5 Tips For Finding And Keeping A Mentor

I’m going through a strange period. For the first time, I don’t have one specific mentor to guide and advice me on various aspects of life. I have, however, been working under the tutelage of senior engineers in work which has been very beneficial for my professional development. I believe having a mentor is key to developing your skills and fulfilling your potential.

It is estimated that 71% of Fortune 500 companies have mentoring programs. For those with a mentor, 97% say they are valuable. It is also no surprise that those who enrol in mentorship programs are more likely to have salary-grade increases and gain promotion.

Crucially, 79% of millennials view mentoring as a key part of their professional development. Despite this, 63% think their leadership potential is not fulfilled. This raises the question of how to pass on knowledge from previous generations to what will make up the majority of the workforce in the coming years. How then will millennials be able to mentor and nurture Generation Z?

The following tips are the approach I’ve been using to navigate my way to a mentor.

Finding A Mentor

Finding someone with the job or social standing you desire can be fairly simple. You want to look for someone with a similar skillset and set of strengths you wish to develop.

Spend some time over this before making a decision. Keep your options open before making your final choice.

When you’ve made your choice — study the person. Get to know them by reading blog posts, looking at their social media and talking to other people who know them. It’s important to have an understanding of how the person operates and thinks before you approach them.

Pop The Question

Like any worthwhile relationship, you can’t go straight to the big question.

Keep it informal first. Meet for a coffee or go for a walk around the park. Ask questions but let the conversation flow naturally. After all, time is the most important variable here. They need to get to know and be comfortable with you before the relationship can develop.

After this first meeting, you can then decide if the person is really who you’d like to mentor you. What was your first impression of them? Did you get on well? Did you feel a connection? Taking time to reflect on the meeting gives you the opportunity to think about what went well and what didn’t. Furthermore, you can then decide whether to continue the pursuit of this mentor or to follow a different path.

Follow Up

Thank the person for their time. Politeness is the easiest quality to practice and this will leave a good impression on your potential mentor.

If everything has gone well, suggest a second meeting. Again, keep it informal here so it doesn’t feel forced. Allowing the relationship to develop organically develops respect and trust. Your mentor should feel like a friend as time progresses.

Ask For Feedback

Don't be scared to hear what they think. If they care about your development, their criticism will be constructive. Yes, this may be uncomfortable at first. Over time, however, you will learn to communicate in a way that brings the best out of each other.

Be In It For The Long Haul

If you’re looking for a quick fix then mentoring probably isn’t for you. This sort of development takes a longer period of time to come to fruition.

You’re a student in this relationship so quitting the first time you’re challenged does not make you a good mentee. Your mentor could be looking for how you react to the challenge they set you.

Keep track of your own thoughts and feelings throughout the duration of the mentorship. Comparing various points will allow you to see the changes in each other and the connection you share.

Mentoring is a relationship that develops the skills of both involved. The mentor works on their leadership and ensures there are no gaps in their knowledge of a subject. The mentee learns the skills they desire which they identified in the mentor. Both nurture communication.

Large companies offering mentorship schemes seem to find them successful. Additionally, according to the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, 94% of small and medium-sized enterprises have seen benefits from external incentives and guidance. This relates directly to ambition and higher relative turnover.

Whether you work in a big firm or are self-employed, mentoring can help you work on skills to become the person you would like to be. Do you have a mentor? If so, what have you learned from them? How has your relationship varied over time?

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Have a great day,

Josh