A mentor can help you grow professionally and personally quickly! Building your personal and professional brand is fast catching up. Creating a likeable digital presence will take a toll on you. Google and ChatGPT are the primary sources of information that we don’t even second guess. Why are we listening to this watered-down information sometimes from unreliable sources when we can tap into the minds of some of the industry’s top leaders?
Don’t you think you could learn more from experts who have already made our mistakes and have overcome challenges to thrive in their fields?
Well, it’s easier said than done. Finding a mentor who checks all your boxes, approaching them, networking and building a relationship with them takes time and effort. In any case, we’re here to tell you how to find, approach, and build a relationship with a mentor.
How to find your Mentor?
Realize your goals and objectives
Your motivation is your driving factor. Discovering your adjectives, understanding what makes you tick and revisiting your future roadmap will help you narrow your choices. Once you realize short-term and long-term goals, you can create a list of jobs and people you’re visualizing. This list can help you identify critical factors like what type of person or what sector, or even which organization you envision yourself in. Also, note down the issues and skills you think you deserve to grow. These factors will help you understand your intent and give you a rough idea of where to look.
Identify Industry leaders
Sometimes, we’re so keen to look at the big picture we fail to see what’s right in front of us. Make sure to inventory the list of people already in your network. These could be someone in your organization or someone in your professional orbit. Not to mention, it’s always easy to approach someone you know or are familiar with. In any case, don’t forget to widen your net and find mentors through other avenues.
The Approach
Finally, the Ask! Before you draft your emails, messages, or elevator pitch, double-check if the person is the right fit. Verify if their goals and trajectory are aligned with yours. Once you’re sure, start working on the research. Comb through their professional brand with a fine tooth comb and pick out the things you most admire about them.
Be a Good Mentee
Maintaining the mentor-mentee relationship is paramount, especially after all the effort you’ve put in to find a mentor. As in every relationship, even in this, both parties need to put in equal work. Understand that your mentor is taking time off to help you navigate through professional barriers. You must be mindful of this and take ownership of your learning. Check your expectations and always ask for feedback.
We know how hard it is to navigate through professional hurdles. In this day and age, it is hard to secure your dream job without working hard. We here at Merit Services can help you find your dream job today! Contact us now, and lets us find you the right position.
