It is time to chat with a mentor!

Do you remember as a young child, how an idea always needed shape by a parent or teacher? Without the ruler, you can’t draw a straight line after all, can you? In business, when you have an idea or when you have a question related to your career, talking to a mentor can benefit you in many ways. It has been proven that employees who received mentoring were promoted FIVE times more often than people who didn't have mentors. Source

Here are the top reasons you should reach out to a mentor today:

Guidance

So many queries plague the mind. What if you had a degree in engineering but didn’t know how to get the right job? What if you have a great start-up idea but don’t know how to get the initial funding in place? Talking to mentors and senior, established professionals from the industry can give you the right guidance to help shape your objective into reality in the most practical way.

Connections

A mentor will in most cases be able to connect you to the right place or people. In the starting stages of a business or career this is what can help you establish a strong footing.

No limits

An experienced professional will give you relevant directions irrespective of whether you have a question regarding a fresher’s opportunity or one regards restarting your career of 10 years after taking a 5 year break.

Knowing what is out there

Expert advice can brigde the gap between knowing what is out there and knowing is right for you from what is out there. Sairee Chahal during today’s mentor session at SHEROES said “There's a new world of digital nomads - folks who travel & work”. By networking with the right people, you are more aware.

Taking it to the next level

If you want to take your business, your career or any stage of your professional dream to the next level, the right mentor can get you there.

Why do people need mentors?

If you feel stuck in your job or if you have an objective that you aren’t being able to reach or if you simply want to know how to get back to work after a break, a mentor can guide you correctly. Correctly being the key word here. The right directions can help carve a more secure pathway toward your goal.

At the recently conveyed Sheroes community meet in Pune, a participant said that there was a specific need for more mentors. Why did she feel so? Because talking to the right people at the right time helps.

If you have any confusion regarding your current job. Or a dilemma relating to how to get that promotion, get it answered.

Choosing a mentor

It is not difficult to find the right person to reach out to. A senior professional in your current or previous organisation could be a good way to start. There are mentor boards you can reach out to. Reaching out to experienced industry professionals via business meets and summits / online platforms can also be useful. You can easily tweet to someone experienced in your industry and pose a question these days. Or reach out to them on other platforms online.

Tips to follow when approaching your mentor for the first time

-Keep an open mind

-Ask questions without holding back

-Know what you want: It’s alright to have doubts and confusions. But have a clear objective before you step in to ask a mentor to guide you. If you know where you want to go, it’s easier for someone to help you get there.

-Get to know your mentor too. Understand their journey and how they achieved what they have so far.

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