Do you need guidance on where to go next in your career? Or perhaps you’re struggling to adapt to your first work from home job?
What you need is a career mentor.
Great mentors can open up new career opportunities, help you achieve your career goals, and guide your career development.
That said, finding the right career mentor can be challenging if you don’t know what to look for.
Here are some tips:
What Are Career Mentors?
Career mentors are professionals with extensive industry experience and knowledge providing guidance and advice to another, usually less-experienced person (the mentee).
This advice and guidance can range from job-hunting strategies and industry trends and forecasts to tips for growing your network and leadership development, etc.
They differ from sponsors in the sense that mentors only offer guidance and advice. Meanwhile, sponsors actively recommend their proteges for promotions and have a more active role in their career development.
Furthermore, career mentors aren’t the same as coaches. Mentors offer long-term, holistic guidance to mentees, drawing from their own experiences to help them navigate their careers.
Coaches, on the other hand, provide structured, goal-oriented support to help trainees hone a specific skill. They’re also time-bound and usually leave once you reach certain goals within a set time frame.
Mentors aren’t always in a higher position nor are they necessarily older than their mentees. In some cases, two peers at the same level can offer advice and support to one another through peer mentorship.
Finding Your Ideal Career Mentor
Here are some tips that can help with finding the right career mentor for you:
Set Your Goals and Expectations
The first step to finding the right career mentor is determining what you want to learn from your mentor.
What areas in your work are you currently struggling with? What areas do you excel at? And what aspects of your career do you want to focus on?
Asking these questions helps you identify where you’re currently at in your career and which direction you want to go.
It’s alright if you don’t have a clear long-term goal for your career right now. You can focus on your short-term goals so you have a clear starting point.
Look for Possible Mentors
Once you’ve identified what you want to learn from your mentor, it’s time to start searching for one.
There are two main factors to ensure mentor compatibility: 1.) they possess the knowledge and experience that can help you and 2.) they’re willing and able to help you.
Mentors can come from various sources. They can be higher-ups at the company you’re currently working for, an acquaintance you met at a networking event, or even friends and relatives with knowledge and experience in your field.
With the growth of online jobs, you can also find mentors on professional networking sites like LinkedIn.
Finding the right career mentor takes time, so remain patient and don’t be discouraged if you can’t find one immediately.
Reach Out to Potential Mentor/s
After finding suitable mentors, connect with them and determine whether they’re willing to help and advise you.
Don’t ask them outright if they can be your mentor. Instead, ask if they’re willing to connect and discuss something you’re struggling with.
Typically, you reach out to your potential mentor in person. Nowadays, since many are in an online work from home setup, you can do so via email instead.
Meet With Your Potential Mentor/s
When meeting your potential mentor, come prepared with specific questions and know your objectives well. Consider sending them your questions in advance so they can prepare.
Your meeting doesn’t have to be long either, even a fifteen-minute meeting can give you plenty of useful help and advice.
At the end of your meeting, thank your potential mentor for their time and see if they’re willing to meet again. Schedule this meeting in advance so you have time to implement their advice.
Nurture Your Relationship With Your Mentor
After your first meeting, remain in contact with your mentor and report your progress to them regularly.
Depending on your needs and your mentor’s schedule, your meetings can be weekly, monthly, or quarterly.
During meetings, note how their advice helped you improve and provide concrete examples whenever possible.
Grow Your Career With the Help of Experts
Mentors are a great source of valuable insights and lessons that can help your career grow.
If you’re struggling with finding the right career mentor, following the tips above is a great first step in the right direction.
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