Julia is a content creator who resides in New York City. When she’s not writing, you can find her running with her rescue dog in Central Park, eating a vegan burger, or playing tennis.
Having a mentor can be of extraordinary help to you throughout many stages in life. A mentor is an individual who has experience and can offer helpful insights and advice.
A mentor can guide you in the right direction whether you’re entering school or looking to change or advance your career. In this post, we will discuss the benefits of having a mentor and how to find one who is well suited for you.
When to find a mentor
Working with a mentor can be beneficial during various life stages. From when you’re in secondary school and looking to figure out whether or not higher education is right for you to when you’re a senior level professional, a mentor can be of great assistance.
As a student a mentor can help guide you in understanding what course work makes the most sense for you to take. A mentor can help you discover what interests you and what your passions are as well as what your strengths and weaknesses might be.
For recent graduates, having a mentor in the professional field you intend to pursue, can help you gain an inside look into what your new profession would entail. A mentor can also help you understand how to use your unique skill set.
Another great time to work with a mentor is when you want to advance in your career or you’re considering changing careers. Stepping into a higher position or new career field entirely can be overwhelming. A mentor can help you feel confident about moving forward.
How to find a mentor
Check to see if your school or organisation already has a mentorship program in place. If not, no need to worry -there are plenty other ways to find a mentor, such as within professional associations or via networking events. These are great places to connect with individuals who are knowledgeable in the field you want to pursue. If you’re looking for a private mentor, you can also find professionals in your area from advertising platorms such as Friday-Ad.
It’s important to have a good understanding of what you want from a mentor. This foundation will help you find someone who can help you reach your goals. Being specific about what you’re looking for will help you find the person who is the right match for you. This will lead to a more rewarding relationship and experience overall.
Looking for a mentor?
6 benefits of working with a mentor
There are many advantages to working with a mentor. Below are six main benefits of teaming up with a mentor…
1. Heightened productivity
A mentor will help you reach new levels of productivity beyond your current efforts. They will keep you focused on your academic work and career goals by actively working on defining and achieving them with you.
2. New perspectives
A mentor will be able to offer a fresh perspective based on their own personal experiences and journey. By talking to someone new, and specifically someone who is more advanced in their career, you’re very likely to gain a new and valuable perspective. A mentor can help ensure that your goals are reasonable and that you are in a good position to achieve them.
3. Unbiased feedback
What’s nice about a mentor is they aren’t like your professors or employers. In other words, they aren’t looking for you to perform a certain way in attempts of a high grade or promotion. A mentor solely wants to help you succeed.
With this in mind, you can trust that their feedback is unbiased. Often, mentors don’t receive compensation for helping others. The reason they put forth their time is quite simply to help others.
4. Career advancement
What you learn from your mentor can help you gain expertise in your field. Having a strong foundation before you enter the field, or gaining additional knowledge as you climb the ladder, can help you advance more rapidly. You will learn things that other individuals without a mentor might not know, such as what skills employers like to see on a CV. This will help you stand out from other candidates when applying for jobs.
5. Improved communication
You may find that just by working with a mentor your communication skills improve, as you will have been focused on articulating your specific journey to them. Additionally, you can role play with your mentor and practice interviewing or even how to navigate difficult professional conversations, such as how to ask for a raise.
6. Increased confidence
With your acquired expertise, you’ll feel much more confident in the classroom or in your career. By helping you understand your strengths and how to communicate effectively, a mentor can help you feel more confident in your skills and abilities.
Careers where mentors are particularly helpful
Having a mentor can be very helpful in specific fields. For example, the medical field. Many medical positions require many years of rigorous schooling and are very high pressure jobs. A mentor can help you understand not only how to succeed, but also how to manage the stress of your job.
Mentors can also be very helpful in the business world. Not only can they share their unique expertise, but a mentor can also often offer their own personal connections. In business, there is a huge emphasis on who you know and who you’re connected to. Having more connections can help you advance and create opportunities.
If you’re in performing arts, you can also significantly benefit from having a mentor. In this field it’s also very helpful to have access to key networks. A mentor can often open those doors for you. Additionally, because this field often consists of ups and downs, a mentor can help you manage your expectations and learn to handle disappointment. You can learn directly from the mistakes of your mentor.
Becoming successful requires commitment and effort. With the help of a mentor the process can become a bit simpler and less stressful. A mentor will work to help you expand your knowledge and outlook, which will in turn help you distinguish yourself from others and move forward with confidence.
Check out the visual above from the University of St.Augustine for Health Sciences to learn more about how to find a mentor.
