A guide to Mentorships

Having a professional mentor can have vast benefits and could help you to further your career.

If you’re still studying and want some insight into your chosen career path, seeking out a mentor at this stage could be helpful.  So how do you go about getting a mentor?  We’ve put together some handy tips to help you along the way.

A mentorship aims to help you develop confidence and find a path towards attaining your career goals.  A mentor can help you to:

• Gain industry-specific experience and knowledge
• Identify opportunities for professional growth
• Make better decisions and develop skills through constructive feedback
• Feel supported, provide reassurance and build professional relationships

In most cases, don’t expect a mentor to find you.  You will need to do the groundwork and initiate the relationship.

Your mentor should be someone that you can learn from and someone who you trust and respect.  You could choose an informal mentor, such as:

• A teacher or lecturer
• Someone you work with
• A friend or family member

Or you may prefer to find a mentor through a formal program.  Many schools, colleges, and universities run mentoring programs for students.  You can also visit the Mentoring Australia website to find a local program near you.

Other ways to find a mentor are through networking events, LinkedIn or if you’re brave enough - directly approaching a person you admire or aspire to be like.

Once you’ve decided on your mentor, discuss with them what you hope to get from the relationship.  From the beginning, you should:

• Set goals – create a list of what you hope to achieve and talk this through with your mentor
• Be committed – discuss how often you will meet, where and for how long and ensure you stick to this
• Have an open mind – while your mentor is there to support you, they will also provide you with constructive criticism and, so be prepared to hear negative feedback as well as positive will help you to grow professionally
• Give back – a mentoring relationship should be a two-way street, so consider what you have to offer to a mentor in return

There is so much more to connecting with a mentor than the value of their experience and knowledge.  A good mentoring relationship may give you accountability, confidence, and an accurate assessment of your skills.  Still, most importantly, you may gain a friendship that should continue throughout your career and life.

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