How to Find A Mentor Who’s Right for You

A lot of mentorship programs are starting this time of the year.

Most of them pair a mentor and mentee together based on a few things like similar career interests, school, degree, mentee’s interest in the mentor’s company, etc.

However, here are a few things to consider if you’re looking for a mentor, especially if you’re looking for one on LinkedIn.

➡️ Does the person have the bandwidth?
I’ve gotten messages that cold ask for me to be their mentor, however, you should lead in by asking if that person has the time. Mentoring is a commitment.

➡️ Has that person mentored before?
Not saying that someone who hasn’t mentored before isn’t a good mentor, but can be a point of discussion if both parties are able to provide for each other’s needs and expectations.

➡️ Does the person have the right expertise/subject knowledge you need?
I once mentored someone who wanted to get into HR and because I have a degree in HR, they thought I had all the answers. However, I felt I disappointed them because my expertise was more recruiting-specific. Feel free to dig into this to make sure.

➡️ What do you want out of it?
Just a job? A connection to the industry/field? A chance to learn from someone? Get clear on this so you can set expectations early. All of this can be true. Know the reality of what can’t be guaranteed.

➡️ How do you plan to stay in touch?
This is HUGE. While mentorship programs have start and end dates (especially if that expectation is set upfront), mentorship doesn’t always have to end. You can keep it ongoing. The cadence can change to more or less frequent based on what you both decide. But keeping in touch is a way to level up the relationship.

What do all these questions have in common? 💡 That it’s okay to “shop around” for the right mentor. Some programs make it sound easy because they match people together and call it a day. However, I’ve seen the most successful mentor-mentee relationships start with getting to know each other first before committing.

💭 Reminder: program or not, there’s no right or wrong way to get a match, but implementing a strategy and approach can reap great benefits!

Great article on how to find a mentor here: https://lnkd.in/g7USeMsg