Switching careers or venturing into business can be daunting for people with little or no prior experience. Mentorship and career guidance can help junior employees and start-up entrepreneurs avoid costly mistakes that often cause career stalling and failure in business. This piece breaks down the importance of finding mentors in a particular field and how mentors benefit from their collaboration with mentees.
Mentors can be industry experts or career advisors who help nurture and guide upcoming professionals to navigate the complex working environment. Mentors pass on their skills and knowledge through apprenticeship and counseling. Besides formal apprenticeship programs, social media and direct networking are other popular ways mentees can seek mentorship guidance.
• Gain industry knowledge
Mentees seek professional mentorship counsel to gain insights into their respective career or business field. Mentees can settle and adjust to their roles much quicker by learning the ropes from industry veterans through mentorship programs.
• Goal setting
Start-up entrepreneurs and new hires often have trouble setting personal and career development objectives. Mentors can help mentees concentrate their efforts where it matters most by following the SMART criteria in goal establishment. A common mistake is pursuing overly ambitious goals before mastering the skillsets needed to track and actualize such projects.
• Supporting growth and accountability
Mentors help mentees stay focused and track progress after establishing career goals or business objectives. Mentors play an oversight role and offer valuable feedback, crucial in achieving accountability. Working with mentors is crucial in identifying potential weak points and solving them to achieve a steady learning curve.
What are the benefits of being a mentor?
• Mentors also benefit from mentorship programs because they get the chance to expand their professional network and improve their interpersonal capabilities.
• Mentorship collaborations help mentors build on their industry knowledge by learning new apprenticeship techniques and gaining fresh perspectives about their respective fields.
• Mentors earn recognition from other industry players by sharing expertise and industry knowledge with junior employees. This recognition can present opportunities to join established professional networks.
Mentors, too, have a lot to gain when they pass on their knowledge to upcoming talent. It’s no wonder many organizations prefer enrolling their junior workforce in apprenticeship programs due to the benefits enjoyed by both sides.