How to Find a Mentor
How to Find a Mentor
Learn what a mentor is and how you can find the best one to help you reach your professional goals.
By Matt D’Angelo, Senior Writer | Editor Reviewed: Adam Uzialko, Senior Editor
Business News Daily | Updated October 24, 2023
If you’re considering finding a mentor to help with your day-to-day job requirements and long-term career goals, we’ll show you what to look for, how to find one and how to forge a successful relationship that benefits you both.
What is a mentor?
Mentorship is a mutually beneficial professional relationship in which an experienced individual (the mentor) imparts knowledge, expertise and wisdom to a less experienced person (the mentee) while simultaneously honing their mentoring skills.
An effective mentor can guide the mentee professionally while maintaining a friendly and supportive relationship. A mentor should always have the mentee’s best interests in mind and tailor their mentorship style to meet their needs.
Anyone looking for a mentor should follow three best practices:
- Have a clear goal. Define your career and set achievable business goals. Understand what you must learn to reach your goals.
- Take a businesslike approach. Approach a mentor relationship as if it’s a business friendship. Be casual and friendly, and try not to ask awkward questions like “Will you be my mentor?”
- Look for a mentor in your professional network. You may already have a mentor in your professional network who provides advice in various ways. All it takes is a little effort to grow that connection into an ongoing relationship.
What does a mentor do?
Whether you are starting a business, are beginning your career or have some business experience under your belt, you can benefit from a mentor.
“A mentor can serve as a sounding board at critical points throughout your career,” said Diane Domeyer Kock, senior vice president and managing director of managed creative solutions at Robert Half. “They can provide guidance on career management you may not be able to get from other sources and an insider’s perspective on the business, as well as make introductions to key industry contacts.”
Doña Storey, an OPEN Mentorship Institute mentor and American Express OPEN advisor on procurement, noted that mentors can help their mentees identify and avoid business pitfalls and work through the challenges ahead of them.
Vicki Salemi, a career expert for popular job search platform Monster, pointed out that when we’re immersed in our own careers, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. Mentors are essential, especially early in your career. Mentors should be people other than your boss, and they should provide insight on getting ahead and support your overall goals…[MORE]
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To read the entire article by Matt D’Angelo, at the Business News Daily website, visit: How to Find a Mentor