A career mentor is a trusted advisor — an experienced person knowledgeable in your field or in business practices in general. They’re someone you can comfortably turn to for job and / or career advice, as well as related emotional support if needed.
Often they are people outside of your current workplace. But they also can be someone at your place of work who has been helpful (especially in larger companies). Just make sure they’re not passing on what you confide in them to others in the same company. Note the word “trusted” in the first sentence.
One of the best things about mentors, once you establish a strong relationship, is that they can be there for you and your career on an ongoing basis. Since your career may have many ups and downs — including challenging situations a more experienced person may have already dealt with — a good mentor is an invaluable career asset.
Where do you find a career mentor?
To be clear, many people never find one and manage to get through their career nicely all on their own. But for all the advice and contacts they can help you with, it’s worth keeping the mentor idea in mind as a useful career plus.
So where might you find one outside of your workplace?
- Former or current teachers / professors
- Former work-related contacts (bosses, coworkers, clients, business associates, etc.)
- Members of organizations you belong to
- Family members
- Friends or social contacts (if not too awkward)
- Informational interviewees (especially experts in your field who you’ve contacted for information and feel a willingness to help beyond that one session)
- People you’ve interviewed with where you didn’t get the job but felt a connection / openness to be contacted again
- Someone you meet at a party or event who understands your field and / or has business savvy
NOTE: I know it can be awkward to initiate an ongoing career mentor relationship, but most people are happy to help. Especially ones who have previously shown an interest in offering advice.
Start slowly to feel things out from your side and theirs … no need to rush into getting them to commit. Nor do you need to make the “mentor” label official in any way.
Just catching up informally or asking for advice this once can help you gauge how open they are to the idea. And then, in a way that feels comfortable to you, build on the one(s) that feels most right.
One more thought
Even though a career mentor is ideally there to help you, just as with any networking contact, if you see a chance to help them in some way — or at least think of ways to show gratitude — by all means make the relationship a 2-way street. Ongoing connections all about take take take can eventually fade.
Some more posts to help
Afraid To Take Promotion You Were Offered?
Why Are You So Afraid To Ask for a Raise?
Career Goals: Put Small Steps to Work on Big Goals!
What Makes a Job Good?
Start Building Networking Connections That Last!
Are You Too Soft To Succeed in Business?