There are many benefits to having a mentor, the most valuable ones is perhaps saving time in going through trials and errors. Whatever the problems you’re facing, your mentor will likely have been there before. He can give you advice based on his experience, you’re benefiting from his wisdom, learning and avoiding the mistakes he had made in the past.

Furthermore, when you’re faced with a challenging situation, your mentor can give you his opinion that you can use as a measuring stick. Your mentor can also help to boost your confidence. Having a mentor is particular important in an organization as it can help guide you to attain the roles that will enable you to rise to higher levels as you progress in your career.

How Do You Choose A Mentor?

A mentor can be someone who works in the same company with you but it’s preferable if you can find a mentor from another company who is also in a similar career as you. Ideally, your mentor has been successful in this career, he is your idea of success or someone whose type of job you aspire to have one day.

Many companies are now implementing the mentoring programs. If your existing company has such program, you should approach your HR manager to get involved in the program. If your company doesn’t have a mentoring program, don’t be afraid to request or suggest that such a program be started.  Once you have found a mentor, start building a good relationship with him. You need to be open to learning. have a good understanding of your own limitations and have a strong desire for success. Discuss your expectations and desires openly with your mentor.

If your company is unable to help, don’t despair. Finding a mentor on your own can broaden your network and maximise your chances of finding the best mentor. Sometimes finding a mentor is as simple as making a bond with your senior colleagues at work or from your industry contacts. Finding a mentor is not difficult, just try to network more often.

You could also search for professional mentoring programs in your city, industry or profession. You might find a professional organization related to your industry or profession that could point you in the right direction of a suitable mentoring program.  Regardless of how you find your mentor, the benefits are invaluable. You have someone who is experienced to help you through tough times in both your career and self-improvement journey.

benefits of having a mentor

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This entry was posted on Thursday, May 15th, 2008 at 3:25 am and is filed under Life Coaching. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.