The Top 5 Reasons to Be a Mentee in 2023 & How to Find a Mentor

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Personal and professional development is essential for growth, no matter where you are in your career or life. Whether you’re looking to gain a promotion in work or simply want to overcome issues you face in your career, you don’t need to do it alone. Many people are now recognising the value that finding a mentor can have on both professional and personal development. Navigating your career and life isn’t always easy when you aren’t sure what you need to do, to get where you want to be.

There's no denying that success doesn’t come easy, it takes time and effort but with the help of a mentor, it’s a step in the right direction. With the workforce becoming more competitive than ever and more individuals looking to progress in their careers than before, it’s not surprising that more professionals are looking for ways to grow and achieve their goals.

Whilst mentoring is becoming a more popular method used across the globe, many people still don’t have a clear understanding of what a mentor is and how it can impact your life. That’s why, in this article we will be defining the meaning of a mentor, reviewing the benefits of being a mentee and discussing ways you can find a mentor.

What Is a Mentor?

A mentor is an individual who is experienced in a topic that you're interested in. Whilst many people believe that a mentor is a more senior individual with years of experience, that isn’t always the case. Someone at the same level as you can act as a mentor if they have the knowledge and skill set to help you achieve your development goals. A mentor is someone who provides guidance, support and advice, to help educate and motivate you to achieve your goals.

The mentor works alongside you (the mentee), to help guide you on your career and life journey. People often confuse mentoring with coaching, but there are some huge differences, you can read more about it here. A good mentor acts as a trusted advisor, sharing their knowledge and wisdom to help you go further. Traditionally, mentoring is done on a one-to-one basis however, there are different types of mentoring such as group mentoring which is also highly beneficial.

Benefits of Having a Mentor

When it comes to mentoring, the benefits are limitless. Mentoring is the perfect opportunity to learn invaluable sessions from individuals who have experience in a specific topic. Who better to learn from than someone who knows all about it? Whatever the reason you decide to find a mentor, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results. For this article, we will be listing 5 of the most impressive benefits of finding a mentor.

1. Constructive Feedback

Feedback makes the world of difference. Whether in your personal or professional life, gaining feedback is vital. Now, we understand that sometimes receiving feedback can be hard to hear, especially when it’s about something you’ve worked hard on, but, feedback is one of the most effective ways to grow. Your mentor is in your corner, they are taking time out of their day to help you succeed and reach your goals, so when you receive feedback from them it comes with the best intentions. One of the biggest benefits of having a mentor is having someone who can give you constructive feedback that you can put to good use. When you receive effective feedback, you’re able to make improvements on things that are classed as your weaknesses but also use your strengths to your advantage. Good feedback provides the opportunity to make adjustments to enhance our performance and make better decisions when it comes to our careers and lives, whilst acting as a motivator.

2. Gain Practical Advice and New Perspectives

Your mentor has been there, done that. As mentioned, whilst your mentor doesn’t need to be in a more senior position than you, you should find a mentor who can share their wisdom, gained from their personal experiences. When it comes to mentoring vs coaching, this is one of the biggest reasons people opt for a mentor over a coach, because a mentor can back up what they’re saying because they’ve walked in the shoes of the mentee before to get where they want to be. Mentors have a clear understanding and familiarity with the challenges being faced by their mentees and can offer support and guidance, based on real-life experiences. A good mentor can share the mistakes they made on their journey and how you can avoid them to achieve your goals. Your mentor is also able to share new perspectives on challenges you may be facing in the workplace or your life and offer a diverse opinion on the situation to help you make the best decisions going forward.

3. Improved Knowledge and Skill Set

Improving your knowledge, expanding your already existing skills and gaining new skills are some of the key benefits of finding a mentor. Even if you don’t reach out to your mentor to gain new skills, you automatically improve your communication, decision-making and listening skills just by speaking with your mentor. When you work alongside your mentor, they are not only able to communicate the skills that you need to get where you want to be but also help you develop them. Mentors have their own experiences and can share the best ways to enhance your skills, whilst being able to share the mistakes they made and how you can avoid them. The role of a good mentor is to exchange knowledge with their mentee, and when you work with someone with more experience than you, you’re going to learn the best tips and tricks along the way. Maybe you want to learn the most effective way to lead a team or want to improve your presentation skills, either way, your mentor will be able to educate you and offer you support.

