The Value of Career Mentors

You can never put a price on experience. This is a statement of truth no matter what career segment you are in. However, when you lack experience – and can't seem to find a job to provide you with said experience – how can you receive this valuable career asset? The answer is simple, get a mentor. Mentors provide great advice and can help you network with decision makers; this will in turn help you along your career journey.

A mentor in life is somebody who you can rely upon to provide you some tips, share experience or guide you a path to success. Sometimes the most valuable lessons or tips they can pass on are examples where they failed and offer suggestions that will help you avoid the same pitfalls. There are many ways that career mentors can provide you with tremendous value – both in the workplace and in life too. Some of the best values that career mentors can provide include:

On-Hands Job Experience

A great career mentor tends to be somebody you can rely upon that has experience in the same career as you are beginning. However, receiving input from any career mentor doesn't always have to come from somebody in the same vocation. In fact, some of the best career mentors are ones who speak from an opposing point of view.
Case in point: let's say for the sake of argument that you are beginning a career in sales. When you show up for work, you'll most likely be introduced to an experienced sales associate who will 'show you the ropes'. Having the input of not only somebody in sales, but also the input of an experienced product trainers and engineers from the organization can give you great tools to learning the entire industry quicker.
Invaluable experience like the input from a great mentor outside of your direct industry is counterintuitive, but invaluable to gaining a leg on the competition by providing new and different perspectives to consider.

Time and Change Management

Career mentors also are wonderful assets to learn good time management skills – and more importantly, how to juggle changes in workload requirements. One of the biggest hurdles for new employees entering the workforce is learning to adapt to change. However, a good career mentor can help you with this matriculation. Don't be afraid to ask a career mentor how they handle change in the workplace, or how they keep on track as many career mentors are happy to share what has worked for them in the past.
Career mentors provide tremendous value to anybody entering a new career. But in order to receive their expert advice – you have to take the first step. Steve Jobs once said, "The best way to develop a strong career path is to take the advice from people who've been there and done that." If that method worked for Steve, we're certain it will work for you as well.