| |
| |
|
Careers & Employment Information |
|
|
|
Do You Need A Mentor? And How Do You Find One?
Whether you're self-employed or you work for someone else, you're new to business or a seasoned expert, one of the best ways to get ahead in business is to find a mentor. And some highly successful people even have more than one. What's a mentor? A mentor is someone who is willing to take you under his or her wing, give you advice and suggestions to help you improve your skills and business acumen, show you how they do something that helps them succeed, and help you reach your goals. He or she is someone who is already skilled, experienced and successful at what you need to learn. For instance, one of my mentors is Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound, a former newspaper editor turned publicity guru who is a very successful online entrepreneur. I chose her because she is a few years ahead of me with her Internet success and she has always been willing to help me. She offers excellent feedback on business ideas I'm considering, gives me suggestions about how to improve the idea, sends me resources, reviews my ebooks and newsletters, and provides mental support. I also have several other people in my business sphere who mentor me about other issues in my business. They are all people who have "been there/done that." A mentor can work with you on an informal or formal basis. Joan helps me on an informal basis, but she also helps others more formally through her paid mentorship program. (Lucky me!) Some companies pair seasoned employees with newer ones to "show them the ropes" and help them succeed. Usually an arrangement like this comes with certain requirements, company policies and some way to evaluate its success. In her initial one-hour consultation with mentee Michelle Tennant of Wasabi Public Relations, Joan Stewart gave Michelle an idea for her client, a cosmetic dentist. The result? A popular Top 40 radio station in Denver offered the dentist the equivalent of $250,000 in advertising, for free. Wouldn't you like this kind of mentor? Identifying and recruiting a mentor may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. If you work in a big company, there may be a formal program already set up for you. Here's the route I'd use to find the right mentor if I worked in such a company. First, I'd ask my boss if there was a formal program within the company and how I could become part of it. If she didn't know of one, then I'd go to the Human Resources department and talk to the human resources manager. If there was no program, I would have a couple of options. I could try to develop one (which would be an excellent learning experience, as well as a way to showcase my organizational and team-building qualities), or I could create an informal relationship with someone I admired and knew I could learn from within the company. If I chose to simply find a mentor without creating a whole program, I'd take a look at everyone "above" me in the company. Specifically, I'd want someone who: - Was at least two levels further up the corporate ladder than I was. - Was a good, easy-to-understand communicator. - Was really good at his job. - Had the confidence of his superiors. - Was willing to teach me the ropes, and who I could help somewhat, too (perhaps by doing research or writing for him). - Had mentored others in the past (if possible--I suggest you get a recommendation). On the other hand, if you're reading this, you may be self-employed. So how do YOU find the right mentor? Here's what I did to find mine (and I believe in having more than one mentor): - I decided what I needed to learn. - I watched who was posting on discussion forums and who has authored books or articles on topics I needed to learn. - I subscribed to their newsletters and visited their websites. - I checked out the potential mentors -- meaning I tried to learn about their reputation, and I listened to seminars they gave and read books and articles written by my prospective mentors to see how they might help me. - I looked to see if they had a formal mentoring program in which I could participate. - I spoke to my prospective mentors to see if they were interested in working with me. (Sometimes I simply ask questions without trying to make it a formal thing, however.) Should you join a paid mentorship program? It is often well worth the money you invest in yourself when you join a formal mentoring program. Not only will you have the full attention of your mentor on a regular basis, but it will also make you accountable for setting and reaching your goals, and your mentor will be there to give you ideas and help you every step of the way. And being accountable to someone else for completing my tasks and accomplishing my goals has always helped me! If I know I'll have to tell someone that I made the phone calls, finished the project, or followed up on our previous conversation, I'll be much more likely to do it within the time frame we agreed upon. And when I do each of the steps that my mentor and I discuss, I definitely reach my goals...sometimes faster than a speeding bullet! Are you ready to reach your goals? Find a volunteer mentor or join a paid mentoring program. Lois Carter Fay, APR, is a 30-year veteran in the P.R. and marketing field who serves as a mentor for several people, both formally and informally. She produces three marketing ezines, Brainy Tidbits, Brainy Flash, and Success Secrets of Women Entrepreneurs. All are free. She's also the co-author with Jim Wilson of "Sales Success! Strategies for Women," a quick-to-read ebook containing 52 easy-to-implement sales tips. The ezines and ebook are available through her websites. Visit http://www.MarketingIdeaShop.com or http://www.WomenMarketing.com to learn more sales and marketing ideas and subscribe. Claim your free special report when you subscribe.
