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- Wise Words -
What is a mentor, anyway?
by shelby pritchett

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​I remember it like it was yesterday. I was working at my first internship and everyone kept asking me if I had a mentor. Being new to the professional world, I was instantly struck with anxiety because I didn’t know. All of my friends and coworkers seemed to have mentors already . I thought something was wrong with me because I didn’t think I did. The reality was, I had plenty of mentors. Ultimately, my lack of understanding of what a mentor was kept me from realizing how many strong relationships I had already built and how many mentors I had encountered in my short professional career.
 
Mentorship is a different experience for everyone.and recognizing and maintaining these relationships can be complicated. Fortunately, my former anxious-intern-self discovered what mentors are and the tremendous value they can offer professionals at every stage of a career. Here, I’ll break down what mentorship is and explain some of the most common forms I’ve found to be beneficial.
 
What is a Mentor?
According to the dictionary, the definition of mentor is a “trusted counselor or guide.” I like this definition for its simplicity. While mentorship can be complicated, it comes down to a mutually beneficial, learning-based relationship with a trusted counselor. While many assume that a mentor is someone older and wiser, with years of advanced experience guiding fledgling young people, that’s not always the case. The truth is, mentors can be at any age or stage of life, and from any type of discipline. When seeking a mentor, it is important to fully anticipate what you want out of the relationship, and to determine how you can contribute to the relationship as well.
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Peer Mentorship
Peer mentorship is arguably one of the least recognized or under-appreciated forms of mentorship, but one of the most valuable. Because it tends to be a more casual, collaborative relationship, people don’t realize that it is actually a form of mentorship. A peer mentor is someone with a similar level of professional or life experience with whom you share a supportive, and oftentimes lateral, relationship. A peer mentor is someone with whom you relate and who can serve as a sounding board and provide feedback. Peer mentors provide a sense of teammate-to-teammate comfort and shared experience.

Benefits: Peer mentorship has many benefits. It allows you to develop leadership skills in an accessible way. Interaction with peer mentors is typically less intimidating than with senior colleagues and provides the basis for a more reciprocal relationship. The relationship tends to be less formal and therefore easier to maintain.

Challenges: The main challenge that peer mentorship presents is the potential for competition and conflict. While competition in small doses can be healthy, between peers it can sometimes be harmful. When working toward similar goals, it is easy to begin comparing yourself to your peers and creating unpleasant tension. Communicate issues with your peers openly and directly to avoid creating conflict triangles and ultimately making the issue more complicated than it needs to be. Help alleviate conflict by giving credit to co-workers and building each other up while establishing your own unique role in your organization. Be aware of peers’ progress, but focus on your individual path as well.

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Formal Mentorship
Formal mentorship traditionally involves pairing up with a colleague or professional contact with more or different experiences than yours to consult with regarding career growth and professional development. This mentor is someone you can seek out when you have important decisions to make, need advice on how to handle complicated situations at work, or want to test out new ideas. While it may be a manager or supervisor, this mentor don’t necessarily need to be a co-worker. In fact, sometimes it is better to have a mentor you don’t work with daily, whether inside or outside of your organization, who can provide an objective point of view.
 
Benefits: With more worldly and professional experience, formal mentors can sometimes provide more guidance and wisdom than peer mentors. Their “been there, done that” point of view allows them to share advice based on successes (or failures) they have encountered during their careers. Formal mentors serve as teachers of sorts, and are able to identify issues and potential more readily than a peer might.
 
Challenges: Because of their status or rank, more formal mentors may be less accessible than peer mentors. This makes arranging meetings and communicating regularly more difficult. Scheduling challenges can be resolved by establishing a consistent meeting schedule. Send your mentor a recurring calendar reminder for bi-weekly, monthly, or even quarterly meetings to ensure that you always have a spot on their schedule (while showing initiative on your end!).

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Mentorship Maintenance
Like any relationship, mentorships require communication and attention. Keep the relationship strong by staying in touch regularly. Even if you can’t make a meeting, drop your mentor/mentee a line to check in or share an interesting article or encouraging quote. Even casual conversation will help strengthen the bond. In the same light, when you have meetings with your mentor/mentee, come prepared with an agenda or questions to make the most of your time together. Most importantly, be flexible! Be willing to meet over Skype, on the phone or even via email.
 
I am so fortunate to have realized the value that mentors can provide to professional growth. In my relatively short time as a professional, I have had the opportunity to learn from mentors in a variety of fields and with a variety of experiences. The diversity of that experience has benefited my own growth and will continue to play a vital role in my career.  

