How To Look For The Right Mentor For Work

One way of driving into the right path of a successful career is having a mentor. You need someone who will lead the way by sharing their knowledge, experiences, and expertise to help you rightfully set your goals. They will enlighten you to make the right choices and support you in the complex world of professionalism. Likewise, with a good mentor, you can avoid the common pitfalls at work. 

The question now is, how are you going to choose the best one? Here’s the list of what you need to do so you can find the right mentor for your career. 

Condition Yourself And Be Open To Learn More 

Mentoring won’t be a success if, in the first place, you don’t have the attributes of being a good mentee. You can ask yourself if you are willing to be criticized, open for feedback, and can respectfully accept your weaknesses. You have to consider that this relationship is mainly to develop your skills. If you are not open to learn, then there’s no point in finding a mentor. 

Recognize Your Goals

What we meant here is that you need to identify both your short and long term goals. 

Again, ask yourself – Are you in the right job position or the appropriate field? Know that mentoring is also investing. Your mentor will have to spend a considerable amount of time and effort on you.  

It would be a whole lot easier if you already have a goal. This is not to say that it has to be solid. One of the reasons why you’d get a mentor is to identify what you want in life. But having an idea could avoid wasting both of your time. 

Look For Someone You Admire

When you look for a mentor, it is not necessarily within the same company. But it could be someone you look up to. It could be from your family, or your old professor, or anyone within your professional circle. 

Have a checklist. 

Does that person have your dream position? 

Is he successful and inspirational? 

You can make a list of your candidates then sort things out based on your qualifications. 

Do Your Own Research And Be Observant

When you’ve already shortlisted your possible mentors, research their education, background, and even common interests. Even before you touch base with them, be observant on how they were able to achieve their goals. 

Consider Looking Within Your Circle

As we’ve said, your mentor could be a family member or someone close to you. In fact, we recommend that you start with that first. That way, you already have an established relationship and could open more about your dreams and plans. 

However, we understand that some of us are more comfortable sharing with people outside of our circle. In that case, look for a successful person in your chosen field. 

Reach Out To Your Mentor 

If you choose a mentor with whom you are in constant communication with, then it’s easier to make a request. On the other hand, if they are someone from the industry, sending an email is acceptable. Just make sure that you take the time to write the letter. Make it genuine and free from error. More often than not, these ‘big shots’ are open to mentor the younger generation. Thus, you don’t have to be intimidated. 

Assess Your Relationship 

While being mentored, you also have to pause for a while and have an assessment. Try to see if you are comfortable with your mentor. Can you see positive changes in your life? Do you trust them? 

If you answered no, then it is always good to look for other people who could help you. This is not to say that they are a bad mentor. However, it could be that their style doesn’t work for your needs, and you have to be aware of this. 

Nevertheless, take time to thank them and to use whatever learnings you had from the experience. 

What To Expect From Your Mentor 

You also have to put in mind that mentoring is different from sponsoring. It’s a no-no to expect that your mentor can be someone to give you your dream position. They are just there to guide you and give you advice. You can’t expect that they will give you a promotion. At most, they could provide their recommendation just in case you are about to apply for a new position. At the end of the day, everything will depend on your hard work and passion.