MORE RESOURCES:
Employment - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Networking Masterclass - Part 1 - Practicing Empathy Practicing Empathy A vital part of your networking skills is your ability to build rapport quickly and effectively with others. To build rapport successfully with another individual you need to understand 'where' they are coming from and have 'empathy' with them. Finding a Career in Harmony with Your Life Path Which of the following would you chose? Doing your lifework as a permanent occupation or a regular activity performed in exchange for payment. The first is the definition of a career and the second that of a job. What Do You Want From Life? The tragedy for millions of people is that they never decide what they want from life and make plans for it. Life will provide whatever we demand. Simple Tips to Move Forward on the Job, Part II After establishing a trusting relationship with the safety officer, it would be helpful to document what was talked about with the safety officer. What kinds of information was shared? Was that person helpful? Was another meeting or on-going meetings scheduled? Did the frequent meetings taper off so that there was still communication, but on an informal basis?Did the soon to be job-changer find other community resources about the profession of a safety officer? Did he/she find out about local, state and federal safety, plant issues and how to find information quickly? Did she/he subscribe to newsletters, journals, and organizations? The job-changer needs to be an informed individual in order to enter the new world of a business, safety officer and to be able to digest the new information, easily. How To Resign Gracefully Once a new job has been accepted, you need to consider the timing of your resignation. Since two weeks' notice is considered the norm, make sure your resignation properly coincides with your start date at the new company. From Cleaning Lady to Entrepreneur: How Your Cleaning Business can Benefit from the Images Many people never consider entering the cleaning business because of the images it has."Be a janitor (or cleaning lady or maid)? Me? That's too demeaning!" is a common reaction. Get a Raise: How To Ask Your Boss For More Money How many people do you know who think they deserve a pay rise, but are too scared to ask? You might even be one of those people! Why is it we are afraid to ask for what we believe we are worth? It's time to stop worrying and start asking, but before you charge into your boss's office give yourself the best chance of success with these helpful tips?then book that meeting with the boss.Do an audit. Day Trading - The Ultimate Work-From-Home Job? Ever dreamt of giving up the daily grind? Want to strike out on your own and work from home, but don't know what you could possibly do to make a living? Full time Nasdaq trader Harvey Walsh wondered just that, and now he asks "Is day trading the ultimate work from home job"?We've probably all had the same thought at some time or another, as we trudge off towards another day at work - the same work we've been doing day in day out for years - "surely there has to be a better way?" Slaving away to make somebody else rich just doesn't seem right somehow, but what alternative? Setting up a new business, or buying an established one, are both expensive and risky prospects. So how can the disenchanted employee ever hope to make the switch from wage-slave to total independence?Those are thoughts I had almost every day, before I quit the safety of full time employment and decided to strike out on my own. Use Job Search Hacks to Get Hired Faster Job searching alone is like hitchhiking a scary ride with an unknown stranger on a 180-mile long deserted, no-exit road with hopes you'll make your destination. When you lack time or expertise to plan career moves carefully, sometimes the loss of ground is not apparent until years later. Reinventing Yourself for Multiple Careers In many countries around the globe, people are born into their station in life and hence their professions. It is unnecessary for them to plan a career as they are expected to perform one specific job their entire lives. Dissatisfied With Your Job? Stop Believing The Myths! If you are dissatisfied with your job, you are in a self-imposed career slump!Why are so many of us in career slumps? Bottom line?we are not doing work that satisfies us! No matter what our employer does for us, if we are not doing work we really want to be doing, in a way that fits our desired life-style, we will never be satisfied.What keeps us in career slumps for so long? The number one thing that keeps us in our slumps is that we believe the "myths" we were told!1. Finally Revealed: The Top 7 Resume Killers? During my job search I read dozens of books and articles took programs and evensat at the feet of two of the most experienced Human Resource professionals. In afew moments, you will learn the real keys to standing out and rising above thenorm. Interview Quicksand How will you respond when you're asked the following two questions?1.What type of boss do you like to work for?2. Ten Healthcare Fields That Cant Wait To Hire You Healthcare is one of the hottest career fields in America today. The aging and retiring of the largest population segment in the country, known as "baby boomers", has left the healthcare industry racing to find enough employees to fill the void. Thank-You Notes: An Integral Part of Your Career Design There is one little practice that is vital to generating the interest of potential employers. It is critical, but very few job seekers actually do it. Creating a Winning Resume Preparing your resume can often seem like a daunting task. You've done your research, but there is so much information, and how do you pick from the countless formats?!Writing your resume doesn't have to be so scary, in fact, if you keep a few simple tips in mind, you'll keep yourself ahead of the competition. Interview Presentation Skills: Dealing With Your Nerves Sooner or later, the interview invitation is going to say you are required to give a presentation as part of the selection process. And like most people you may dread having to do it. Effective Resume and Cover Letter Writing - Part One To begin, make a decision to discard any former knowledge learned about the "rules" of resume and cover letter writing. People commonly become stuck in "bad" writing habits from a time gone by. Take This Job and...Re-staff It Deciding to leave a job isn't easy. In fact, quitting a job requires courage, especially in today's soft economy when the unemployment rate has reached 6. Dont Forget to Say, Thank You One of the biggest mistake for job seeks is to not follow up an important interview with a thank you note to the people who interviewed them. Human Resources experts note that as few as 10% of interviewees take the time to say, "thank you.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
