Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart! (Confucius)

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No matter where you are in your career; a mentor can bring value and dimension to your perspective. Mentors are valuable at all stages of your  professional and/or personal life. And, the relationship itself, when chosen well; can last for years.

So, how do you do you find the right mentor? And, how can you be a valued mentor yourself?

When looking for a potential career mentor, seek out someone who has considerable expertise in their profession; possibly someone you admire and respect.  It's also important to seek out a good communicator who makes you feel comfortable and seems to have a caring attitude.  An ideal mentor is a proven leader with high standards who is passionate and enthusiastic about their work. This person could also be someone who knows you and has already shown interest in helping you and your career.  Above all, it must be someone you can trust. 

Although a mentor could be someone you currently work with, it will often be someone who works outside of your company.  Professional associations are comprised of industry leaders who are more than willing to help.  Some associations even have mentoring programs to help match mentors and mentees.  (Note: it's not a good idea to have your mentor be the person you report to.  Aside from any potential political issues there may be times when you may want advice regarding sensitive workplace issues that actually involve your boss.)

Now, how can you be a valued mentor to someone else?  One thing to remember is that the mentor/mentee relationship is a bi-directional one.  When approached, only accept the invitation to be someone's mentor if you are truly interested in helping him/her achieve their career goals.  Once the relationship is established, make sure you clearly discuss specific expectations and guidelines for the mentoring relationship.  And, be open to feedback from your mentee regarding the advice you are providing him/her.

When I look back on my own career, I remember finding mentors through existing relationships near and far.  I usually found it most beneficial to simply let the relationship evolve naturally into a mentoring relationship.  Once created, the mentor/mentee relationship can move through multiple careers and life stages.  Since 1998, my leadership mentor has provided me with inspiration, guidance, objectivity, support, and a life line.  Although he now lives 3000 miles away, I always feel like he's just a stone's throw away.

I believe most successful people became successful thanks to the many "mentors" they encountered along the way.  No one achieves great success all alone, many times it takes the guidance and support of others.  Having a mentor makes the journey much more meaningful, being a mentor makes the journey worth taking.

At Rinker and Associates, we believe mentoring is an integral part of the lifelong career management process.  Contact Lorraine at lorraine@rwcs.biz for more information on how we can help you.

Send mail to lorraine@rwcs.biz with questions or comments about this web site.
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Last modified: 08/18/08