How to find a mentor to help with career development

Have you ever wished you had someone to guide you on your career path, to answer your questions and encourage you to succeed? If so, then you may be interested in finding a work mentor.

Whether you’re a fresh graduate or a CEO, a professional mentor can be a valuable source of inspiration and support. Mentors help people in countless ways, both personally and professionally. Aside from providing career advice, they can offer moral support and wisdom based on years of real-world experience. 

Wondering how to find a mentor? In this article, we look at how to get a mentor that suits your career aspirations and how to make the most of your time with them when you do. 

Preparing for mentorship

Before we go into the details of looking for a mentor and narrowing down exactly how to find a mentor that’s right for you, it’s important to first reflect on your reasons for getting one and what you hope they can help you with. These factors can help you meet a mentor suited to your needs that can help you with your career plan. 

First, ask yourself why you’re looking for a work mentor. What exactly are you hoping to get out of a mentorship? What kind of career objectives do you have in mind that you feel professional mentors can help you achieve?

With your professional goals in mind, you can start to build the ideal profile of your mentor. Consider what field or industry they should ideally work in, what level of skills and experience they should have, and what personality traits you think would work best with yours.

How to find a mentor

It can be daunting trying to find the right mentor, but there are steps you can take to make the process easier. Here is a rough guideline on how to get a mentor, based on your specific needs and career aspirations. 

1. Identify your industry or field of interest

Ideally, you’ll want to find a work mentor with a high level of experience and skill in your chosen field or industry. You should look for someone who can give you advice specific to your career plan, based on their own work experiences. 

Once you’ve identified the industry or field you want mentorship in, you should then decide how senior you’d like your mentor to be. Someone only a few years older than you might be easier to relate to, while a mentor with 25 years of experience will have vastly more wisdom and life experience to share. 

If you’re still not sure yet which industry you want to work in, it might help you first to speak to a careers counsellor who can help give you high-level advice on your options. Or you may be able to find a personal mentor from your network of family and friends who can give you more general advice. 

2. Tap into your existing networks

Once you know more about the type of work mentor you want to find, it’s time to start looking. A good way to begin your search is to make use of the networks and connections you’ve already got. Reach out to your friends and family circle for any connections in your chosen field, or get in touch with other graduates from your school or uni for leads. 

If there are no professional mentors in your immediate circle, consider going to industry networking events or meet ups, being active in online forums and joining local social or community groups to expand your network.  

3. Attend industry events and workshops

One of the best ways of finding a mentor in your desired field is to go to industry events and workshops. Do some online research and get to know the main conferences and events for your industry, as well as any seminars, webinars or workshops related to what you want to do. You’ll often find mentor figures at events like these, with many in speaking or MCing roles.

Getting yourself involved with events is a great way to meet prospective professional mentors as well as learn more about your industry. Try to meet up with speakers and key figures who interest you, or reach out to them online. Network with fellow attendees to discover like-minded people and possibly make connections that could lead you to a mentor.

4. Join mentorship programs and platforms

If you’re still struggling to meet a mentor, you might consider signing up for a dedicated mentorship program. There are several online platforms that match people with the ideal professional mentors to suit their needs. While a mentorship program usually comes with fees, it can be a convenient solution if you’re not located near a major city or if your commitments make it tricky to meet mentors in person. A paid mentorship program might be a good short-term solution while you look for a mentor in your networks. 

You might also be able to find a free mentorship program online or in your community. Out for Australia, The Mentoring Club, Mentorloop, ADPList and Micromentor are just some examples of free mentoring services and resources available online. 

5. Reaching out to potential mentors

Once you’ve found someone you think could make a good mentor, it’s time to approach them. You could begin by sending a polite, personalised message introducing yourself and explaining that you’re looking for a mentor. Let them know what you’re hoping to gain from a mentor and ask them if they’re interested and available to provide mentorship.

In your message, be respectful of your prospective mentor and be clear about your goals and what you’re hoping to learn. Be prepared for the possibility that they may decline, in which case thank them and continue your search. 

In the case of rejection, try to move on with an open mind. There are many reasons why someone might not want to be a mentor. They may already have too many commitments, they might not feel they have valuable advice to share or they might not want to take on the responsibility.   

Engaging with your mentor

Once you’ve found someone to be your work mentor, it’s up to you to engage with them. Establish a way of meeting with your mentor that works for both of you, whether it’s having regular in-person catch ups over coffee, sending emails or setting up periodic video calls. You may also want to outline your expectations for what you hope to achieve out of the mentorship. Ask your mentor if they have any expectations or goals as well – perhaps you can reciprocate with your own insights as a fresh graduate.  

When it comes to what to talk about with a mentor, it helps to note down any questions or concerns that come to mind as you think of them, then when you meet you have a list of topics to refer to. If you’re communicating over email, group multiple questions together and send them in one go, rather than sending an email every time you need advice (unless your mentor is okay with that).

Long-term mentorship strategies

If you want to maintain a long-term work mentor relationship, it’s important to establish expectations and boundaries from the beginning. A mentorship is like any other relationship: you should both be respectful of each other’s time and ways of communicating. 

Agree upon how you will interact, how often, and for how long (if you’re meeting in real time). Your mentor is donating their free time and wisdom to you, so it’s important to respect their limitations and boundaries if you want to create a sustainable relationship.

Another strategy for creating a long-term mentorship is to look for a mentor in a senior stage in their career. The more experience and knowledge they have, the longer they will be able to provide advice.  

Beyond individual mentorship

When looking for a mentor, consider the possibility of group mentorship. Rather than having a single mentor, you can join a group of mentors and protégés that support each other. Group mentorship can have a wide range of benefits, like a greater diversity of opinions and experiences, increased opportunities for networking and a wider support system – plus you get to meet other graduates in your industry.

Group mentorship can also give you more opportunities for professional development, as you benefit from the questions and input of several people. Conversely, in a group environment, it’s important that you make sure you’re getting the specific advice you need.  

There’s no doubt that having a work mentor can be a great benefit when you’re just starting out in your career – and even if you’re a seasoned professional. Regardless of career path, a mentor can give you advice that’s not taught in any school and offer you wisdom that only comes from years of experience.