Mentorship matters: how to find a mentor without a formal scheme
What is a mentor?
A mentor is an individual who supports and guides another person (the mentee) to support their professional or personal development. Mentors are usually more experienced than their mentee in a particular area and are willing to share their knowledge to help the mentee develop.
Why does mentorship matter?
Mentorship provides a range of benefits for both the mentor and mentee. As a mentee, having a mentor can help you understand your career aspirations, grow your network, and gain access to professional and educational opportunities. A mentor can also help you with your personal development by providing constructive feedback.
Studies have shown that mentoring plays a key role in career success, including a higher rate of promotion, as well as personal and professional development1, including increased job-related wellbeing, self-esteem, and confidence2. Having a mentor is valuable throughout your career or education.
How do I find a mentor outside of a formal scheme?
People are often matched with mentors through a formal scheme at work or through their education provider, but how do you go about finding a mentor if you’re not part of one of these schemes?
Family and friends
Family and friends can often be a good place to start looking for a mentor and you never know the extent of other people’s networks. Finding a mentor through family or friends is useful as they will be able to recommend people they know you will form a strong connection with.
Work colleagues
If you’re in employment, you could ask someone at work to be your mentor, this could be one of your peers or someone in a more senior role. It’s worth considering that your more experienced colleagues may be in a better position to help you access professional opportunities. A mentor should be able to provide an unbiased external view so your manager may not be the best person to ask to be your mentor.
Careers advisers
A careers adviser in college or university will be able to talk to you about mentorship and may be able to connect you to a trusted person who could mentor you.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a social media platform where you can connect with professionals and build your network. LinkedIn is a great platform to use to find a mentor as you can search for people or mentoring groups across the UK and globally. Take the time to identify potential mentors who align with your career goals by looking at their profiles and career journeys. Before asking someone to be your mentor, ensure that you have built some rapport and understand more about their expertise.
Alumni networks
If your school, university, or training provider has an alumni network, you could reach out to previous students who are working in an organisation or sector that interests you. If they are unable to provide mentorship themselves, they might point you towards other potential mentors.
Industry events and conferences
By attending industry events and conferences, you can meet people in the area you’re interested in. These events provide an opportunity to network with professionals who may be interested in mentoring.
It’s important to note that many mentors will offer their time for free, but you may come across mentors who charge for providing mentorship.
What do I need to consider when choosing a mentor?
When deciding on who to choose as a mentor, first consider your short and long-term goals as well as what you want to achieve from a mentorship relationship.
You may want to find a mentor who you can relate to and identify with. This might mean you’re more comfortable with a mentor who shares your ethnicity, gender orientation, communication style, or another characteristic. Finding a mentor who shares similar experiences with you is also important if you’re part of a demographic that’s under-represented in your chosen industry.
When looking for a mentor, remember that they don’t have to be working in the same industry as you nor in the industry you aspire to work in. While a mentor from your industry can provide insights into specific career paths, a mentor from a different field can still offer support with your personal development and valuable guidance on transferable skills.
It's essential to choose a mentor who is supportive, experienced, a good listener, and can provide advice and guidance regarding your development. You’ll also need to know you can trust your mentor so that you can be open in conversations and know that what you discuss will be kept confidential. It's worth taking time to find a well-matched mentor as this can lead to a more productive relationship.
Having a mentor can help you to build a successful career and you don’t need to be part of a formal scheme, you can use the tips above to find a mentor yourself.
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