Mentorship: The ultimate growth hack 🧗🏼‍♀️

Mentorship can be coaching, giving direction to someone, helping someone succeed with training, setting up goals and providing advice.

Before delving into my journey of mentorship, I want to acknowledge my friend Manjari, whom I affectionately refer to as Krishna. In Hindu mythology, Krishna is a deity and mentor to Arjuna. Krishna teaches Arjuna about dharma, karma, and the self.

In my life, Manjari has played a similar role, helping me identify my blind spots and supporting me through challenges. I personally consider every human to be a mentor as I learn from everyone, my close friends are pillars of my life and I’ll continue to learn from them in my life.

If you cannot see where you are going, ask someone who has been there before. — J Loren Norris

Why I became a mentor

As a mentee, I have always felt grateful for the guidance, encouragement, and support of talented individuals during challenging times. I was eager to give back to the community and began organizing coffee sessions where I offer mentorship to those interested in transitioning their career to UX. Currently, I offer guidance on a range of topics such as selecting a Master’s program and universities, resume writing, portfolio reviews, and end-to-end support until my mentees receive their first job offer.

Since starting, my passion for mentorship has continued growing. I joined ADPList & Topmate, platforms that have allowed me to connect with thousands of individuals worldwide. I have participated in close to 250 sessions, totaling over 5,000 minutes, and have received over 105 positive reviews. Providing mentorship has not only allowed me to be recognized but also to help others grow. It has helped me network with people from different backgrounds, learn new skills, and break out of my comfort zone.

A comfort zone is a beautiful place — but nothing ever grows there. — Anonymous

Why you need a mentor

A mentor can provide guidance, support, and advice based on their own experiences and expertise. They can help you navigate challenges, overcome obstacles, and identify opportunities for growth and development. A mentor can also offer constructive feedback, challenge you to stretch beyond your comfort zone, and serve as a role model for success.

Ultimately, a mentor can help you achieve your goals more quickly and with greater confidence than you might on your own. There are times when I feel sad, low, and demotivated. I often suffer from imposter syndrome. During these times, I always prefer to reach out to my mentor as they often help me see what I don’t see. Words matter, recognition matters, and above all, feeling valuable and seen matters. My mentor helps me boost my confidence and after our session, I feel motivated, confident, and energized to fight whatever battle I’m facing.

What you want in a mentor is someone who truly cares for you and who will look after your interests and not just their own. When you do come across the right person to mentor you, start by showing them that the time they spend with you is worthwhile. — Vivek Wadhwa

How does mentoring work?

There are various platforms where you can start mentorship. I’ve used ADPList & Topmate to find mentors. I also use the same platform to provide mentorship. There are numerous other platform and memberships available over internet, as well UX groups on Meetup, the AIGA group, and more. Many of them are free and can help you connect with multiple mentors as well as mentees. Some paid platforms are more cohesive and provide more end to end services. Choose the route that’s best for you based on your preferences, financial stability, and other factors.

What successful mentorship looks like

A great mentorship session should make you feel motivated, help you grow, and help you realize where you can still improve. It should help you focus on your strengths as well as work on your weaknesses. A good mentor should:

1. Establish goals and expectations: Mentors should work with you to help set clear goals and expectations. This could include defining areas of focus, timelines, and success metrics.
2. Encourage reflection and growth: Mentors should encourage you to reflect on your work and help you identify areas for growth and improvement. This includes helping you set achievable goals and develop a plan to reach them.
3. Provide constructive feedback: Mentors should provide constructive and specific feedback. They may use the “compliment sandwich” technique (start with positive feedback, offer constructive criticism, and end with additional positive feedback) to help you understand what you are doing well and how you can improve. Don’t take feedback personally; good mentors want you to grow and get better, and constructive feedback is vital to that process.
4. Be supportive and available: Mentors should be available when you need help or advice, and should offer support and encouragement throughout your journey with them. However, you should also make sure to be respectful about their time and privacy.
5. Continually assess progress: Mentors should continually assess your progress and help you adjust goals and strategies as needed. They should celebrate your successes and identify areas for continued improvement.

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. — Winston Churchill

How mentorship helps the mentor

As an individual, I feel sometimes that after balancing my family, 9–5 work schedule, and social life, I never get time to learn something new unless it’s required for my job. Mentorship helps me stay up to date with my chosen field. I have to continue learning and reading to share knowledge with my mentees.

I remember one of my sessions in which someone needed guidance on preparing for a UX researcher interview, and they wanted to learn about usertesting.com. As a UX strategist, I was not very familiar with the platform. I asked my mentee to give me 2–3 days to learn, I even purchased the paid version, gave her the walkthrough, and addressed all her questions. And in the end, the outcome was: she got the job! Of course, she got the job after succeeding in multiple other interview rounds too, but it was an exciting achievement for myself as a mentor. So far, that was my 5th successful end-to-end mentorship where my mentee successfully got the job.

Build a lasting relationship

Cultivating an ongoing relationship requires effort and intention. To build a strong and lasting connection with your mentor, it’s important to be genuine and authentic in your interactions. This means being yourself and showing a sincere interest. Be respectful about their time and value their privacy. Show appreciation and respect for the other person, their knowledge, and their contributions. Finally, make an effort to stay in touch and continue building the relationship over time. This can include supporting them on their mission, sharing the reviews, and not forgetting their deed once you become successful. Also, share the knowledge with others as to show the gratitude and give back to the community. By following these steps, you can cultivate a meaningful and lasting relationship with someone and help the world become a better place.

When nobody around you seems to measure up, it’s time to check your yardstick. — Bill Lemley

How mentoring works at Vanguard

It’s been over a year since I began working at Vanguard, and I appreciate the culture. A company is nothing if we don’t have people uplifting one another. Adapting to a new company can be tough, especially when coming from different countries and cultures, but Vanguard’s crew have made my life easier. Mentorship and guidance are top priorities at Vanguard, and I’ve been blessed to be on a team where people are just a chat or call away.

My first mentor at Vanguard was Gayle. I was new to the company and I had decent knowledge of finance, but I had zero knowledge of investment banking, 401(k) accounts, ESG, and many other terms. Gayle not only helped me with my basic questions but also guided me to improve my knowledge about Vanguard and learn more about investing in general.

Many other crew members in my department and our design team helped me overcome my doubts. Additionally, our team and department leaders are great mentors themselves. They recognize you for your good work and always advocate for the team. Almost every crew member I’ve worked with is ready to help each other, whether they have worked together before or not.

Vanguard also has a mentorship program for the client experience division, which provides crew members guidance and help accelerating their professional growth and momentum. It also gives senior crew members a chance to give back as they grow and learn alongside their mentees. Vanguard also supports crew members in pursuing additional education, certifications, and trainings based on the needs of their role.

Mentorship can be a powerful tool for achieving success and personal growth. Find mentors who align with your goals and values, and be open to learning from them. Remember, we all have something to learn and something to teach.