🥇 As someone who has built a successful career and network, I know that it takes more than hard work and talent to succeed. It takes guidance from experienced professionals who can coach you, advise you, and connect you to the right people. That’s why I want to talk about the importance of mentors in networking – and how to find and nurture these relationships.

What is a Mentor?

🤔 A mentor is someone who is more experienced than you in your field of work, who acts as a guide and provides insight to help you reach your goals. Mentors can be found in many areas of your life, including personal relationships or hobbies. Still, we’re going to focus on the ones that can help you build and maintain a robust professional network.

A mentor pointing towards the horizon

Why Having a Mentor is Important?

👥 Having a mentor can help you build a strategic network, gain insights into your industry, and provide you with honest feedback. They can teach you the best way to network, which can make a big difference in your career. Moreover, a mentor can be a sounding board for your ideas, and you can get their perspective, which can help you avoid costly mistakes.

A mentor assisting a person in reaching their goal

How to Find a Mentor?

🔍 Finding a mentor is not as hard as you may think. There are a few tips worth keeping in mind:

Look for Someone You Admire

😍 Do your research and find someone who has a career trajectory and attributes that you admire. Look for someone who has been in your field or industry for a long time. Take the time to read their blog posts or listen to their podcasts, which will give you an insight into their personality and the type of people they have helped in the past.

Ensure a Mutual Fit

🤝 Ensure that there is a mutual fit between you and your potential mentor. You want someone who is willing to invest in you and who can help you meet your goals. Remember that you may be asking for someone’s time and experience, so you want to be sure that they feel they can invest in you as much as you are investing in them.

Build a Relationship First

👋 Before asking someone to be your mentor, you need to build a relationship with them. That means contacting them first, either through LinkedIn or email, and starting a conversation. Take the time to get to know them and their interests before asking for anything. Building up a relationship first will make the decision to mentor you much more comfortable.

A person looking through a telescope searching for a mentor

How to Nurture a Mentor Relationship?

🌱 Once you’ve found a mentor, the key is to nurture the relationship and keep it going. Here are some tips on how to do that:

Show Gratitude

🙏 Showing gratitude is vitally important in a mentor-mentee relationship. It can take many forms, from thanking them for their time to buying them lunch or coffee as a small token of appreciation.

Keep Them Updated

📈 Keep your mentor updated on your progress and what you’ve been working on; they will be invested in your success and will appreciate hearing about it.

Ask for Feedback

📝 Ask for their feedback and take it to heart. A good mentor will give you honest feedback to help you improve and reach your goals.

Be Respectful of Their Time

⏳ Your mentor is likely a busy professional, so be respectful of their time. Be punctual, make every minute count, and be prepared for meetings with them.

A mentor and mentee planting an idea and watering it to grow a tree

Conclusion

🎉 Finding and nurturing a mentor relationship is key to building a successful career and robust professional network. It takes time, effort, and showing gratitude to maintain a good mentorship. Use these tips to find someone who can be your guide and help you get ahead. Remember that the investment you make now in building this relationship could pay off tenfold in your future success.

A mentor giving guidance and advice to a group of people