Dana VanDen Heuvel: Can A Mentor Further Advance Your Career?

January 20, 2004

Can A Mentor Further Advance Your Career?

Robert Moskowitz wrote a great piece on the benefits, advantages and trials of the mentor - mentee relationship. This little bit of history was especially enlightening.

According to mythology, Ulysses' son Telemachus learned his most significant lessons about life and about becoming an effective and much-loved ruler at the feet of an important and wise teacher, the great Mentor.

Since then, Mentor's name has been used to describe thousands of people who have shared their experience, expertise, and wisdom with others.

I've worked with a mentor since before graduating from college, and have also had "ad-hoc mentors" in different jobs and positions. I've never had anything but sheer benefit from these people. They've kept me focused, disciplined, right-minded, and forced me to think and reflect when I was doing everything but...

Robert goes on to outline some of the guidelines to work by alongside your mentor.

Start Now: The more senior you are, the more you need the ability to have reflective discussions about your work, and for this you generally need a mentor."

Select A Mentor You Like: You'll benefit from a mentor who's different enough to give you a new point of view, but similar enough to have shared the experiences you're now going through.

Consider Multiple Mentors: Instead of searching for one great teacher, it may benefit you to find several mentors and absorb what you can from each one. Beware, though, mentors tend to be jealous of anyone else who is also mentoring you, be sure to handle these relationships very carefully.

Know Your Mentoring Agenda: Be aware of what you want from a mentor, and work as directly as possible to obtain it.

Stick To Business: Make sure you and your mentor focus mainly on business.

Be Prepared To Outgrow Your Mentor: It's almost inevitable that one day your present mentor will have very little more to offer you.