4. Improved Professional Network

Whilst it isn’t always the requirement of a mentor to help their mentee network, many do it because they recognise the value networking can have on an individual's personal and professional development. With 80% of professionals believing that career success is improved through professional networking, we had to add it to the list of the most impressive mentoring benefits. No matter where you are in your career, networking is essential. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been in your job role for 7 years or if you’re a 2023 graduate, it’s more important than ever to make as many connections as possible to help improve your future opportunities. A mentor will be able to help you not only improve your networking skills if this is something you struggle with but often are willing to introduce you to other professionals who may be of interest that can help you obtain future opportunities. Your mentor doesn’t know the answer to everything, so if you’re facing a specific challenge they may not be able to assist you with, they may be able to point you in the right direction of someone who does.

5. Career Progression and Development

With 87% of millennials stating that professional development and growth opportunities are important, the fact that mentoring leads to improved chances of career progression and development, needed to make the list. This incredible benefit is one of the increasing reasons more people than either are looking for a mentor to help guide them in their careers. Mentoring relationships are all about development and growth, with a mentor being there every step of the way to help you grow professionally and personally. One of the reasons mentoring is so effective at helping individuals progress in their careers is due to mentors having access to more resources and connections that their mentees may not have. Mentors also motivate their mentees to keep going and ensure they are on track to achieving their goals, enhancing their skills and networking. With mentees being 5x more likely to be promoted than those without a mentor, the statistics speak for themselves. If you’re someone looking to progress in their career, we highly recommend giving mentoring a chance.

How to Find a Mentor in 2023

Now you’ve been informed about the amazing benefits of having a mentor, you’re probably wondering ‘how do I find a mentor?’. Well, you’re just in luck because we’re going to tell you 3 simple ways you can find a mentor to help you achieve your dreams.

1. Networking Events

One of the best ways to find a mentor is through networking. As discussed above, you now know that networking is essential for success, but did you know that you can find a mentor through it? A quick Google Search will show hundreds of networking events suited to you and the challenges you face. Whether you’re looking for a mentor with marketing experience or looking for someone to help you navigate job interviews, there is a networking event for you. The best part about networking events is that they are available both online and offline, which makes them more accessible for all professionals. When you put yourself out there, you’ll be able to connect with more experienced professionals who you think would be a good mentor.

2. PushFar Mentoring Platform

PushFar is the world’s leading career progression and mentoring platform. The best part? Finding a mentor is completely free, so no matter your budget you will be able to find the perfect mentor. PushFar was created to make mentoring more accessible for everyone, helping professionals connect, no matter where they are in the world. With over 100,000 members on our open network, looking to connect and network with like-minded individuals, there's a mentor for everyone. PushFar also eliminates any fear of rejection because you know that the professionals signed up to willingly help mentor others.

3. LinkedIn

If you’re unfamiliar with LinkedIn, it’s a social media platform that is career and business focused, like Facebook, but a community where professionals can connect and network. LinkedIn has over 500 million users on their platform, all coming together to discuss topics related to their field, share insights and guidance all in one place. Whilst we don’t suggest just reaching out to anyone to be your mentor on the platform, we suggest taking the time to build connections with individuals you feel might be a good mentoring fit, learning all about their experiences and reaching out when it seems appropriate. The worst thing they can say is no!

Final Thoughts

Now you know the advantages of mentoring and how to find your very own mentor, we hope this article was able to inspire you to find a mentor to help you accomplish all the things you want to achieve this year. A mentor is a step in the right direction, to guide and support you on your journey to where you want to be professionally and personally. If you’re interested in learning more about mentoring, visit PushFar.