The knowledge, advice, and resources a mentor offers to share with their mentee depends on a specific goal. The concept of mentoring/mentorship is simple, but successful implementation can be challenging in its own way.
What is Mentorship?
A substantial guidance based relationship between two or more people. For clarity these are the components :
- Building Professional Network
Mentors can help the mentee build their professional network. Since the mentors have more industry experience, they can connect them to their professional network and potential opportunities. These connections are valuable for career advancement. Mentors are well liked and so they offer to give back to their mentee.
- Support and Encouragement
When it gets difficult for a mentee to perform a task or reach a designated goal, it is the job of a mentor to guide them, support them and act as a cheerleader. The encouragement can motivate them and help them keep moving forward. Mentors are the support systems that make you believe in yourself and teach you how to identify risks in certain situations.
- Relevant Experience and Guidance
Having years of industry experience makes a difference! Besides the value proposition of your mentors, you should consider their knowledge and specialisations. If you are just starting out, make sure you have a mentor that guides and directions you in a suitable manner. Making mistakes is inevitable. However, you can learn lessons from your mentor’s past experiences and avoid the same mistakes. Over time, a mentor can recognize your strengths and weaknesses and help you become the best version of yourself. For individuals just starting their career, a mentor can help set guidelines on professional expectations. These effective work habits and examples of relevant experience can help them be more productive and impress their supervisors.
- Constructive Feedback
There is a difference between critical feedback and constructive feedback. And a trusted mentor would take the approach of the latter. Honest feedback is the key to improvement for any mentee. And that’s how the relationship between the two runs on mutual understanding and respect. Mentors can identify weaknesses and advise them on ways to improve. Because this is a professional relationship, the mentor plays an objective role.
- Growth
Mentors are the free resource for your growth and knowledge support. They help you set goals and make sure you achieve them. There are companies that offer mentorship programs to their employees so as to create a high quality productive workforce. A mentor can provide useful skills to a mentee that ascertains his/her growth.
- Trusted Ally
Your mentor can be your trusted ally who will always be there to hear you out and what challenges you are facing. If you have ideas you can always discuss them with your mentor to see if they are realistic or not. Your mentor can be a friend and a guide at the same time since they have your best interest in mind.
