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Do You Need A Mentor? And How Do You Find One?
Whether you're self-employed or you work for someone else, you're new to business or a seasoned expert, one of the best ways to get ahead in business is to find a mentor. And some highly successful people even have more than one. What's a mentor? A mentor is someone who is willing to take you under his or her wing, give you advice and suggestions to help you improve your skills and business acumen, show you how they do something that helps them succeed, and help you reach your goals. He or she is someone who is already skilled, experienced and successful at what you need to learn. For instance, one of my mentors is Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound, a former newspaper editor turned publicity guru who is a very successful online entrepreneur. I chose her because she is a few years ahead of me with her Internet success and she has always been willing to help me. She offers excellent feedback on business ideas I'm considering, gives me suggestions about how to improve the idea, sends me resources, reviews my ebooks and newsletters, and provides mental support. I also have several other people in my business sphere who mentor me about other issues in my business. They are all people who have "been there/done that." A mentor can work with you on an informal or formal basis. Joan helps me on an informal basis, but she also helps others more formally through her paid mentorship program. (Lucky me!) Some companies pair seasoned employees with newer ones to "show them the ropes" and help them succeed. Usually an arrangement like this comes with certain requirements, company policies and some way to evaluate its success. In her initial one-hour consultation with mentee Michelle Tennant of Wasabi Public Relations, Joan Stewart gave Michelle an idea for her client, a cosmetic dentist. The result? A popular Top 40 radio station in Denver offered the dentist the equivalent of $250,000 in advertising, for free. Wouldn't you like this kind of mentor? Identifying and recruiting a mentor may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. If you work in a big company, there may be a formal program already set up for you. Here's the route I'd use to find the right mentor if I worked in such a company. First, I'd ask my boss if there was a formal program within the company and how I could become part of it. If she didn't know of one, then I'd go to the Human Resources department and talk to the human resources manager. If there was no program, I would have a couple of options. I could try to develop one (which would be an excellent learning experience, as well as a way to showcase my organizational and team-building qualities), or I could create an informal relationship with someone I admired and knew I could learn from within the company. If I chose to simply find a mentor without creating a whole program, I'd take a look at everyone "above" me in the company. Specifically, I'd want someone who: - Was at least two levels further up the corporate ladder than I was. - Was a good, easy-to-understand communicator. - Was really good at his job. - Had the confidence of his superiors. - Was willing to teach me the ropes, and who I could help somewhat, too (perhaps by doing research or writing for him). - Had mentored others in the past (if possible--I suggest you get a recommendation). On the other hand, if you're reading this, you may be self-employed. So how do YOU find the right mentor? Here's what I did to find mine (and I believe in having more than one mentor): - I decided what I needed to learn. - I watched who was posting on discussion forums and who has authored books or articles on topics I needed to learn. - I subscribed to their newsletters and visited their websites. - I checked out the potential mentors -- meaning I tried to learn about their reputation, and I listened to seminars they gave and read books and articles written by my prospective mentors to see how they might help me. - I looked to see if they had a formal mentoring program in which I could participate. - I spoke to my prospective mentors to see if they were interested in working with me. (Sometimes I simply ask questions without trying to make it a formal thing, however.) Should you join a paid mentorship program? It is often well worth the money you invest in yourself when you join a formal mentoring program. Not only will you have the full attention of your mentor on a regular basis, but it will also make you accountable for setting and reaching your goals, and your mentor will be there to give you ideas and help you every step of the way. And being accountable to someone else for completing my tasks and accomplishing my goals has always helped me! If I know I'll have to tell someone that I made the phone calls, finished the project, or followed up on our previous conversation, I'll be much more likely to do it within the time frame we agreed upon. And when I do each of the steps that my mentor and I discuss, I definitely reach my goals...sometimes faster than a speeding bullet! Are you ready to reach your goals? Find a volunteer mentor or join a paid mentoring program. Lois Carter Fay, APR, is a 30-year veteran in the P.R. and marketing field who serves as a mentor for several people, both formally and informally. She produces three marketing ezines, Brainy Tidbits, Brainy Flash, and Success Secrets of Women Entrepreneurs. All are free. She's also the co-author with Jim Wilson of "Sales Success! Strategies for Women," a quick-to-read ebook containing 52 easy-to-implement sales tips. The ezines and ebook are available through her websites. Visit http://www.MarketingIdeaShop.com or http://www.WomenMarketing.com to learn more sales and marketing ideas and subscribe. Claim your free special report when you subscribe.
MORE RESOURCES: Meet Native American Veterans where they live with a VA career VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Careers | Career Opportunities West Virginia University Corporate Lowe's I moved to Alaska after college for a job. I lost all my friends because I put my career first. Business Insider Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) 15 Companies Offering Health Insurance to Part-Time Workers U.S News & World Report Money Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Work at Fairfield Fairfield University Careers at FEMA FEMA Careers at Willamette my.willamette.edu Physicians are the nation’s top earners – a slideshow Medical Economics Jobs and Training at FDA FDA.gov Jobs at Liberty University Liberty News City of Tampa Careers City of Tampa Careers at VA VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Job Seekers University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Careers BASF Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care Nursing jobs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Career Opportunities UMHB Jobs at BCA Minnesota Department of Public Safety Statement by Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su on October jobs report US Department of Labor Careers at Union | Human Resources Union College Careers Washington State University Employment Services American Mathematical Society Recruiters urge candidates to use AI to apply for jobs Financial Times US employers added just 12,000 jobs last month as hurricanes and strikes sharply reduce payrolls The Associated Press Working for ICE U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom Work at DHS: Career Opportunities Wisconsin Department of Health Services October 2024 jobs report: How two major hurricanes, labor strike might affect the numbers - NBC News UF Health Careers UF Health - University of Florida Health Work for Us (U.S. National Park Service) National Park Service Employment benefits VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Careers at Prairie View A&M University Prairie View A&M University Job Search Results UnitedHealth Group UN COMMON CAREERS VCU Health Career Opportunities Gilead Sciences Employment | Department of Corrections Governor Tom Wolf Careers S&P Global Careers Medline Reservists (On-Call) FEMA Job Opportunities Bellevue School District How to Apply FEMA Careers Micron Jobs report on eve of election will be among the most muddled in years The Associated Press Careers at Discovery Education Discovery Education Careers KPMG Join our team FHI 360 Job opportunities with Rail King County Careers The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation Internship Opportunities | Careers Boston Consulting Group What Trump's election victory means for job seekers Business Insider Careers at Jacobs Jacobs Careers in A&O Shearman Students and graduates JPMorgan Chase Work At Chess.com Chess.com Highest-Paying Engineering Careers in 2024 University of North Dakota 80+ Psychology-Related Careers to Consider Verywell Mind 10 Things They Don't Tell You About Your First Job U.S News & World Report Money The Problem With ‘In Demand’ Jobs The Atlantic Mental health at work World Health Organization The 10 jobs that landed the biggest pay rises in financial year 2024 The Australian Financial Review Benefits for the whole you Accenture Jobs and careers | Veterans Affairs Veterans Affairs JobFeed NSW Department of Education Why Employees Quit HBR.org Daily Two unis walking the career path alongside graduates The Australian Financial Review How to realize the potential of rising digital jobs World Economic Forum Current opportunities Turner & Townsend AI Will Transform the Global Economy. Let’s Make Sure It Benefits Humanity. International Monetary Fund Careers City of Norfolk (.gov) 9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2024 and Beyond HBR.org Daily 8 global issues shaping and driving job creation World Economic Forum Jobs Energy.gov Careers at King County King County |
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