Finding The Right Mentor To Boost Your Career Development

“I am not satisfied with my career. At my age, I should be doing better but it always feels like my efforts are getting nowhere. I wish I had someone to guide me through my career but I do not know where to start,” says John Kiptoo, a marketing professional in his mid-30s.

Most professionals are similar to John and are afraid to look for a mentor because they are afraid it won’t work. A mentor is a big asset when it comes to a successful career, especially in the mid-level stage of your career. Think of where you want to be in your career and what obstacles are keeping you away from a successful career.

A mentor could be your power tool to landing that new job, getting promoted or achieving a lot in your career. Most of the people I have met who need advice on a mentor only limit themselves to gaining more skills or getting connected to experts. These two reasons are great but they do not necessarily lead to career development if poorly leveraged.

Before we get into the how of getting a mentor, what are the benefits of a mentor? 

A mentor helps you understand and focus on what you want. It is easy to get stuck in your career ladder and look at your agemates and think you will never succeed. A mentor boosts your confidence and guides you while you make adjustments in your career.

Imagine having to skip the pain of making career-related mistakes like quitting a job without plan B or job-hopping unnecessarily? A mentor will help you skip that pain because they have been there and understand how to maneuver challenges that arise in a career, what worked and what didn’t, therefore saving you time and energy. Think of it as career-coaching with constructive feedback and real-life examples.

Thirdly, a good mentor will give you access to a wider network. Your mentor should be in a position to introduce you to people who are useful in your career. For example, if you are in the IT industry, your mentor could introduce you to a member of the Kenya ICT Board to keep you in the know of any upcoming relevant trainings.

However, do not use your mentor to become connected to the ‘big people’. Don’t get into mentorship for the sole purpose of getting connected to industry leaders and experts.

How do you find a mentor?

Think about your former or current colleagues, friends, family, or someone in your professional circle whom you admire and would fit in this role. What achievements have they made, how have they inspired you and how do you think they can help you? Can you trust them to keep your career fears confidential?

Make a list of your potential mentors and set up meetings with them. You have to be strategic because a mentor with different views as yours could steer your career in the wrong direction. Meetings help you figure out whom you connect with easily. You would be surprised to discover that the one who appeared stern connects better than the one with a smile on their face.

During the meeting, ensure that you are clear about your career goals, why you settled for the person (your would-be mentor), and what you expect from them. Also, be clear about the time you want to spend for your mentorship program. Time can be re-adjusted as the relationship grows.

Let’s say you have found your mentor, in what ways can you become the perfect mentee?

First things first, be open to both negative and positive feedback. There are things you will not love hearing but are necessary for growth. For instance, your mentor may notice that you are rigid when it comes to adapting the use of new technology. Take such feedback positively and research on how to use the new technology to your advantage. Take notes and record achievements made during the mentorship period.

Finally, your mentor is not your therapist. While we are human and sometimes fall short, most people share intimate details about their life with a mentor. It is not wrong because getting things off your chest helps to clear negative emotions in us but do not overdo it. If you have a one-hour session, do not let venting take up 45 minutes of your meeting. Find the balance and concentrate on meeting your career goals first.

Mentorship goes a long way into building yourself a larger network, better accountability, access to knowledge and expertise in your industry, and, most importantly, a growth in confidence which is instrumental in the growth of your career. Choose your mentor wisely.