Can a mentor be someone you dont know?

Just about anyone can act as your career mentor—a friend, a friend of a friend, a family member, an alumnus of your school, a co-worker or peer, a current or former boss, someone you got to know through a networking event.

What do you do if you don’t have a mentor?

If you don’t have anyone in mind, attend an internal networking event, or make an effort to start meeting more people at the office. Networking expert, writer and investor J. Kelly Hoey says you can network in just a few spare minutes.

Is it OK to not have a mentor?

But even though it’s the hot new trend, a formal mentoring relationship is not easy to come by, and it’s certainly not a pre-requisite for success! A mentor is simply someone who can guide you in his or her personal area of expertise. So if you don’t have one, don’t panic.

Who can you consider a mentor?

A mentor is someone whose life or work you value and admire, and whom you think might be a good guide. These days, a mentor can be any age, in any field, so we encourage you not to think of a mentor in traditional terms. Too often we limit our mentors to those in more senior positions.

How supportive your mentor is *?

A good mentor possesses the following qualities: Willingness to share skills, knowledge, and expertise. A good mentor is willing to teach what he/she knows and accept the mentee where they currently are in their professional development. Good mentors can remember what it was like just starting out in the field.

Can you be friends with your mentor?

Yes, they need trust and support, but while a friend will suggest a clear direction (or what they think you should do), a mentor shares their experiences and advice to help the mentee explore their own path and identify their own next steps. An element of friendship is always present within mentoring.

How can I grow without a mentor?

10 Ways to Achieve Success Without a Mentor

1. Take ownership of your career.
2. Get value from peers.
3. Learn from the youth.
4. Combine activities to maximize time.
5. Become a better networker.
6. Create a life strategy.
7. Learn to “speed mentor.”
8. Establish a strong reputation.

Should I pay for a mentor?

Good Mentors Have Good Connections. When people seek mentors, they do so not only for the quality of advice that mentor will offer (and the wealth of experience they bring to that advice) but also for the connections that mentor might have. Connections are everything in business, and sometimes you need to pay for them.

What are some common excuses for why people don’t find mentors?

Four Reasons You Can’t Find A Good Mentor

• You Think You Need Someone Seriously Senior.
• You’re Looking Too Far Afield.
• You’re Asking For More Than You Need.
• You Aren’t Asking The Right Way.

Is having a mentor necessary?

Mentors encourage and enable another person’s professional or personal development. A mentor can help focus their efforts by setting goals and giving feedback. As a result, companies that want to build employees’ skills often create mentoring programs.