7 Ways Having a Mentor Boosted My Career

It's been almost a year since I apprehensively typed out a message to my mentor asking if she'd like to catch up. I'd wanted a mentor for a while, but I didn't want to force it as no one had immediately come to mind. But this all changed one rainy Sydney afternoon whilst out running, I thought about someone who inspires and excites me whenever we interact; enters Sarah French, LinkedIn's Head of Sales & Operations.

I was lucky enough to attend a session she ran on strategy a few weeks previous, it had a lasting impact on me, not just the content, Sarah's clear passion for work/life balance and overall positive energy made me stop and reflect, it also had an impact on my sales strategy as her process made so much sense to me. So, this felt like the perfect choice! However, as you may know if you have a mentor yourself, it is much like the dating world, you can't assume the feelings are reciprocated. Long story short, I hit send on the Teams message and the rest is history; 11 happy months later and I've locked Sarah in for a lifetime of mentorship and cannot remember a life where I coped before our monthly sessions where we enjoy a stunning walk around the botanical gardens ??.

In the spirit of National Mentoring Month , I am sharing with you 7 ways working with a mentor has boosted my career and could potentially boost yours:

1. Guiding Through Uncharted Territory ???

Since partnering with a mentor, this has provided me with a seasoned guide through the uncharted territories of the big tech world, despite coming from a big corporate, this new US tech scene was certainly a shift in dynamics. Navigating the complexities of the corporate dynamics at play, as well as unforeseen challenges, my mentor's experience served as a compass, offering valuable insights and helping me steer through unfamiliar waters with confidence. So if you're new in a sector or would like deeper insights in your current workplace, think about a mentor with relevant and useful experience.

2. Accelerated Learning Curve ??

Mentorship accelerates my learning curve exponentially. Instead of relying solely on trial and error or, elearning, I often tap into the wealth of Sarah's experiences. Her lessons learned, industry insights, and practical tips have become so valuable, allowing me to grasp complex concepts, learn from her own successes and mistakes, and apply this knowledge directly to my own professional journey.

3. Expanded my thinking ??

I feel this kind of partnership opens doors to a web of valuable resources and mindset tools. Through my mentor, I've been introduced to new thought leaders, influential podcasts and useful strategies to enhance my capacity to thrive in a high pressure sales role. For example, I'm comfortable to share that I suffer from work anxiety and often dwell on recent events in my personal time, Sarah directed me to resources and tools to significantly help manage these feelings and feel more in control; as well as have an increased awareness for why this is happening.

4. Enhanced Confidence and Decision-Making ??

Working with a mentor acts as a continuous source of encouragement, instilling a greater sense of confidence. By discussing strategies, receiving constructive feedback, and learning from their experiences, I've become more assured in my decision-making; and begun to stop and reflect before acting. This confidence is instrumental in tackling challenges head-on, taking calculated risks, and embracing opportunities that I might have otherwise hesitated to pursue.

5. Exposure to Different Perspectives ???

This one is probably my favourite and has had the most profound impact on how I conduct myself at work. After the many hours of chatting you'll share together, you'll be exposed to a variety of perspectives and feel challenged in your own belief system. By learning from someone who's had a different career trajectory or background, I've gained a more well-rounded understanding of the corporate world. This exposure has made me face up to my assumptions, broadened my thinking, and encouraged me to approach challenges with a more diverse and inclusive mindset. It's so easy to approach things with a tunnel vision, I can say that working with Sarah has made me consider how my actions impacts others and I always now stop to consider their agenda and reactions before moving forward.

6. Resilience Building ??

Like us all, inevitable setbacks and challenges in work and personal life have arose. A mentorship provides a source of support during these times. Their guidance on resilience, sharing stories of overcoming obstacles, and providing strategies for bouncing back from setbacks has become invaluable. This mentorship dynamic fosters not only professional growth, but also a resilient mindset that is crucial in navigating the ever-changing landscape of any career and personal life. A relevant example here would be my pregnancy, as a first time mum, I felt super overwhelmed at the thought of taking a break in my career, the panic washing over me about being left behind. Sarah has been incredibly supportive in this journey, I can't thank her enough for how much she has helped me feel more confident about embracing this huge life change.

7. Skill Refinement and Gap Filling ??

Mentorship has played a pivotal role in refining my skill set. By identifying gaps in my abilities and knowledge, has provided targeted guidance and resources to bridge those divides and align on my ultimate career goal. Back when Sarah and I first started working together, my first topic of conversation was "I don't know what my career goals are", to say we've digressed from this topic would be an understatement! (in the best way), but holistically our work together has helped me form a clearer picture of my north star, by defining my values, strengths, what makes me happy and so much more. And now I have this clarity, it's so much easier to work on the gaps to form a plan of how to reach these goals.

7 is a limiting number to the ways working with my mentor Sarah has impacted my career and personal life. I think living so far away from family, you do lean on friends, colleagues and your mentor more, and I think sometimes Sarah feels more like my therapist than mentor ??. But this works with both our values of an aligned work and personal life, being authentic and always being our true selves at work. Hence why our partnership works so well, further highlighting the importance of matching with the right person to fully benefit from a mentorship relationship. As you may know, you form such a close and special bond with your mentor, this turns into a strong friendship too, which is a lovely bonus. Having a mentor has had a profound impact on my life and I couldn't recommend working with one more strongly.

Have you got a mentor? Are you curious about having one? If so, please share your thoughts in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you.

I hope you've enjoyed reading this and if you have any questions at all, please do reach out and I'd love to help.

See you soon,

Lauren