Finding the Right Mentor

Successful businesspeople often wax eloquent about the benefits of having a mentor. Unfortunately, they often skip over the part where they tell you how to find one. How can you find the right person to guide you in your career? And how do you approach that person once you do? Here are some guidelines and tips that can help you find a good mentor.

Once you’ve decided that you want a mentor, check to see if your current employer, college alma mater, or other organization with which you’re associated has a formal mentoring program in place. If not, it’s time to begin the search on your own.

When looking for a mentor, seek out someone who has expertise in his or her profession or specialty. This person should be someone you admire and respect, be a good communicator, have a caring attitude, and make you feel comfortable. Your ideal mentor should be passionate and enthusiastic about his or her profession — and it won’t hurt if your mentor is well connected, too.

Although a mentor may be someone you work with, you’re probably better off with someone who works someplace else. Don’t ask your direct supervisor to be your mentor; it’s better to have someone with whom you can talk freely about career and workplace issues. Although some mentees prefer older, more experienced mentors, don’t overlook peer mentors. Sometimes the people who have the best solutions to problems are the people facing those problems themselves. Mentors can also be found through professional associations. Some associations even have mentoring programs where they match up experienced and inexperienced colleagues. And remember, a mentor doesn’t necessarily need to be the same gender or in the same specialty as the mentee.

Once you’ve decided on a mentor, approach that individual and ask if he or she would consider being your mentor. Depending on the individual and your current relationship, your proposal will vary in the amount of detail and how it is delivered. At the very least, let the person know what why you selected him or her and what you hope to learn from the association.

If you’re contacting someone who does not know you, send a letter of introduction indicating that you will be calling in a week’s time. Your letter should state your interest in learning more about that person and your desire to meet to get some advice and feedback. Once you’ve made contact and established the relationship, ask if that individual would be willing to mentor you.

If you’ve been considering looking for a mentor, don’t put it off any longer. Even if the person you choose declines to be your mentor — and that just might happen — he or she will certainly still be flattered that you asked.

Finding a mentor takes some work, and it involves some risk. But you’ll find that the benefits that you can reap from working with a mentor will be worth the effort you put into the search.



To learn more about this author, visit Mickey Parsons's Website.

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