Interested is getting a Mentor?  Read this column on "How to choose your mentor", 


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Shelby Pritchett is an Account Supervisor at Finn Partners, one of the world’s fastest growing and largest independent PR firms. Shelby has traditional media relations and social media experience in B2B technology, healthcare and public affairs industries. In her current role, she plays an integral role in the day-to-day media relations strategy and program activation for clients. For more information on Finn Partners visit https://www.finnpartners.com/


​​Like this section? Why not send your own "Early Stage Professional:" advice and experience submission in? Just email it to: [email protected]

More Wise Words...

Achieve: Focus on Results
​
Achieve: Leading from the Start
Achieve: Small is BIG
Achieve: Take Action
Career Management: Annual Review. A "How To"
Career Management: Annual Review. As Career Plan
Career Management: Choosing a Mentor
Career Management: Careers Happen
Career Management: Career Journey
Career Management: Mentorship Explained
​
Career Management: Post Graduate Degrees
Career Management: Promotion Frustration 
Career Management: Moving up by moving out
Career Management: Selecting Your Company
Career Management: Understand Yourself
Finances: Retirement Saving (1)
Finances: Retirement Saving (2)
Hindsight: Balance the short- with the long-term
​Hindsight: Embrace learning and your manager
Hindsight: Focus at Work
Hindsight: Millennial Reflections
Hindsight: Regrets: Time, Money & Pride
​Hindsight: Take Advice Sparingly
Hindsight: Take a Career Mulligan
​
Hindsight: Transition from College
Hindsight: Winning Nicely
Hindsight: Work hard, network, be honest. Have fun too!
Managing Up: Manage Up to Move Up
Managing Up: Manager As Partner
Managing Up: New Manager
Managing Up: Questions for your manager
Managing Up: Secret Skills for Managing Up
​
People & Teamwork: Be A Giver
​
People & Teamwork: LinkedIn As Networking
People & Teamwork: Networking Hacks
People & Teamwork: Networking as a Relationship
People & Teamwork: Networking Simplified
People & Teamwork: Teamwork As Leadership
Speedbumps: Chutes & Ladders
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Speedbumps: Laid Off? Take A Breath
Speedbumps: Layoffs. The Afterlife
Speedbumps: Owning Mistakes
Work Life: Work Culture. America vs. UK
Work Life: Ask Why
Work Life: Be Yourself. Be Genuine
​
Work Life: Browned Out?
Work Life: Business Travel Guide
Work Life: Calendar Management
Work Life: Difficult Situations
Work Life: Focus on Fiyah!
​Work Life: Ghosting
​
Work Life: Help the Early Stage Professionals
Work Life: International Remote Working
Work Life: Pre-Vacation Checklist
Work Life: Smartphones & The Office
​Work Life: Start-Up Glamor
Work Life: Stress Management
Work Life: Take a Walk
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Work Life: They Quit
Work Life: Unlimited Vacation
Work Life: Welcome the Newbies
Work Life: "Work" from Home

Crushing It @ Work

What Time Should I Start? 
What If I am Running Late? 
Taking Vacation
Sick Days 
Working Outside Office Hours
​
How to prepare for One/Ones
Making Meetings on Time 
Business Presentations 
Social Media, Personal Email and Hanging Out on the Web
Give it Six to Nine Months to Feel @Home
Be Your-professional-self
Staying Positive

Money Talk

The Basics
Retirement Savings Guide

Job Search Must Do's

Resume
The Application Letter 
​
The Free Conundrum: Should You Take an Unpaid Internship?
Informational Interviews 
Taking a Shortcut: Using Your Network 
Dealing with a Low GPA
​Responding to Recruiters
The Job Interview
Interview Questions
Questions You Should Ask
Simulations 
Interviews with Other Applicants
Dealing with References
Negotiating Your Salary
How to Resign (if you already have a job)
​
The First Week
You Don't Get the Job: Getting Feedback
​Keeping Motivated Through the Search

USA Today Columns by Fergus Mellon

How to get started on LinkedIn: Do this, not that
Warning: Avoid smartphone shame at work.  Keep them out of sight
To succeed, be a Giver in the workplace, not a Taker
4 ghoulish personality pitfalls to steer clear of at the office
​
How to coach today's not so entitled Millennials as they join the rat race

