How engaging with a mentor could be the key to your career success.
Mentoring. It’s safe to say we harp on talk about it a fair bit around here – and for good reason. Mentoring is a huge key to career success.
And with studies showing that getting mentored can result in higher salaries and faster career progress, it’s probably worth looking into.
What’s this “mentoring” business about?
Getting mentored means finding someone with professional experience and expertise they’re willing to impart to you as their ‘mentee’.
It’s really about aligning yourself with someone who’s career you respect who can share insights about how they got there.
What’s in it for me?
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. Mentoring is SO worth it.
A study by the Australian Psychological Association shows that getting mentored can result in:
- Higher salaries
- Better performance reviews
- Faster career progress.
Plus research has consistently shown that people who are mentored are more satisfied and committed to their professions than non-mentored individuals (Wanberg, Welsh and Hezlett).
Better pay and higher job satisfaction? Sign us up.
And the benefits are far reaching. Working with a mentor can help you:
- Nail your goal setting
- Increase your chance of promotion
- Develop strong communication skills
- Widen your network
- Boost your motivation.
Nailing the mentor-mentee relationship
Getting the most from mentoring means approaching it right. We like to call it a ‘mentoring mindset’.
That means learning what a good session looks like, ensuring they happen, and recognising where you could be going wrong.
Here are our top 3 tough love tips for getting the most out of the relationship:
- Do the prep – plan what you want to discuss before you get in the room
- Be an adult – this is your career we’re talking about so you need to be the driver
- Put your ego aside – you’re there to learn so you best be open to feedback.
Oh and make sure you do your homework!
Structuring your mentoring sesh
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to mentoring. Each relationship will be as unique as the people it involves.
That said, each session should involve some back-and-forth between the two parties that looks something like this:
- You ask – It’s your job as the mentee to set the direction of the session. What are you hoping to get out of the conversation? What’s on your mind?
Prep your questions beforehand. - They ask – Here the mentor asks any clarifying questions and gives thoughtful responses and insights.
- Wrap it up – Take the time to reflect back on what’s been covered and show some appreciation for each other. Now’s also the time to agree on any homework that should be completed before your next session together.
How do I find a mentor?
The best mentors will boost your confidence, encourage openness, and normalise collaboration at every level.
And that’s the kind of mentors you get access to from day one when you join Strivin.
We can connect you with the people who can make a difference in your career with:
- Matchmaking for 1-to-1 mentoring
- Peer mentoring groups
- ‘Ask me anything’ style weekly drop in sessions.
Learn more about mentoring
Mentoring is a big part of what we do – and we love to talk about it. Read some more of our blogs on the topic here:
