Why is Career Mentoring Important?
Career mentoring is an under-utilised service. If you talk to the average company employee or some of your colleagues at work, chances are they don’t comprehend the benefit of mentoring or mentorship programs.
It is advantageous to employ the services of a career mentor to help one navigate the unknowns and receive expert advice on their carer path.
The good part is: we’ll be explaining all about career mentoring today.
So, let’s dive right into it.
What is a career mentor?
A career mentor is a senior professional (usually within your field) who has knowledge, wisdom, and years of experience that they can share with you.
A career mentor has already attained a level of success that is aspirational. Mentors also help you set your career objectives and goals and guide you throughout your career path.
In addition, a mentor challenges you, pushes your limits, and helps keep you motivated and focused.
Why is it important to have a mentor?
- Setting career-business goals
We all could benefit from guidance in setting the right career goals for ourselves. It is advantageous to identify career goals that align with our personalities and vision, are achievable, and actionable.
A seasoned professional such as a career mentor can help you plan your path and show you what you need to do to achieve your career goals. A mentor has an idea of what the industry is like and can show you how to proceed thoughtfully.
2. Personal growth
Mentors can assess your abilities and skills and find ways to enhance your abilities and polish your skills, so you are marketable.
When assessing your skill set and strengths, they assign tasks or challenges and then analyse your performance to provide critical feedback regarding your strengths and areas requiring improvement. In short, they look for measurable methods to improve your skillset and help you grow.
3. Unbiased Opinions
Most people are afraid to say harsh things to your face, thinking you might get hurt. Or, some people are simply biased and give you unfavourable advice to hurt you on purpose.
A mentor should remain objective and neutral and provide you with an impartial opinion when suggesting areas for improvement. Making you feel discouraged or upset is not their end goal; they intent is to build confidence by developing your strengths and talents through constructive feedback and guidance.
4. Trusted Partner
A mentoring relationship requires trust and confidence. A mentor should be someone you trust because you may need to discuss personal issues which should remain confidential.
Apart from that, a mentor also listens keenly to your new business ideas and keeps them confidential.
5. Constructive Criticism
A friend or family member may hesitate to give you honest feedback about your career choice, a new project, or a business deal. They may refrain from expressing their criticisms because they fear hurting you. A mentor will give you well-crafted, unbiased advice to help you grow.
Unlike family members, mentors are straightforward and honest with you. They offer constructive criticism to highlight your weaknesses and strengthen areas that need improvement.
6. Endless knowledge
Whether starting a business, taking a master’s course, or switching careers, mentors always have the knowledge to share with you. They have most likely already experienced similar situations and know how to handle them effectively.
A mentor will also share their strategies on saving and investing money, reducing stressful thoughts, and keeping a healthy daily routine.
7. New Perspectives
While mentors are not therapists or philosophy experts, they still help guide awareness and invite critical thinking and intelligent discourse on the best way to achieve your desired results.
They can provide a unique perspective on important topics. If you consult your mentor about the pros and cons of a particular real estate location, they can help you review and assess the property from several perspectives and identify problem areas.
Additionally, if you begin to speak negatively about your career, they can help pivot your negativity and get you back on track.
8. Professional Connections
Mentors share their network connections and introduce their mentees to their peers and colleagues. Since their network is well-developed from years of industry experience, they can introduce you to professionals in your field who can strengthen your network and also impart their collective knowledge, wisdom, and best practices.
So, whenever your mentor suggests a business conference or seminar, you should consider the benefits of attending. You never know what may lead you to new opportunities.
How to find a Mentor?
Here is a brief plan that you can follow to find a mentor for yourself:
Find someone you want to become
When identifying a mentor, look for someone with the same job or within the same field, but also find someone with a personality and skillset that you believe is aspirational.
If you only focus on their job role, you might be disappointed by their overall personality.
Research and Study
Get to know the person by speaking to their colleagues.
If they have a LinkedIn profile, social media accounts, or a blog, follow them and see what they share and speak about. Find out what they are passionate about and also what they avoid. If you both have some common interests, it helps set the foundations of a solid working relationship.
Make the request
Once you’ve identified a mentor, don’t ask the person to become your mentor right away. That’s a big request. Instead, approach them respectfully and request a meeting to get to know one another and, if you feel comfortable, ask for their opinion or advice on some issues.
See if they meet your expectations
If you ask a mentor for help or answers to questions, they should ideally be friendly and honest with you. If you see them as someone you can trust and look up to, take this relationship forward and nurture it well.
Follow up
Always be respectful when addressing your mentor, don’t try to intrude too much or interrupt them. Touch base and catch-up with your mentor at regular intervals. Make sure you always approach them professionally, and if you see that they are happy to help, you can take the next step and formally ask them to be your mentor.
Allow your relationship to grow organically. If you do this correctly, a bond of trust and mutual respect will develop in time.
Once you get yourself a mentor, you’ll see that it’s a life-changing experience.
