The Benefits of a Mentorship Program for Career Development
Do you remember how you learned to ride a bike? Or tie your shoes? Someone a little older and with pertinent experience and abilities took the time to show you how to master this very important skill, working patiently with you to help navigate something brand new, something you were interested in acquiring, and they stayed with you until you perfected it. It was a big accomplishment, and the person who taught you was happy to celebrate that achievement with you.
You can have that same kind of personalized guidance and support for your goals as an adult by finding and working with a mentor.
It’s true! A mentor can help guide you and work with you to set new goals, learn new skills, and take other steps to help get your career where you want it to be.
Here’s why having a mentor is important and something that could help take your career to new places:
- Mentors can provide great insight and knowledge. If there’s a position within your company that you’re interested in, working with a mentor who has that job currently is a great way to learn more about the job and what it takes to get it. A mentor can talk about the ins and outs of how a company works, or how a job operates, giving you insider information gleaned over time that can help you better navigate your own career. Mentors can also provide advice on how to handle tough times or encourage you to keep working toward a goal if things are unclear or confusing.
- Mentors can help you meet the right people. Whether at work or outside, if you’re interested in advancing your career, a mentor can help you make connections that could be valuable in the future. It’s good to know people in general; knowing the right people and understanding why and how they can help you is powerful. A good mentor can do both! They can put you in touch with someone who might have information or opportunities for you, and they can connect you with people who might have good networks for your future.
- Mentors can be an important and powerful ally. We all need friends. We need someone we can talk to who can help bring an outside perspective to the challenges we face. Mentors can do that! They can provide some insight and suggestions based on their experiences and with your best interests at heart. They can also do their part in talking you up to your managers in the case of applying for a promotion!
- Mentors can provide guidance without sounding harsh or punishing. Sometimes, the only person who can tell you the hard truth and who you’ll listen to, is your best friend. The same is true at work; a mentor might be the only person who can deliver some serious facts that might seem brutal coming from other people. You might also respond better to this kind of information or advice coming from a mentor than you would from your supervisor or another coworker. Your trust and reliance on a mentor can help you better learn from a situation and make important changes before things get worse.
- Mentors can be your own cheering squad. We all need a little boost of confidence from time to time. It’s nice to have someone cheering you on when you reach a goal, overcome an obstacle, or even just finish a project. Mentors can be that person, encouraging you as you work through a task that is difficult or that you don’t particularly like, reminding you that you can do this, and celebrating with you when it’s done. They can also provide encouraging words if you’re having a rough day. That kind of support is invaluable!
If you want to advance your career, achieve your goals, and move forward in your life, joining up with a mentor might be a great way to go about it! We can never have too many people in our corner, providing advice, insight, and guidance while we figure things out, or too many people ready to celebrate our victories, no matter how small.
You might also come to a point where your mentor gently tells you that you cannot achieve your goals in your current position or company. If that happens, come to SmartTalent! We can help you find a position that will allow and encourage you to grow, one that will pay well and support your aspirations. Take a look at what we’re hiring for, and then give SmartTalent a call to start on your next adventure.
