| By Lin Grensing-Pophal |
Working with a mentor continues to be a great way to build professional skills and make valuable connections that can boost job search possibilities.“Mentors can have a significant impact on your personal and professional growth and may also offer access to connections that can be key to landing a job,” says Carolyn Hughes, vice president of People at SimplyHired.com. “Mentors can introduce you to connections they’ve nurtured throughout their careers that can lead to opportunities for informational interviews, job interviews and the ability to get your resume into the hands of people at companies that interest you.”
But, while mentoring has been a fairly common business practice for a number of years, not all relationships are fruitful. Some “unwritten rules” of mentoring can help ensure success. v Make your goals explicit, advises Lois Zachary, president of Leadership Development Services in Phoenix and co-author of The Mentee’s Guide(Jossey-Bass, 2009). “The responsibility for keeping the focus on your learning lies with you,” she says. She recommends that mentees work with their mentors to create SMART (specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic and timely) learning goals.
“Establish relationship ground rules and confidentiality safeguards,” Zachary adds. Don’t use a mentor just for his or her connections, advises Heather Huhman, founder and president of Come Recommended in the Washington, D.C., area. “You are creating a relationship that is about leveraging your mentor’s experience and insights, not about exploiting their Rolodex.” Once trust and respect have been established, Huhman says, mentees can benefit from the introductions their mentors can make for them.
When choosing a mentor, don’t limit yourself to only people with a similar background to yours or who are in a position to which you aspire. “There is real value in working with a mentor whose background might be different,” says Deb Busser, a partner at Essex Partners. “Push yourself out of your comfort zone to work with someone who can bring a fresh viewpoint to your relationship.”
Finally, Busser adds, “Be considerate to your mentor. This is a two-way street.” Respect your mentor’s time by meeting at locations that are convenient for him or her. Don’t expect the mentor to pick up the bill—split it or offer to pay. Send a note or card between meetings to let him or her know how you’re doing. The bottom line: “Make sure they get something out of it, too.”
http://www.shrm.org/HRCareers/Pages/0112mentoring.aspx
But, while mentoring has been a fairly common business practice for a number of years, not all relationships are fruitful. Some “unwritten rules” of mentoring can help ensure success. v Make your goals explicit, advises Lois Zachary, president of Leadership Development Services in Phoenix and co-author of The Mentee’s Guide(Jossey-Bass, 2009). “The responsibility for keeping the focus on your learning lies with you,” she says. She recommends that mentees work with their mentors to create SMART (specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic and timely) learning goals.
“Establish relationship ground rules and confidentiality safeguards,” Zachary adds. Don’t use a mentor just for his or her connections, advises Heather Huhman, founder and president of Come Recommended in the Washington, D.C., area. “You are creating a relationship that is about leveraging your mentor’s experience and insights, not about exploiting their Rolodex.” Once trust and respect have been established, Huhman says, mentees can benefit from the introductions their mentors can make for them.
When choosing a mentor, don’t limit yourself to only people with a similar background to yours or who are in a position to which you aspire. “There is real value in working with a mentor whose background might be different,” says Deb Busser, a partner at Essex Partners. “Push yourself out of your comfort zone to work with someone who can bring a fresh viewpoint to your relationship.”
Finally, Busser adds, “Be considerate to your mentor. This is a two-way street.” Respect your mentor’s time by meeting at locations that are convenient for him or her. Don’t expect the mentor to pick up the bill—split it or offer to pay. Send a note or card between meetings to let him or her know how you’re doing. The bottom line: “Make sure they get something out of it, too.”
http://www.shrm.org/HRCareers/Pages/0112mentoring.aspx
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