3 Pieces of Advice for Boosting Your Career Through Mentorship
Mentoring is a great way to boost your career and ensure you continue to grow. A good mentor will help your progress, provide you with relevant information while also giving you the motivation and inspiration you need to excel on a daily basis. It is time to boost your career through mentorship!
An Asset for Your Professional Progress
A mentor can help you accelerate your professional development. First of all, they can help you choose the direction you want your career to take. Through their unique experience in your field of activity, they can give you sound advice on the professional paths to consider. Defining the next steps in your career is the first step to success.
If you already know where you’re heading professionally, your mentor can tell you the concrete actions you should take to achieve your ambitions. Whether it’s key skills to develop, networking events or training to attend, your mentor will be there to help you put your plan into action.
Finally, a good mentor should often initiate conversations that make you question yourself or shed new light on some of your beliefs. By revisiting your perceptions of your company, your industry and yourself in this way, you will avoid stagnating in a position or in a company for too long. You’ll be more attentive to trends in your market and will have more chances to optimize your performance and maximize your career advancement.
An Invaluable Source of Information and Knowledge
Your mentor has a career that looks like the one you want to have. For this reason, this person is in the best position to tell you what skills you will need to demonstrate as well as the technical skills you’ll need to acquire. But your mentor’s influence does not end there.
As you’re certainly aware, jobs posted internally or on company websites represent only a small fraction of the positions currently available in the world of work. Positions are often filled through word of mouth and referrals. Not only will your mentor be able to provide you with information about this implicit job market, but in some cases, they can also speak positively on your behalf to recruiters.
Besides giving you information about your industry, your mentor can also give you information about yourself. Indeed, one of the biggest blind spots for professionals is their own skills, qualities and flaws. As your relationship develops, your mentor will have a clear idea of how you’re likely to be viewed in your business and can provide you with areas for improvement.
A Dose of Motivation and Inspiration
A career path is rarely linear and obstacle-free. If you regularly set goals for yourself and are passionate about your personal development, it’s normal to be frequently faced with new challenges and obstacles. Facing adversity is the only way to make progress. However, this can be overwhelming in the long run. When you feel like giving up or you’re questioning your potential, a discussion with your mentor is a good way to regain the motivation and inspiration you need. Be inspired by their personal experiences and don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it.
Find the Right Mentor
If after discovering the many benefits of having a mentor, you’d like to find someone who can guide you in your professional life, here are some tips for finding the right fit:
- Start by defining the expertise you want to develop or fine-tune as well as the type of positions you’d like to hold in the future. This will help you determine the areas where you should seek your mentor. Consider the position they currently hold or have held in the past. Make sure their experience is aligned with your ambitions.
- A good mentor is a mentor who both has the desire and the time to invest in such a relationship. You may meet many people who want to help you. Take the time to ensure that beyond their good intentions, they also have the necessary availability to support you in your professional development.
- If you’re looking for a mentor, it certainly means that you have a deep desire to improve. Look for a mentor who shares this quality with you. The best teachers are those who are eager to learn and know how to stay curious.
Once you’ve established the main aspects of your perfect mentor, it’s time to get started. Use your network, browse your LinkedIn and tell people around you that you’re looking for a mentor. Your colleagues or superiors might put you in touch with someone who can help or who might even volunteer. Knock on as many doors—both online and in real life—as you can. You’d be surprised at how many professionals are ready to help you.
Manage the Mentor Relationship
Once you’ve found your mentor, it’s important to define your relationship together. In this way, you’ll make sure that both parties feel respected and have their expectations met. The first thing to do is to structure your communications: Who will contact whom? What is the acceptable response time? Do you prefer emails, texts or calls?
Also plan your next in-person meeting and set how often your meetings will be held.
Finally, define your goals: What do you hope to gain from this relationship? How do you want your mentor to support you? Do you need practical advice or motivation and inspiration?
Mentoring is an incredible opportunity to advance your career through you mentor’s sound advice. Most importantly, mentoring is a chance to build an authentic and warm relationship with an inspiring person. Sharing your ideas and getting support when you need it most are invaluable and go beyond mere professional gain.
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