CH: 34 - Mentorship!
Tejal Rives
Everyone's favorite former Tech Recruiter | Current Product Marketing Manager for Amazon's TA Tech | First Gen Immigrant | Nerd at heart |
Not another article about mentoring...
I promise this one is different. In the past I've spoken about mentorship, it's importance, and how to be a good mentor.
This one let's drill down on how to be a good mentee.
One of the biggest mistake individuals including myself make/have made is that we think just because we want a mentor makes us a good mentee. That couldn't be further from the truth.
Being a good mentee takes work.
First let's talk about why you want a mentor. This step is key, are you looking to grow and develop or are you looking to grow your network. Those are two very different things. We know that everyone needs mentors but why is going to be important.
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Second, identify your goals. Maybe this should be first but I never do things in orders. 😂 What are you looking to do that you need a mentor for? Is it a promotion? Is it to learn a new skills? My current goal is to get promoted and I have the exact vision in mind. When I met with potential mentors I was clear that this is the reason why I'm looking for a mentor. Someone who's gotten promoted and knows how to help me get there.
Third, know what you bring to the table. Not necessarily in the value giving way but more so in knowing what kind of communication you like from your mentor. I'm often an agenda driven person, and a bit of an annoyance sometimes because I will ask a lot of questions. I know this about myself so when I meet potential mentors I state this clearly. Remember, people aren't going to mentor someone who doesn't know what they want, that's not a productive use of anyone's time. When I meet potential mentors, I let them know that I'm a type A personality and that I'll have an agenda for them, that I do request a lot from my mentors but I'm also going to give a lot to this relationship and having this expectations has saved me a lot of time and energy because if my potential mentor doesn't like this then we are not a fit.
Lastly, set up cadence and keep track of your growth. You want the mentor to feel that you are someone they want to invest in. They're doing this unpaid, and no one wants to spend their most valuable currency; time on someone that doesn't want to be mentored to grow.
Until next time,
Stay Caffeinated!
Student at National University | Bangladesh
1yThank you!
Hiring Manager at Fusionrms
1yFusionrms is looking for self-driven, self-motivated focused interns who are interested in gaining hands-on experience. This position provides an internship opportunity for students in college to gain exposure into the merchant service industry, While this program is within the finance industry, students of all backgrounds are also encouraged to apply. The internship will provide opportunities to learn and provide support for the Administrative team as you'll be an active member of the team in the execution of various tasks. You'll also have an opportunity to observe and be involved in cost accounting, merchant accounts services. Responsibilities: 1. Communicating with clients to answer Questions and Resolve Issues. 2. Preparing presentations for internal meetings on topics such as Company goals, Current Projects and Industry Trends. 3. Performs office clerical duties in support of an assigned department or division; receives and directs telephone calls and visitors; provides information on department or division services and operations. Qualifications: • An Undergraduate Student in an accredited College. Mode of Application Please visit the company’s website https://fusionrms.co/
Senior Recruiter with BrickRed Systems supporting Microsoft Account.
1yThank you, for your prompt response and for sharing;)
SDE 1 @Amadeus Labs
1yInteresting article. Most of us seek for mentorship without actually knowing what we need. However, it is important to have a clear idea about our intentions, goals, and results before seeking for a mentor. We are responsible for our growth. Thanks for sharing.
Associate Director for Graduate Student Career Services | Higher Education Professional
1y"Mentors don't need to be someone exactly like you. You need people who are the opposite so you can grow yourself." Love this. A big reason I chose my dissertation advisor back in grad school was because he challenged my philosophical scientific assumptions during coursework. I started my program coming in as a quantitative, post-positivist researcher and he was a qualitative, constructivist researcher (I promise that jargon all makes sense to the social science and humanities folks 🤣). If we're picking people like us, then we're just reinforcing what we already think we know.