Having a mentor is one of the biggest things I look forward to when starting out at my future job after college. After working at a small company and not getting much guidance with what they wanted from me or how I should be improving, I felt lost. I am excited to work for a bigger company for many reasons, but having a mentor is definitely near the top.
There are many pros to having a mentor. One is that they give you insights to new ideas and ways of thinking. Everyone thinks at least a little differently, and a mentor can definitely see things that you may not, Another is how helpful they are on developing strengths and overcoming weaknesses. They see things from an objective perspective but they also care about you and want you to improve. Mentors can also give guidance on professional development and advancement. Likely, your mentor is above you in some capacity, whether that is experience or title. They have probably been in your shoes, so they will know how to advance, since they have.
Not every company offers a mentor for their employees, or not officially at least. However, in most companies, there will be people who care about helping people. If you put some effort into finding someone, they will more than likely be willing to help.
BoweryJE22
I’m glad you posted about this because I have never considered finding a mentor for work. I have sought one out for life in general but never really thought about the importance of having someone within your business to gain guidance from. I also didn’t know that some companies offer mentors for their employees; that is a really neat idea that I would want to promote in a company should I ever start a business. A mentor within your job could greatly benefit employees in so many ways.
I interned at PNC this summer and they have a pretty established/organized mentor program. I was skeptical, but it really ended up helping me out. Having someone who can give you insider tips or being able to run something by a friend was a great comfort at work for me. She helped me get into projects that used the strengths she thought I had- some which I didn’t know I had! Great post!
I remember the most helpful question someone asked me before college, which got me thinking about mentors. Instead of asking “what do you want to do?” or “what are you going to study?”, they asked:
Do you see anyone doing something right now that you hope to be doing in 10 years? Who is that person, what are they doing, and how did they get there?
Taking the opportunity to ask those questions at the beginning of college was extremely valuable to me–I wanted to be sure that my time was well invested as I prepared and trained for a future career. But I find myself asking that question even more as I near the end of my final semester… Who is doing what I hope to be doing? How did they get there? And can I connect with and learn from them as I seek to follow in their vocational footsteps?
I think that’s really cool Riley, and the fact that you have pinpointed something that you are looking forward to is sweet. It’s also cool to think that one day, when you’re experienced, you can be that mentor for somebody else, and that continues down the line for many employees. I’m sure you’re so excited to meet your “BIG” at the company you work for.