Mentorships are all the rage in today's business world. Many companies are creating mentoring programs to increase their employee's engagement and experience. But why, as a professional, should you consider joining one of these programs or finding a mentor? What leads individuals to seek out guidance from another? How can you know that you will benefit from this experience? This article will help you determine if finding a mentor is the right choice for you and how to go about choosing the right leader to learn from.

You Need a Mentor To:

Move Your Career Forward

The biggest advantage of finding the right mentor is furthering your career. Mentors can help you do so in a variety of ways. They can give you advice on how to achieve your goals based on their experiences. They can discuss options for your future with you to help you choose the right next step. Inc.com says, “Often, a seasoned mentor can challenge you to think in ways that never occurred to you because they've seen more of the world (and more of business) than you have.” They have a variety of skills and experiences that have gotten them to their current position and that is a powerful resource to have at your disposal. They also know many people to help you make the right connections that can improve your career. If your mentor works at the same organization as you, they may know the ins and outs of the organization that can help you achieve your goals. If you are looking to move your career forward, it’s time to find the right mentor to help you on your way.

Expand Your Professional Network

A mentor provide you with a new network and new connections. If you are looking for ways to expand your network to access new opportunities, finding the right mentor can greatly help you on your way. In this difficult economy with LinkedIn measuring each person’s professional network, who you know is even more important than ever. Forbes.com says “a successful mentor has an unlimited network of people who can benefit your career.” Whatever your professional goals or aspirations, having more connections will make it easier to accomplish them. Mentors will help you to make the connections that you need and expand your network to prepare for any future opportunities that you may want to pursue.

Learn New Relevant Skills

Whatever next step you are working towards in your career, there are always skills that you need to improve to get ahead. When you find the right mentor, they will have the skills that you need and experiences that you can learn from. Mentors can show you the way to improve your skill set because their experiences have taught them which abilities help you get ahead. As your mentor, their priority will be to teach you the things that you need to know to get ahead and reach your goals. To access new skills, abilities, and experiences, find the right mentor, take your career to the next level, and achieve the success that you want.

The right mentor will have experiences you can learn from, skills that they can teach you, and insight to help you plan for your future.

Choose the Right Mentor By:

Looking for Someone With the Job You Want

To find the right mentor, you have to know your goals and look for someone who can help you reach them. If you are interested in a different position, choose a mentor in that position or one that is similar. The right mentor is someone who has experiences, skills, or connections that can help bring you closer to your professional goals. By choosing someone in a position that interests you, you will be able to learn how exactly they got there. The right mentor will have accomplished some of your goals so that they can help you make your own plan of action to achieve success.

Choosing Someone Who Has Recent Experience With Your Goals

While mentoring with the CEO of a company has its advantages, it can be even more helpful to find an individual who has recently achieved a goal similar to yours. Someone close to your professional level will remember the struggles and the successes from their recent transition to give you a raw, realistic retelling of their experience. When someone has had a long journey full of trials and accomplishments, they may begin to polish their story or forget some of the experiences. When the memories are fresh, the lessons that the right mentor has learned can be more easily applied to your life and goals.

Finding Someone Who Will Teach You

To have success in a mentorship program, you need a mentor who is willing to put the effort in to teach you the skills and abilities that you will need. They should be someone who possess skills that you admire and want to improve in yourself. Make sure you choose someone who can teach you the things you want to learn. Your mentor should be willing to work with you and help you better yourself. Mentorship programs work when two people are coming together to share experiences, skills, and insights to better each other. You need to have a strong, positive relationship with a mentor. They need to possess, and be willing to teach you, the skills and abilities you need to reach your next professional goals.

Mentorship programs can bring both mentors and mentees new skills, experiences, and insights to learn from. There are many benefits to joining a mentorship program and finding the right mentor. They have experiences you can learn from, skills that they can teach you, and insight to help you plan for your future. Finding the right mentor can expand your network and bring you new career opportunities. Mentoring will help you on your path to success. It's time to find the right mentor and make your career goals a reality.