Mark Zuckerberg had one. So did Sir Richard Branson and Bill Gates. In fact, many successful people have benefitted from the wisdom and advice that comes from a mentorship. But what is a mentor, exactly? We spoke to Brooke Fernandez, resource developer for Student Support & Engagement at Chisholm, to find out 10 ways a mentor could help you.
1. Expertise
One of the key benefits of having a mentor is the years of experience they bring to the mentor/mentee relationship. “A mentor offers a mentee more advanced insider knowledge of the workplace and industry based on expertise gained from their own experience,” says Brooke. Often this insider knowledge is hard won; for every success, mentors have also made missteps mentees can learn from.
2. Inspiration
“Ideally, a mentor should be someone a mentee looks up to,” says Brooke. With a proven track record and the respect of the industry, mentors are often an important role model for someone starting out in their professional career.
3. Goal setting
A mentor can help refine a mentee’s short, medium and long-term professional goals, and the steps needed to achieve them, as well as identifying the gaps when it comes to their experience and skills.
“Mentors help mentees put their goals in perspective and plan them according to their skillset,” says Brooke
4. Networking
In many industries, success can often come down not so much to what you know, but to who you know. For many people, one of the core benefits of having a mentor is that they bring with them a range of contacts and connections that can enhance your professional standing.
5. Career progression
Beyond networking, it’s fairly common for mentors to assist with career progression into new roles and opportunities. “Mentors keep an eye out for great opportunities that suit mentees and assist in their growth,” says Brooke. “When a mentee is ready to progress, mentors are often able to get in contact with connections from the mentee’s industry to help them advance into the next stage of their career.”
6. Encouragement
“A mentor can see potential in a mentee that they may not even know they have,” says Brooke. Part of being a good mentor is challenging a mentee to get out of their comfort zone - and reach for bigger things. “A mentor can challenge you to think differently and adopt new approaches.”
7. Accountability
Whether you meet weekly, monthly or quarterly, having a mentor can help keep you on track professionally by making you accountable to your goals. Additionally, they’re also able to offer objective advice if they see you’re not working to your potential.
8. Problem solving
When things go south, a mentor can help guide mentees through the trickier times. Mentees not only get the benefit of their mentor’s experience, but also professional unbiased advice from an objective point of view.
9. Feedback and reflection
Beyond problem solving, mentors can provide valuable feedback. “A good mentor is able to analyse and view the mentee’s abilities and characteristics objectively,” says Brooke. “They’re then able to encourage reflection on what aspects of a mentee’s career, skills and decision-making might need improvement.”
10. Celebrate success
Mentors know what success looks like, and can help you recognise and celebrate the wins - be it a small personal goal, a new opportunity or a big promotion.
How to find a mentor
To find a mentor, think about the people in the industry you work in (or aspire to work in) who you look up to. It should be someone who has is at least a few years ahead of you in their career so they have experience to draw from as they advise you.
This might be a family friend, someone you know through your local community or someone you met during a work placement. Some industry bodies also have mentoring programs. “Find someone whom you admire for their work ethic, experience and capabilities,” Brooke suggests.
The mentor needs be willing to share their skills and experiences, they need to be trustworthy and enthusiastic about your career.
A good start is to give the person a call, reach out via a channel like LinkedIn or send an email asking them to catch up for a coffee. Let them know what your goals are and give them an indication of how often you’d like to meet or chat on the phone. “Let them know you admire the way they hold themselves professionally and request their guidance, asking them to mentor you,” Brooke says.
Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask. Most people are happy to help if they can and you haven’t got anything to lose by asking.
