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As a young professional, you have been told again and again how important it is to find a mentor. A mentor can be critical in career development and advancement. Let’s say you have done the near impossible and found a mentor! The next big question is what should you do now?
Ideally, your mentor is in your field (or a similar field) and has more experience than you. The point of your mentor is to guide you as you begin your professional career. Regardless of whether you met your mentor organically or s/he was formally assigned to you, the following are the top three things your mentor can help you with.
1. Guide You. Your mentor has been where you are. Even if s/he doesn’t have a plan for success laid out in a flow chart, s/he can tell you about what worked and didn’t work for him/her or what s/he wished s/he knew when just starting out. Your mentor is your go to person for professional advice. Have some topics or questions prepared for your meetings, but let the conversation flow. Your mentor might have something valuable to tell you that is not on your agenda.
Your mentor might let you shadow a negotiation, a sight visit, a client meeting, or some other valuable event you could not see on your own. My other mentor walks me through things I would really struggle to do on my own. In my first criminal case, he helped me understand the prosecutor’s plea deal and told me how to prepare for hearings. He even offered to assist me in trial! When I get clients in a new area of law, my mentor walks me through the nuts and bolts. Your mentor might be able to instruct you on how to approach an interview or prepare for a meeting.
At the end of the day, your mentorship is what you make it. Be willing to be open about the questions you have and the biggest concerns you are facing professionally. Be sure to be prepared for your meetings with your mentor and follow up on advice s/he gives you so s/he knows you value his/her time and his/her insights. It is important to have boundaries with your mentor. Obviously respecting his/her time means not calling or meeting with him/her excessively, showing up late, or talking with him/her about matters that really are more personal than professional. If you are truly lucky, your mentor-mentee relationship will add value for both of you. My mentor recently asked if I could help him set up some social media accounts for his business. Of course! I am thrilled to be able to reciprocate after all of the assistance he has given me. A mentor is a priceless resource, so be sure to appreciate yours and use your time with him/her effectively.
Posted by Autumn T. Johnson | September 19, 2013
2. Be a Resource. If your mentor can’t help you with a specific issue or concern, the odds are s/he knows someone who can. A mentor can introduce you to other people in your field. Networking with other professionals can be more effective when the interaction is being initiated or facilitated by someone you both know. A mentor can also refer you to websites, events, or books of value that you might not have found on your own.
3. Provide Experience. While your mentor may not have a job for you or a big assignment that might help your career, you can learn from him/her by doing. One of my mentors lets me shadow her, an experience I could not obtain on my own. She lets me sit in on depositions, tells me about workshops or conferences of value, and even offered me office space.
A mentor is a priceless resource... use your time with him/her effectively."
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Autumn T. Johnson is the managing attorney of the Law Office of Puget Sound, PLLC. She practices business and nonprofit law, with an emphasis on microenterprise. She can be reached at SoundLawOffice.com. Her blog can be read at: Sound Law Office
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