You will be collaborating closely with your mentor. You must get along with this person or else the relationship might feel forced or strained. Don’t dismiss a relationship too quickly because it takes some time to get to know someone; instead, pay attention to any signs of potential long-term conflict. Don’t be afraid to express your concerns or break up with someone. Most likely, you and your mentor share the same sentiments.
You might feel obligated to stick with a mentor you’ve been given through a program or your employer. Most of the time, though, that’s not the case, and if you tell the business why you don’t think the mentor-mentee relationship will work out, they’ll be happy to pair you up with another mentor.
This person should be somewhat outside of your comfort zone because a mentor helps you step outside of it. You don’t want your best friend or a duplicate of yourself serving as your mentor. To ensure that you’re getting a truly unique perspective on things, you need diversity. Don’t be afraid to work with a mentor who is younger than you, doesn’t look like you, doesn’t think like you, and isn’t necessarily a member of your gender.
It’s not even necessary for your mentor to be in your industry. Sometimes the most clarity can be gained by having someone examine something from a completely different angle and point of view. Knowing that you don’t belong to the same social or professional circles as them may even make you feel more at ease opening up to them because there is less chance of future conflict.
Finding the mentor with the most years of experience or the most authority is not the key. Finding a mentor who can guide you on your journey and has the necessary knowledge and skills is important. You need a mentor with enough expertise to guide you through any obstacles you may encounter, but that doesn’t always entail hiring someone with the most years of experience. If your mentor has faced a similar challenge as you and overcame it, their position or length of employment become meaningless.
- Pick a mentor who shares your values and definition of success. …
- Find someone who has attained specific goals that you are aiming for. …
- Look for someone able and willing to build new relationships. …
- Select a mentor who has differences that can challenge you. …
- Meet with your potential mentor.
Why should you work with a mentor?
There are many advantages to having a professional mentor, including:
What is a mentor?
A successful professional in your desired field who is willing to develop a working relationship with you is a mentor. A connection based on shared values and compatibility in personality can help you achieve your personal career goals. Managers, more seasoned coworkers, former professors, or other professionals in your network can serve as mentors.
How to choose a mentor
A number of elements are necessary for mentorship to be beneficial for both parties. Consideration should be given to both similarities and differences, as both can bring positive qualities to the relationship. You can create a strong foundation to make this new professional relationship as healthy and advantageous as possible by finding the right mentor. The following actions can assist you in selecting a mentor:
1. Pick a mentor who shares your values and definition of success
Consider your own personality and values when seeking advice from a professional, and look for someone who shares them. While some of your differences may help you see things from new angles, your shared goals may also help you forge a solid bond. If you and your potential mentor share the same objectives for your career and field, they will be easier to understand and able to provide advice that is tailored to your particular needs.
You’ll already have some idea of whether you and a potential mentor are a good fit if you’re considering someone in your network. When seeking a new connection, investigating their background, network, and online presence can help you form an educated opinion about their principles and motivations.
2. Find someone who has attained specific goals that you are aiming for
It’s crucial to consider the precise objectives you would like to attain in your career, whether you are looking to change careers, advance in your current position or industry, or launch your career successfully. You can focus your list of potential mentors once you are clear on your goals.
If you’re aiming for a certain position, you might come across someone who fulfills and excels in that role in a way that you admire. It’s a good idea to research potential mentors’ career paths if your goal is to switch to a new field so you can find role models. Someone who has done it before can best advise you when you’re trying to launch a new business or work for a particular company.
3. Look for someone able and willing to build new relationships
You and your mentor must both invest the time and effort necessary to establish a new working relationship. A mentor who is active in your field of work can also help you expand your network and be introduced to more opportunities as your mentoring relationship develops. They ought to care about your success, which can assist you in creating specific objectives and the steps necessary to achieve them.
You might want to communicate more frequently in the beginning of your mentoring relationship, whether in person, over the phone, or via email. You might only need to check in occasionally as you get to know each other more. Your commitment to one another and willingness to collaborate can be ensured by taking into account the time commitment throughout the relationship.
4. Select a mentor who has differences that can challenge you
Though compatibility is crucial, it’s also beneficial to consider how a mentor can help you develop in novel ways. Try to find someone who has mastered that skill if you have a professional challenge or weakness, a skill you want to learn, or a new field you’d like to work in. By providing you with the specific advice and resources that their own personal experience has given them, they can assist you in developing that skill.
In addition to having a range of skills, think about finding a mentor with a unique perspective or history. Diversity of experiences can help you both incorporate more mindfulness into your professional processes and discover fresh approaches to your problems in a relationship based on shared professional values.
5. Meet with your potential mentor
Have a meeting to get to know a potential mentor once you’ve found one before formally asking them to be your mentor. You can double-check your compatibility and determine how closely their personality aligns with what you discovered through your research through a conversation over in-person lunch or coffee. During this meeting, you can also discuss the qualities they are looking for in a mentee and determine whether they align with your personality and stage of career.
How to Choose a Mentor- Seek Trifectas
FAQ
What are 3 things you look for in a mentor?
- Relevant Expertise or Knowledge. …
- Enthusiasm for Sharing That Expertise. …
- A Respectful Attitude. …
- Eagerness to Invest in Others. …
- The Ability to Give Honest and Direct Feedback. …
- Reflective Listening and Empathy. …
- Willingness to Be a Sponsor.
What are good qualities of a mentor?
- Good listener/sounding board.
- Flexible.
- Value diversity of perspectives.
- Knowledgeable.
- Nonjudgmental.
- Able to give constructive feedback.
- Honest and candid.
- Able to network and find resources.
What kind of mentor do I need?
The following traits characterize a good mentor: willingness to impart skills, knowledge, and expertise A good mentor accepts the mentee where they are in their professional development and is willing to share what they know. Good mentors can recall what it was like to break into a field.
How do I choose a mentor and mentee?
- Identify the Purpose of the Mentoring Program. There must be clearly defined objectives for the mentoring program.
- Determine the Type of Matching for Mentors and Mentees. …
- Create Profiles and Criteria for Matching Mentors and Mentees. …
- Provide Training for Mentors and Mentees.