Crushing IT

Money

Library

WISE WORDS

Bureaucracy

Copyright © 2016 - 2020
  • Home
  • Getting a job
    • Must Do's - Resume
    • Must Do's - Application Letter
    • Must Do's - Internships
    • Groundwork - Informational Interviews
    • Groundwork - Your Network
    • Groundwork - GPA Issues
    • Groundwork - Recruiters
    • Dealing with Rejection - Feedback
    • Dealing with Rejection - Keeping Motivated
    • Closing the Deal - The Interview
    • Closing the Deal - Interview Q's
    • Closing the Deal - Your Questions
    • Closing the Deal - Simulations
    • Closing the Deal - Group Interviews
    • Closing the Deal - References
    • Signing On - Salary Negotiation
    • Signing On - How to Resign
    • Signing On - First Week
  • Crushing It
    • The Hours - What Time Should I Start
    • The Hours - What If I Am Running Late?
    • The Hours - Taking Vacation
    • The Hours - Sick Days
    • The Hours - Working Outside Office Hours
    • Professional Skills - One/Ones
    • Professional Skills- Making Meetings on Time
    • Professional Skills - Business Presentations
    • Professional Skills - Social Media, Personal Email
    • A Level Head - Feeling @ Home
    • A Level Head - Be YourProfessionalSelf
    • A Level Head- Staying Positive
  • Wise Words
    • Achieve - Focus on the Results
    • Achieve - Leading from the Start
    • Achieve - Showcase Your Work
    • Achieve - Small is BIG
    • Achieve - Take Action
    • Achieve - Your New Job. A Plan
    • Career Management - Annual Review
    • Career Management - Annual Review Feedback Meeting
    • Career Management - Annual Review: How to Guide
    • Career Management - Career Contentment
    • Career Management - Careers Happen
    • Career Management - Career Journey
    • Career Management - Choosing a Mentor
    • Career Management - Development Planning
    • Career Management - Discomfort Is Good
    • Career Management - Freelancing and Employment Gaps
    • Career Management - Mentally Healthy Choices
    • Career Management - Mentorship Explained
    • Career Management - Post Graduate Degrees
    • Career Management - Promotion Frustration
    • Career Management - Promotions. Move out to move up
    • Career Management - Selecting Your Company
    • Career Management - Understand Yourself
    • Finances - Preparing for a Downturn
    • Finances - Retirement Saving (1)
    • Finances - Retirement Saving (2)
    • Finances - Workplace Benefits
    • Hindsight - Balance the Short- with Long -term
    • Hindsight - Embrace Learning & Your Manager
    • Hindsight - Focus at Work
    • Hindsight - Millennial Reflections
    • Hindsight - Regrets: Time, Money & Pride
    • Hindsight - Take a Career Mulligan
    • Hindsight - Take Advice Sparingly
    • Hindsight - Transition from College
    • Hindsight - Winning Nicely
    • Hindsight - Work Hard. Be Honest. Have Fun
    • Managing Up - Manager as Partner
    • Managing Up - Manage Up to Move Up
    • Managing Up - Mastering Your Manager
    • Managing Up - New Manager
    • Managing Up - Questions For Your Manager
    • Managing Up - Secret Skills of Managing Up
    • Managing Up - Yes Power
    • People & Teamwork - Be a Giver
    • People & Teamwork - Collaboration is Power
    • People & Teamwork - First Time Manager
    • People & Teamwork - LinkedIn as Networking
    • People & Teamwork - Networking Hacks
    • People & Teamwork - Networking as Relationship
    • People & Teamwork - Networking Simplified
    • People & Teamwork - Reputations Travel
    • People & Teamwork - Teamwork as Leadership
    • Sliding Doors - Decision Paths
    • Sliding Doors - Success Requires Luck
    • Speed Bumps - Chutes & Ladders
    • Speed Bumps - Layoffs & Survivors Guilt
    • Speed Bumps - Laid Off? Take a Breath
    • Speed Bumps - Layoffs. The After Life
    • Speed Bumps - Owning Mistakes
    • Work Life - American Work Culture
    • Work Life - Ask Why
    • Work Life - Be Yourself. Be Genuine
    • Work Life - Browned Out?
    • Work Life - Business Travel Guide
    • Work Life - Calendar Management
    • Work Life - Change is Certain
    • Work Life - Difficult Situations
    • Worklife - Focus on Fiyah
    • Work Life - Ghosting
    • Work Life - Help the Early Stage Professionals
    • Work Life- International Remote Working
    • Work Life - In the Zoom
    • Work Life - Mom Skills
    • Work Life - Office As A Stage
    • Work Life - Office Ghouls
    • Work Life - Pre Vacation Checklist
    • Work Life - Returning to Work
    • Work Life - Smartphones & The Office
    • Work Life - Speak Up
    • Work Life - Stage Fright
    • Work Life - Startup Glamour
    • Work Life - Stress Management
    • Work Life - Take A Walk
    • Work Life - Tasks We Hate
    • Work Life - They Quit
    • Work Life - Unlimited Vacation
    • Worklife - Vacation Overview
    • Work Life - Welcome the Newbies
    • Work Life - "Work" From Home
  • Money
    • Money - The Basics
    • Money - Saving for Retirement
    • Money - Retirement Saving
  • Library
    • Book Reviews
    • Webinar Hub
    • USA Today Columns
    • Buy Early Stage Professional
    • Bureaucracy
  • Help Center
    • Annual Reviews
    • Career Speed Bumps
    • Managing Up
    • Promotions & Career Planning
    • Stress Management