Finding a Mentor
The one thing that allowed me to realize my potential were my mentors. They taught me various things, such as: finding confidence in myself, proper formatting for resumes, and interviewing advice.
Depending on how broadly you define mentors, they can come from various sources. They can be people who you don’t know very well, people who are acquaintances, or people who are close friends or family. Mentors can be in your life for a couple of weeks or for many years. The length of time a mentor will stay engaged within your life depends on you or the mentorship program you apply for.
Well, you might be wondering, Why should I have a mentor? or How do I find a mentor?
And these are great questions. If you want to know the perks of having a mentor, then please read my article on the reasons to have a mentor here:
If you were wondering about the second question, then I will detail two of the ways I found my mentors in this article and maybe this can help you figure out other ways to find your own.
1. Finding a club that has a mentorship program
Joining a college club that provides mentorship opportunities was the most effective way I found a mentor. There were two clubs that I joined in college that gave students the opportunity to have mentors with business experience. I’m not sure about other non-business clubs, but I have also heard of school-wide mentorship programs open to students with any major. This means that a quick search on your college website regarding mentorship programs might help you understand the resources available to you.
2. Letting it happen naturally through work
When I started working on campus for my professor, she gave me a lot of great life advice. Her mentoring evolved after we became comfortable with each other. Naturally, once I began interviewing for various programs, my professor was always my reference. During these times, she reminded me to take my time in finding a career I could enjoy. In addition, during the job hunting process, she reminded me of the various accomplishments from our work together that I could showcase. I believe she knows my strong work ethic more than me because I tend to downplay my achievements. However, having someone there to set me straight on being proud of what I have done has allowed me to do so.
These kind of mentors will come without you expecting them, so stay open to new part-time jobs and opportunities where you could potentially meet your next mentor.
These are just two ways in which I found a mentor. Are there any other way you found a mentor? I would love to hear about it. 😊
