How to Have a Successful Mentorship
Now that you’ve found your mentor, it’s essential that you make the most out of your mentorship. When done right, mentorships have a lot of benefits for both mentor and mentee, including increased workplace and personal satisfaction as well as career advancement. Use these five tips for a successful mentorship.
- Define your Expectations
Let your mentor know what you are looking for. Think about specific goals that you want to accomplish, projects you’d like to work on, and the kind of help and advice you are looking to receive. Some like more structured mentorships, while others want a mentorship that offers more flexibility. Make it easy on your mentor by explicitly stating your wants and needs. Additionally, understand what your mentor is looking for so that you’re on the same page as them.
2. Set a Schedule
Set a regular meeting day if you can, though oftentimes you may end up scheduling on the fly. In that case, confirm with your mentor how far in advance you’d like to schedule meetings. Respond if your mentor reaches out and respect their time by being punctual and coming to meetings prepared.
3. Communicate
Let your mentor know about any particular challenges in your life because you’ll likely have to make changes to your goals and mentorship. It helps to be open and honest about any professional or personal issues that prove relevant to your mentorship. Mentors are there to help you persevere and succeed.
4. Form a Connection
You don’t need to click with your mentor right off the bat. Take the time to build a personal, in addition to professional, relationship. This is especially important in the early days of your mentorship, as it helps to build trust and respect. Then, slowly ease into requests that you’d like to make.
5. Provide Mentorship Feedback
Inform your mentor of what is and isn’t working for you. Reflect on your development and results while exploring how you may want to further your progress. In turn, listen to your mentor's feedback so that you can be a better mentee. While you may need to point out potential issues in the mentorship, make sure to show your mentor appreciation for their hard work.
Find a mentor and flourish in your mentorship with Skilbi. Our mentors are skilled professionals looking to help students and those early in their careers with personal and professional development through skill-building and network-building opportunities.
