When it comes to your career, it’s often said that it’s all about who you know. I hated that saying when I first started out in the real world. I wanted to know the hard work I was putting in would be recognized and would be the building block to my career. I wanted to earn my keep and feel confident my success was because of what I did, not because I took advantage of relationships to skirt through life. I later learned it isn’t that black and white.
I realized that “who you know” didn’t mean asking for handouts, nor did it mean getting a step up based on someone else’s position. “Who you know” meant finding people around you who you looked up to and aspired to be and then learning from them. It wasn’t taking a shortcut. Instead, it was about building knowledge and skills and finding helpful resources from people who have already done it. For me, “who you know” meant finding the right mentors so I could grow professionally.
Throughout the years I learned that no two mentors are the same. You have to find the right fit and also work toward building and keeping that relationship going. Only then, will you see the benefit of a mentor.
Finding the Right Mentor
First, you need to consider what your goals are but also realize these can be fluid. After all, the more you learn, the more options will be presented to you. Once you figure out your career path trajectory you can start investigating people who have done it before. Do some research online, look within your current company, join online discussion groups or local chapters, and attend MeetUps or networking events. These can be a great way to meet people casually, learn more about them, and find someone who could be a good fit for you.
If you do pitch the mentorship idea to someone, make sure they are open and willing. To be a proper mentor takes time and effort. You want to make sure they have the bandwidth to do it so the relationship doesn’t fizzle out before it starts.
Schedule a Cadence
It’s important to have a regular routine with your mentor. This establishes accountability and ensures you both show up. If you leave it open, other things may take priority over your regular meetups and you may see your meetings dwindle down to nothing.
Figure out what works best for you. Are 30 minutes every week feasible or would it make sense to do an hour every other week? Do you prefer video chat, phone, or in-person? What will be your goals for these meetings? Will they be structured or casual?
Sorting this out early in your relationship keeps your meetings engaging and meaningful. Having a purpose for your meetings will make sure you get the most out of each one.
Bring Something to the Table
As mentioned, it’s important to have a purpose for your meetings. It’s up to you to drive the direction of these relationships and cover the things that are applicable to your career goals.
Come to your meetings with an agenda, questions, thoughts, and insights. This will structure your meetings efficiently and allow you to get information sooner.
To get started, consider your own goals against your mentor’s experiences. From there, formulate questions to understand what your mentor did in order to hit XYZ goal.
Ask for Homework
Regular meetings with your mentor provide insight through deep conversation but what can you do to further your research? Ask your mentor for things to investigate on your own time. For example, get suggestions for authors to read, blogs or social media influencers to follow, documentaries to watch, education sites to sign up for, certification classes to attend, and events to go to. There’s a lot out there that can give you a hands-on experience beyond your conversations.
This also might be one of the most valuable things you can do with your mentor. They give you a starting point to explore resources you may not know how to find. They also can tell you what’s worth looking into/attending and what’s not.
If your mentor is located within the company you work for, consider setting up regular job shadowing with them. This is an exceptional way for you to get a real idea of the day-to-day and the challenges a person faces in this role. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to collaborate on projects that give you real world experience.
Take and Give
Although you’re often selecting a mentor because they’re able to offer you knowledge and lessons you’re looking to master, you should also try to find ways to make it less one-sided. You may never be able to give back as much as they give you but the effort will be appreciated. Show them a small token of your thanks or shoot them over an email with any interesting articles or events you find. Maybe you’ll help them discover something new, too!
Mentors play a big role in your career development. Finding several throughout the course of your career can push you to the next step. However, only the right mentors will actually help get you there.
Ashley Perez is the Talent Brand Ambassador at Carbon Black. Follow her on Twitter: @ashlaurenperez