If you want to find a mentor, be smart, resourceful, and ready to work hard. Take on challenging projects, speak up about your brilliance, and document your accomplishments. You should also seek to associate with people who are eager to associate with you. Ideally, you should have a clear professional plan for your professional growth. Ideally, your mentor will be someone who wants to associate with you. Then, find a mentor who is willing to share their time and expertise with you.
Getting a mentor
If you have a specific goal in mind, you can approach your mentor and ask them to share their knowledge and expertise with you. However, make sure to prepare your goals and outline them in detail before meeting. As you may have already figured out, your mentor is probably a busy professional and has a busy schedule, so be respectful of their time. If you can't meet in person right away, consider scheduling coffee or lunch with them.
Getting a mentor's attention
One way to get a mentor's attention is to prepare an agenda in advance. You can prepare an agenda by sending a shared Google Doc to the mentor, which forces the two of you to be concise and focused. Likewise, you can send a checklist or slide deck. Make sure that you treat your meetings like 1:1s with your boss: set an agenda and arrive at the meeting prepared with your questions and prepared thoughts.
Getting a mentor's time
You might be wondering how to get a mentor's time. Well, first of all, you should always be respectful of your mentor's time. It would be best if you can arrive on time, be polite, and make sure your communications are short and sweet. You should also ask for the meeting location ahead of time, and consider arranging a meeting at your mentor's office or near their home. Finally, don't forget to follow up on your meetings. If you want to get your mentor's time, be sure to make them comfortable by sending regular thank-you notes after the meeting.
Respecting a mentor's time
Whether you are looking for a new job or are considering seeking mentorship, you should respect your mentor's time. Always be prepared for the meeting, and do your research on the topic in advance. Bring a list of questions and materials that you would like to discuss. Respect your mentor's time by not making last-minute changes or requesting to talk for hours on end. Always pay for coffee and bring an agenda.
Avoiding emotional involvement with a mentor
In any mentoring relationship, there is a risk of emotional involvement. Whether the mentor is a well-known person or a newcomer, emotions are bound to play a part. A mentor's depressive symptoms are one sign of this, as are the mentor's relationship-related difficulties. In addition, depressive symptoms are associated with social withdrawal, reassurance-seeking, and aggression. The following are some ways to avoid emotional involvement with a mentor.