The Best Handful of Tips 60 – Selecting a Mentor

Are you ambitious? If so, why not seek the experiences and advice of successful people. It could save  you making mistakes along your way and speed up your career. Look for  role models that can help you.

            Many successful people have come from humble beginnings and have overcome challenges and hardships during their career. You may find they are willing to share their experiences if you approach them unassumingly and seek their advice.  

The five best tips when choosing a mentor

1. Why look for a mentor?

Are you looking for specific advice? Do you need a sounding board, or do you seek advice to help you on your way in your career?

            It is helpful to have a counsellor to help you cope with unforeseen circumstances and situations that may arise.  Someone to point out career choices and the directions you should take.

            Don’t be too shy to seek a mentor. Most people you ask would take it as a complement to be asked.

2. Choose someone you respect

Make an appointment and seek advice on a specify topic. Don’t be timid, chat and ask personal questions. “Where did you grow up?” “Where were you schooled?” “How did you get this job?”   Get them talking and don’t interrupt.

3. Learn to question and listen with care

Prepare your questions with care and listen to answers carefully. Questioning and listening with care are two of the most important skills to master.  

4. Have more than one mentor

Choose different mentors for different parts of your professional or personal life. You don’t need to make mentoring a formal procedure. People like to be consulted and listened to.

5. Show gratitude

If you are given good advice report back. People like to hear about their part in a success story and will appreciate hearing that you have acted on their advice .

            Seek mentors who you like, are easy to talk to and ones who will give you good honest advice.

            Don’t be defensive of personal criticism. Be grateful.

-Geoffrey Moss

“Good mentors inspire action rather than fill you with knowledge.”

Source: “Training Secrets. Helping adults learn”. Moss Associates Ltd. “Training Secrets. A trainer’s handbook packed with proven methods and helpful hints”, Cengage Learning Asia. Also available as an e-book from Amazon.com.