What to look for in a mentor
In the spirit of Youth Month, we thought it high time we looked at the qualities of a good mentor, as well as where to find one. Having a mentor can influence your career (and personal) development significantly.
It’s important that when you find a potential mentor, you ensure that they have your best interests at heart. Someone who’s experienced will be able to direct you in ways you have not considered before. They’ll be able to paint a new picture of your chosen career. This all goes to say, having a skilled mentor guide you, is incredibly important.
So, what should you search for?
Willingness to share
A good mentor will be willing to share their experiences, advice and know-how. They should want to assist and guide you. If you have to pull teeth every time you meet, it’s time for you to walk away.
Integrity
Your mentor should demonstrate integrity. They should act according to the advice they impart to you. You should also not feel uncomfortable about sharing your thoughts and ideas with them.
Interest
There should be a mutual openness and interest between you and your mentor. They need to pay attention to what you share, and not just talk the whole time.
Critic
Where needed, your mentor should point out where you’ve gone wrong, or at least point you in the direction to discover your mistake for yourself. But they should not only focus on the negative, they also need to point out when you’ve done well.
Where can you look?
Thebe
There is an abundance of highly skilled individuals working at Thebe, all you need to do is look and ask. Also, keep your ear to the ground for possible future Thebe mentorship programmes.
Use this social platform for professionals to the fullest. Here you’ll be able to match to exactly who you need.
Friends and Family
Ask your inner circle if there is someone in their contact list that might be in the same industry as you. You never know who your people know.
Online
Search online for mentorship programmes in your industry. There are several, some even free, mentor programmes available.
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