ENSURE BETTER CAREER MANAGEMENT WITH A PROFESSIONAL CAREER MENTOR

Rashmi Karan

Rashmi is a professional writer who has written for a plethora of job related websites. She writes about the latest job industry trends and offers solution to all career related queries and dilemmas. She wrote this essay exclusively for JarusHub

More and more professionals these days are seeking services of career mentors to advance their careers. The article tends to find out why you should consider having a mentor for your professional life, and the benefits following.

As you progress in your career, challenges will multiply and you will be full of doubts at some point of time. For this and other reasons, it is important to have a trusted person, who is experienced in the field you wish to pursue your professional career, and that professional is called as Career Mentor.

Career mentoring, what’s that?

Mentoring is a service that seeks to improve the students’ academic performance and facilitate their participation in college life and beyond, besides advising them on the career choices open to them and furthering their educational and cultural goals. Indeed, through mentoring, education has become more personal and therefore more efficient.

Career mentoring is not a professional course that is studied at a college or graduate school. The concept asks to develop more skills such as communication, empathy, engagement, active listening, and patience, to name a few. Besides, other required tools such as coaching, as well as personal / professional training are basics to mentorship.

Many people make this mistake by thinking that mentoring is just a circumstantial activity; instead, it is a process that aims at meeting a particular career requirement of any student at a given point of time. It is rather the channel for an ongoing relationship between faculty and students, which benefits both alike.

Have you ever considered having a mentor in your career?

I’m sure you’ve read lately that many people have a mentor. This is not a new concept, but maybe yes, it has taken greater importance in recent years that meeting the professional goals has become a challenge. Creativity now plays a major role, and solutions to so many problems are also not so linear. Now the question arises that how will you know that you need a mentor, and what you should consider when looking for a good mentor.

Decide why you need a guide: It is essential to know what type of help you need and what you will tell your mentor while you need any type of professional or moral support. May be you are thinking of career planning, a specific project, or considering how to balance personal life and career.

It should be someone you can trust: You need to feel that you can consult various issues without worrying if what you say may jeopardize your current career or your business contacts. In addition, this person must have an experience that you can respect and take as guidance.

Availability of time: Your mentor should be able to assist you at least once a month at a meeting where s/he can devote time. Remember, do not become a burden to the person who guides you. Thanks to new technologies, you can find a good career counselor who can assist you through Skype or live chats.

Be open to constructive criticism: A good mentor should be able to point out your weak areas and suggests how you can improve them!

Do not limit yourself to just one mentor: Professional goals change over time, so it is possible that in your life, you need to get more from a professional counselor. Anyone helping you from his/her experience to solving queries related to career can be seen as a mentor. Not necessarily s/he is paid. Even you parents or your elder siblings can be your mentor.

Look for someone senior to you: It has to be your boss or supervisor. They must or may have faced the same issues, which you are currently facing, or at some point in their journey, they had similar experiences like yours. You can even find the easy way to get a company in a person to instruct you in the corporate culture.

Enjoy: Your relationship with your mentor should not be as serious as hell. You two should develop a true friendship based on professional respect, but make sure it is not the only aspect of the relationship. Mentoring should be a win-win situation for both the parties.

Benefits of having a mentor for your career

Here are five reasons why you should find a mentor for your career.

1. You will build a professional network.

The working relationships can lead you to better job opportunities; in addition to help you and provide you a better understanding of the details of your professional field. By finding a mentor, you will not only be lucky to have a personal counselor but this will also open the door to new contacts of interest.

2. You will learn the inside of your career.

Starting a new career can be extremely stressful. Instead of spending the first year alone trying to draw your own conclusions, seek help of a professional you admire, who can tell you what can be in the best of your interests.

3. Avoid making mistakes.

It is impossible to keep you from making mistakes in your career. Adding if you are a beginner you need to be extra careful. Having a mentor can seriously reduce your chances of making mistakes. Interacting with him/her will also help you to learn the ways of dealing with your superiors and colleagues in the most professional manners.

4. You will get an honest point of view as well as an objective.

Note that being an outstanding professional, your mentor also has the experience about the job industry and the professional life. S/he would certainly advise so you can have an objective in your life and you will remain honest about your actions and next steps, which can be taken for your career progression.

5. You will gain confidence.

Your limited work experience can make you feel insecure playing a professional role. With a mentor, you will gain instant trust only to see your growth in the workplace. Moreover, a good mentor will always keep you motivated and help you get out of the issues and dilemma that you fear of facing in your career.

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