Having a mentor can supercharge your career. Know the big benefits

One of the best ways to boost your career exponentially is by having the right mentors, says Quang Do , account strategist at Google Singapore.?

“You can think of a mentor as someone who has traveled a similar path and has a certain level of expertise in the area you want to grow or focus on,” suggests Kurly de Guzman, ICF PCC a leadership coach from the Philippines.?

From helping you build key competencies to showing you the way, she adds that a mentor can offer you perspectives to grow and guide you in your chosen path.?

We spoke to industry experts and executive coaches to get their advice on finding the right mentor and the benefits it can have in one's career. Here are their key takeaways.??

Have you ever had a mentor? How has it benefited you? Share your story in the comments below and/or in a post using #GetHiredAsia

?? Finding the right mentor

Quang Do suggests a few tips on how to find the right mentor and?how to?maintain and nurture the relationship.

• Target 1-2 levels above you: If you’re early in your career, don’t ask CEOs to mentor you. People who are just a few levels above your position have more in common, more relevant experience to yours and fewer mentoring requests.
• Leverage similarities: Same university? Same location? Same community? Mutual connection? These things matter. Always make use of them to get your foot in the door.
• Be crisp: Keep your outreach and written messages concise. Show thoughtfulness and preparedness. No easy-to-Google questions. No typos.?
• Connect gradually: Don’t ask for big commitments at the start. Coffee can be too much.?
• Keep them updated on outcomes: Let them know how their advice helped.

?? Gain clarity and perspective?

Sam Neo , CEO and co-founder at Stories of Asia says how having a mentor turned his career around and helped him gain clarity.

“I recall how I was a lost corporate employee back in the day without anyone to turn to for advice. Mentorship changed my perspective and I have never looked back since…? Even more valuable is that embarking on a mentorship journey did not just help me gain clarity on my career, it also became a magnet that attracted a lot of great people to me.”?

?? Boosts confidence and self-esteem

“I used to wake up and avoid looking into the mirror because I didn't like what I saw… a fat, old, haggard looking woman looking back at me. The seemingly hopeless, devastated, and pathetic look,” recalls Rainy Rainmaker , executive coach from Singapore.?

“Fast forward to today, I'm grateful that I didn't choose to stay stuck. I found good people to mentor me to be who I am today.”?

?? Source of knowledge

“It seems to me that mentoring is an infinite game, much like Simon Sinek ‘s concept, where we focus on continuous improvement and long-term progress,” says Cindi Wirawan 林幸妮 , a career coach from Singapore.?

Mentoring leads to exponential growth in various ways, such as knowledge transfer, network expansion, paying it forward, improved decision-making, enhanced leadership, and innovation, she shares.

?? Supports growth

Benjamin Loh, CSP a public speaking coach from Singapore recalls meeting his mentors and people he looks up to at a recently held mentorship forum.?

“As early as 18, I invested money to learn from a business mentor. To date, I have invested close to $200K on my own growth and I’m thankful it has yielded over 10x in return,” he says.

?? Serves as a trusted ally

In the last six years, I’ve moved into different roles, says Jaslyn Ng Asia Insurance Agent of the Year , financial services director at Prudential Assurance Company Singapore.?From an experienced corporate HR leader, she transited into becoming a financial consultant scrambling for guidance.

“I was blessed to be surrounded by so many veterans who guided me. In particular, my own mentor and leader Jaden Wang not only led me the way but showed me the way.”

I lost count on the number of times I was uplifted and rallied by people around me, she adds.

?? Receive useful feedback

In situations where you might be going wrong, a mentor should be honest, objective, and far enough from the situation to both help you see the things you’re doing well, and recognise where you can improve, say experts.?

“My managers and other ‘seniors’ were my mentors back when I was working in the corporate world. They helped me write better emails, prepare executive reports, run meetings, and even encouraged me to deepen my understanding of business finance. They also gave me feedback that helped me improve. Without them I wouldn’t be where I am today,” recalls Guzman.

What role does mentorship play in career growth? Share your thoughts in the comments below and/or in a post using #GetHiredAsia

• Choosing the right mentor – Mei Phing Lim , Career Coach, Singapore. Join the conversation.
• Advice I gave to a mentee this week – Ruth Lee , Strategic Communications Lead at Doyobi, Singapore. Join the conversation.

• How to negotiate a job offer like a pro. In this piece, Andrew Seaman, LinkedIn Managing Editor for Jobs & Career Development, writes on fair compensation and work arrangements.
• Future of skills, LinkedIn report 2023?

Also look out for:

• How to keep work stress from taking over your life.?

Want to learn more about how you can prepare yourself to thrive in the workplace of the future? Keep an eye out for the next edition of the Get Hired Asia newsletter in two weeks’ time. Make sure you never miss an issue by subscribing here.

Written By: Neha Jain Kale – LinkedIn News Editor covering jobs and career development in Asia.

Creator Manager: Alita Utari Dewi

Editor’s Note: Some quotes were edited for length and clarity.