A successful career isn’t always easy if you’re going it alone. Along with having a solid professional network, connecting with a career mentor makes a difference. With a mentor, you can typically make progress faster, all while having a beneficial relationship that can support you during challenging times.
If you’re wondering why having a mentor matters and how to find a career mentor, here’s what you need to know.
Why Having a Mentor Matters
Mentors are essentially simple guides that can help you keep your career on track. Typically, a mentor is someone in your field, as they’ll have the most insights about the journey ahead for you. Additionally, they’re someone you genuinely respect, both as a professional and as a person.
By having a mentor, you have access to their expertise. Along with helping you navigate your career challenges, they can assist with problem-solving and day-to-day challenges. Further, they often serve as a source of support during difficult times, helping build you up when you’re stressed.
Career mentors are also adept at opening doors. They can refer you to open positions, help you expand your network by making introductions, and support your desire to grow and advance. Additionally, they can help you avoid missteps, allowing you to benefit from the experience they acquired during their career journey.
How to Find a Career Mentor
In many cases, finding a career mentor isn’t as challenging as you’d expect. However, there is a process you need to follow.
First, spend time outlining your career goals. That allows you to identify professionals currently ahead of you on that path. Next, spend time learning about those potential mentors. You need to ensure their personalities and approach align with your needs, as that leads to stronger overall relationships.
Once you identify some potential career mentors, focus on building a relationship first. You need to see how the connection develops, allowing you to determine if they’d ultimately be a great mentor for you. Along the way, make sure you give as much as you get, as unbalanced relationships rarely lead to long-term gains.
After you forge a strong connection, you can ask if the person is comfortable becoming your mentor. Give them enough space where they can comfortably say yes or no. Typically, declining has nothing to do with the state of your relationship at this point. Instead, it could be a lack of time or a general discomfort with the idea. Since that’s the case, accept whatever answer they provide, and continue the relationship even if they say no while examining your other connections for a potential mentor.
In some cases, you may have to explore several relationships before you find one that meets your needs and a situation where being a mentor also works for the other party. As a result, patience and diligence are typically part of the equation. However, the effort is worthwhile, as it can make taking your career to new heights far more accessible than walking the road alone.
Is It Time to Take Your Career to the Next Level?
Whether you’re working with a mentor or keeping your career on target, finding right-fit opportunities at the correct time is critical for ongoing success. If you’re ready to take the next step, Premier Staffing Inc. makes finding a new role easy. Contact us to learn more about our open jobs today.