Finding A Mentor

By The Acquisition Group Blog June 26, 2019

You have a career path, maybe even a dream job, in mind but you’re not sure how to get there. Many of today’s business leaders talk about mentorship, how it got them where they are and how they mentor others. It’s a great idea, but how do you actually go about it?

Where to find a mentor?

There are two main ways that people find mentors: they look among the people they know or contact an organization that sets up mentorships. There are many groups who connect people for mentorships and often they specialize: women, immigrants, specific industries, locations; you can find an organization that meets your needs and your goals. Here are a few:

Relationship first

The first thing you need to do is establish a relationship with your potential mentor. This is why a good place to start is among those you already have a connection with. Research has found that mentees who did not have a relationship with their mentor showed no difference than those without a mentor at all.

If you go through an organization, they will help you find someone who is a good fit. You need to focus on it from a relationship perspective, not just as a business arrangement. Take the time to build camaraderie, don’t soley focus on your goals.

Be clear about your expectations

To know if you’ve found the right mentor you need to be clear about what you’re looking for. Before you approach someone, make a plan. What are your goals? Where do you want to end up? What do you want to learn along the way? You also need to express how you’d like to communicate and the amount of time you’d like to invest. With a clear understanding of what you’re looking for, together you can outline a system that will be effective in meeting your expectations.

Focus on more than just skills

You’re not just looking for someone who exhibits the skills you’d like to develop, you’re looking for someone who shares your values and will help you build your character. Things like patience, empathy and respect will help you build greater self-awareness and benefit you more in the long term than a simple checklist of job specific skills.

This is just the beginning. There are many different ways the mentor relationship can play out, remember to enjoy the journey and don’t be afraid of the unknown.

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