Choosing the right mentor is a great opportunity to learn from someone that has vast experience and it is an invaluable business opportunity. A mentor can help you improve your overall career and may even help you land that dream job or promotion you wanted.
A great mentorship rarely just happens. You must go out and seek one and it is important to choose carefully as you want to have a mentor that can really benefit your career. You could just go straight up to someone and ask them, but this approach is probably not the best. It is important to ask yourself a few questions first before choosing the right mentor.
Is the person happy in their career?
It is essential that your mentor is happy in their career. Otherwise, they will not be able to guide you in the right direction. If the person is only doing their job to just earn money they are not the ideal mentor as this person isn’t satisfied with what they are doing. If you want to prosper in the company, go look for a mentor that is happy in the company and help you become the best you can possibly be.
Do you hold this person in high regard?
The mentor you choose should be someone you hold in high regard and achieved the goals you wish to achieve. At least this way you can gain something from your mentor. It can’t be all take and no give. You should be willing to give your mentor the opportunity to learn from you too on such things like new technology for example.
Are they good at listening?
A good mentor should be a good listener too. They should be able to understand your problem and help you appropriately. A good mentor is one that will let you develop your own ideas by asking you the right questions. A mentor should not be biased and trying to manipulate you with their ideas or opinions.
Do they challenge you?
A good mentor should be able to challenge you. This is the only way you will be able to improve. The mentor should make you open to new ideas and perspectives. A good mentor is not someone that tells you what to do but encourages you to find new paths for yourself. You can only improve if you overcome the challenges thrown at you. This is only achievable by constantly challenging yourself and adapting to new situations.
