Many readers of my job search blog at NWjobs.com say one of the hardest parts of pursuing the right career path is the loneliness of the pursuit. From deciding a profession to crafting a resume, most of the work is done individually, with little or no outside help other than friends or family.
But you don’t have to go it alone. You could seek out a mentor – an experienced worker within your company or profession who can show you the ropes and dispense advice about major career decisions.
While mentorship can seem like an antiquated notion – something that went out of style decades ago – having a mentor remains an incredibly valuable practice. And there are still plenty of professionals who would be happy to share their knowledge. So let’s talk about what the role of a mentor is and how to find one.
What a Mentor Should and Shouldn’t Do
Mentors can be an invaluable resource, but they are not miracle workers. Nor do they exist just to serve your needs. Here’s what you should expect from a good one.
| A mentor should … |
A mentor shouldn’t … |
| Introduce you to the right people. One of the fastest paths to success involves finding the right person to talk to. A mentor can often provide you with those all-important introductions to decision makers. |
Find a new job for you. Sorry, that’s something you’ll have to do on your own, but a mentor can at least give you recommendations and introduce you to potential hiring managers. |
| Warn you of pitfalls ahead. Benefiting from 20/20 hindsight is a rare gift that mentors can give. They’ve been where you are before and can help you steer clear of obstacles and dead ends along the way. |
Be just a friend. Mentors should be objective enough to give you honest criticism if they think you’re on the wrong path. You don’t want a mentor who’s afraid to hurt your feelings now and again; you need some level of professional detachment. |
| Act as a sounding board. A mentor can help you get through rough drafts of presentations or play devil’s advocate for new ideas you may have, which can help prepare you for the tough questions from your real boss. |
Be a therapist. Consultations with a mentor should be about overcoming problems, not venting frustrations or crying on someone’s shoulder. While you can discuss these feelings with a mentor, you must also respect their time and energy and the purpose of your meeting. |
What to Look for in a Mentor
Mentoring is about more than someone just giving out advice; it’s a long-term, two-way relationship. Before you start looking for a mentor, set yourself up for building the right relationship by deciding what you want out of a mentorship.
Are you looking to break into the business world as an entry-level hire? Are you seeking a promotion within your current profession? Are you ready to shift into a new profession mid-career? Each one of these situations requires mentors with different skills – one needs to emphasize teaching skills, one needs to be an expert networker and one needs the ability to identify transferable skills. Figure out what your situation calls for, and then start your search.
Finding a Mentor
You might find a mentor across town – or even right across the hall. And in today’s digitally connected world, you can also broaden your horizons and find mentors well beyond where you live or work. No matter where you look for a mentor, here are a few things to keep in mind during your search.
Organizations That Can Help
Ready to start looking for a mentor? Here are a number of local and national groups that can help match you with a mentor.
- Seek out people you want to be like. Look for a mentor who has the lifestyle you want to have eventually. Seek out people you admire not just for the knowledge they possess but the work-life balance they’ve achieved and the core values you share.
- Consider your peers. There’s no law that says a mentor must be older than you to have experience you could benefit from. In her 2014 book, Becoming the Boss, career consultant Lindsey Pollak talks about the rise of co-mentorships, which she describes as more of a two-way street, where two cooperative peers advocate for each other’s careers. The key is to find someone who knows your strengths and day-to-day challenges but who’s not competing directly with you.
- Don’t limit yourself to just one. If you can’t find one perfect mentor for your needs, Pollak suggests developing other professional relationships that require less of a time commitment. Over time, these people can become a sort of personal advisory board you can contact on a rotating basis, she says.
Finding someone you’d like to have as a mentor and then asking that person to be your career guide can be uncomfortable, but it’s important to be direct and ask. Invite possible mentors out for coffee and talk about your vision and goals. The investment in time and energy can pay you back many times over.