How to find Mentor

How to find Mentor

A mentor is someone who is willing to take you under his or her wing, give you advice and suggestions to help you improve your skills and business acumen, show you how they do something that helps them succeed, and help you reach your goals. For instance, one of my mentors is Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound, a former newspaper editor turned publicity guru who is a very successful online entrepreneur. They are all people who have "been there/done that."
A mentor can work with you on an informal or formal basis. Joan helps me on an informal basis, but she also helps others more formally through her paid mentorship program. Some companies pair seasoned employees with newer ones to "show them the ropes" and help them succeed. A popular Top 40 radio station in Denver offered the dentist the equivalent of $250,000 in advertising, for free. Wouldn't you like this kind of mentor?
Identifying and recruiting a mentor may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be.
If you work in a big company, there may be a formal program already set up for you. Here's the route I'd use to find the right mentor if I worked in such a company.
First, I'd ask my boss if there was a formal program within the company and how I could become part of it. If she didn't know of one, then I'd go to the Human Resources department and talk to the human resources manager.
If there was no program, I would have a couple of options. I could try to develop one (which would be an excellent learning experience, as well as a way to showcase my organizational and team-building qualities), or I could create an informal relationship with someone I admired and knew I could learn from within the company.
If I chose to simply find a mentor without creating a whole program, I'd take a look at everyone "above" me in the company. Specifically, I'd want someone who:
So how do YOU find the right mentor?
- I decided what I needed to learn.
- I watched who was posting on discussion forums and who has authored books or articles on topics I needed to learn.
- I subscribed to their newsletters and visited their websites.
- I checked out the potential mentors -- meaning I tried to learn about their reputation, and I listened to seminars they gave and read books and articles written by my prospective mentors to see how they might help me.
- I looked to see if they had a formal mentoring program in which I could participate.
- I spoke to my prospective mentors to see if they were interested in working with me. Should you join a paid mentorship program? It is often well worth the money you invest in yourself when you join a formal mentoring program. Not only will you have the full attention of your mentor on a regular basis, but it will also make you accountable for setting and reaching your goals, and your mentor will be there to give you ideas and help you every step of the way.