Reasons why you need a mentor

Reasons why you need a mentor

You might call yourself a self-made man, but you surely can not do without the services of a mentor if your career has to grow. S/he can give you guidance, direction, help you in achieving your goals and also give you suggestions when you really need it. Read on to find out why you might want to consider having a mentor:

If you and your boss just don’t get along: You have been asked to work on a new project and you have managed to do a good job but your boss still thinks your project is not that great. You think your boss can never appreciate good work. You are also expected to stay back late in office and work at times. In spite of all the extra time and effort you have been putting in you are not rewarded for it. You are wondering if there is something you can do to change the situation, of it it’s time to search for another job. In a scenario like this, a mentor can really help you assess the situation very well. If you and your boss do not share a great work relationship and have not been communicating properly about the new projects, may be your mentor could offer you suggestions on how to tackle this communication gap or help you find a new job if you wish to leave.

If you have been waiting for a promotion for long:
You have not got a chance to move up the corporate ladder even though your performance reviews have always been positive. And now you are worried and have been thinking that several years without any professional growth can hinder your future career prospects. In this case, a mentor can help you assess your promotion potential, find out where are you lacking behind, what can be done to get positive results and provide encouragement along the way.

You have recently taken a couple of new challenges at work: You have been given the opportunity to pitch a big company on your firm’s services, and your anxiety is growing because you know that a lot depends on your performance level. Remember, every time you tackle a new professional challenge, you can benefit from a mentor’s experience and advice. In this case someone who has faced the same challenge knows what you are up against and what you can do to shine.

If you are desperately looking out for new job: If you are extremely bored of your current job and have sent out multiple resumes, but have got no response from anybody and you are starting to feel a little frustrated now. May be your job search etiquette is not right. In this situation, your mentor can always guide you. S/he can review your resume and offer suggestions, help you prepare for your interview and also give you tips for expanding your network.

Who is mentor and where does he come from? Mentor is a senior person with vast experience in identical work like you and is still working or retired recently from corporate sector. He is a person who has seen all the changes in management styles and business environment. He can be from your own company or from outside from an identical company or can be your relative with necessary experience. But fundamentally you should have a good rapport with him and he is guiding you without any monetary or material benefit.