation Guide

The result was a comprehensive document we refer to as The Graduation Guide. What started out as an attempt to formulate a collection of my predecessor’s notes became a structured, practical tool. It outlined standard operating procedures for common counselling tasks for university admissions, transcript request, essay writing, financial aid, letters of recommendations, English-proficiency exemptions, our alumni network and documented precedents for handling unusual academic situations. It became the go-to reference for our academic counsellors concerning 12th Graders. 

The Graduation Guide standardised the advice students were receiving, reducing confusion and ensuring equity. It gave the counsellors a reliable resource to consult, which built their confidence and efficiency. And it helped students to take on more responsibility for their own university applications. 

Critically, for me, it transformed my role. Instead of spending my days answering repetitive (albeit nuanced) questions about standard procedures, I was helping students understand letters of recommendations, acceptance rates and formulated goals for long-term university planning. 

The Graduation Guide helped minimise overall stress, distribute knowledge, build capacity within the team and ultimately allowed me to serve me students more effectively. 

Stepping into that role was initially intimidating, but by focusing on building a sustainable system, rather than attempting the impossible task of becoming my predecessor’s clone, I was able to create something even more valuable: a clear foundation for success.

The author is writing under a pseudonym.