The Importance of Mentors

A mentor who, because he is detached and disinterested, can hold up a mirror to us. — P. W. Keve
In today’s modern era, when people think of mentors, most will point to movies as a source of inspiration. Obi-Wan to Luke, Gandalf to Frodo, and so on. Mentors come in all shapes and sizes and are looked to as soon as we are able to walk and/or talk. Take your parents for instance — they guide us away from harm, so we are on the path to a productive life. As such, our relationships with mentors should be treated with reverence.
The best mentors aren’t those who coddle you, but rather ensure they are doing everything possible to help you succeed. Taking an active interest in your development at any stage of your career. If you haven’t aligned yourself with mentor, regardless of your age, you should do so immediately. Following are some steps on how to find a mentor that is right for you.
In the world of design, I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that many excellent mentors exist. In fact, there are so many good mentors in our field — mentors that are humble and willing to guide lesser experienced creatives — that you may find yourself having difficulty choosing just one!

The Big Search
Finding a mentor today is easy — just use LinkedIn. But it wasn’t always so easy. In fact, I remember the days when you would have to take a deep dive into local professional groups or just hope your network of people would include someone who could aide you in your quest to advance your career. With LinkedIn, however, you have an invaluable resource for finding a mentorthat can have a positive impact on your career trajectory.
Last year I made it my mission to make over 1000 connections on LinkedIn, and within one month, I achieved my goal. All I did was type “UX Design” in the search box and began clicking “connect.” Yes, I know that’s not ideal, but it’s how most people do it these days. Of course, some of the giants in the industry, such as Don Norman, don’t have personal connection access. But many do and will willingly accept your invitation because it increases their network as well.
Another method for finding a mentor is leveraging your local career organizations. For example, in the User Experience field, one such group is the UXPA. This global organization has local chapters in nearly every region and connecting with them is quick and easy. In fact, I met a lot of quality design thinkers within the UXPA community — and I think you will as well.
Once you’ve established a good base of individuals to follow, and those that follow you, start looking at their posts. I personally unfollow anyone who turns their LinkedIn profile into political grandstanding, even if I agree with their beliefs. For me, LinkedIn is a safe haven from the vitriol I can find by watching TV. After I was done filtering, I focused on 3–4 key thought leaders to see if they would be willing to help me.
YOU MUST HAVE CONNECTIONS!

The Approach
When you find a person you believe would be a great mentor, remember that they are much higher on the food chain than you, and their time is precious. Do not waste it! A key is to ask their help for a specific need/goal — don’t just say “I need help.” Try to rephrase it as “Hi (insert Mentor’s Name), I’m a relatively new designer and I love following your work, I was wondering if you could possibly help me. I’m struggling to learn (X subject), as there are so many avenues. What have you seen in your career that helped you the most?” By doing so, you turn the tables and make it not about yourself, but about them and their experiences, so you can understand what they did, and if it might work for you. Stroke their egos! Even though 99% of them are very unselfish souls, everyone likes a little boost now and again, including industry leaders.
Remember to be humble when approaching a potential mentor — and always be courteous. There is nothing a thought leader/mentor dislikes more than someone who comes at them with haughtiness. Don’t forget: they are much more successful that you.
Also, be ready to experience rejection. Regrettably, many potential mentors won’t take you in because they are either too busy, or just are dismissive of your qualifications. The best mentors consider everyone that approaches them as a new opportunity to growwithin themselves, and if they can help you, it’s another feather in their cap!

You found a mentor, now what?
Chance favors the prepared mind — L. Pastuer.
This is one of my all-time favorite quotes. If you’re not prepared, chances are you will fail with your mentor. Be sure to plan precisely what you want to achieve out of this mentorship. Of course, a friendship may blossom, but in the beginning, be completely professional. Don’t focus on small talk and banter over your career growth needs. Remember, your mentor is there to help you, and you’re taking up time they could spend on other important things.
I approached my first mentors with a plan to tell them where I was at in my career evolution — and where I want to go. Then I asked what steps they thought I should take to get there. The answers came fast and furious because my mentors were ecstatic that I came to them with goals already in mind. They told me of the myriad of times people ask for help but have no idea what they want. Make sure you do.
A rule of thumb is to start by meeting with your mentor once a month for an hour and work out from there. Most mentors will be amenable to more hours if the relationship is building on a solid foundation, and you have need of their assistance. I’m at a point where my mentors and I have each other’s numbers and communicate quite often. It’s a great place to be in — but it takes months to get there.

Pay it forward
There’ll never be a time in your life that you won’t meet someone who’s higher up the creative/career ladder — someone who can benefit you and your career. But as you advance, never forget who helped you get there, and see if you can pass down what you’ve learned to those who need help. You’ll feel like a million bucks when that happens to you.
I’m grateful to the mentors I have and work hard every day to put into practice that which they’ve passed on to me. I hope you find the same beneficial mentor experience!
Paul Manzione is a UX Designer for the Individual Solutions Group at Prudential. Along with being a pop culture junkie and a former Star Wars fan, he is heavily involved in his church and with his family, and he has never come up against a pizza that could get the better of him.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the views or opinions of Prudential. Prudential is not responsible, endorses or confirms its accuracy. All trademarks and other intellectual property used or displayed are the ownership of their respective owners. Unless noted otherwise in this article, Prudential is not affiliated with nor it endorses any mentioned company or any linked third party content.

