4 Reasons To Get A Mentor in 2022

In partnership with WemVision

Is this the year that you are dedicating to growing your career or achieving a big goal? If so, you may want to get yourself a mentor. We reached out to Roselyn Mutongerwa, founder of WemVision, to explore why mentorship can play a key part of your professional - and personal - development plan.

Here's what she told us.

 

 

Today’s career landscape is forever changing, and so, getting personalised support to successfully navigate and progress, is critical. And the importance of mentorship for your ongoing professional and career development cannot be understated. Having a mentor is something that many successful people have in common, encouraging them to be the best version of themselves, being an ear to listen, a brain to pick or simply just a push in the right direction. 

A mentor is an individual who provides guidance and acts as an advisor to another person (a mentee). A mentor can be a person who has experience in the same field as you, or who may be already working in the field that you desire to move into who offers you their insight based on their experience or advanced knowledge. So whether you are an entry level employee, mid career or even at the top of the career ladder, mentorship could be the essential ingredient to accomplishing your career goals in 2022. Whilst there are numerous benefits to becoming a mentee, but here are four key ones: 

 

1.  A Mentor Can Help You To Set SMART Goals 

The path to success is easier when you have a clear understanding of your objectives. So, it’s not surprising that many people fall short of meeting their goals simply because they do not know what their own definition of ‘success’ is. SMART goals use a set of criteria to ensure that your objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based. Your mentor can help you to clearly define attainable goals to be achieved within a defined timeframe. This can be really beneficial to your career journey, because your goals will be realistic, relevant to your ‘bigger picture’, and simpler for you to track and monitor progress. 

 

 

2.  The Process Provides Constructive Accountability

Just knowing that someone is watching you and is interested in your progression can serve as the perfect source of motivation! If you have a mentor, it’s likely that they will be tracking your progress at regular intervals (e.g. at monthly or quarterly meetings). This will help you to stay focused and on track towards achieving your career objectives. Plus, being held responsible for your actions can produce really positive results, such as improving your performance and engagement, building your confidence, and encouraging you to have a stronger commitment to your goals.

3.  A Mentor Acts As A Sounding Board 

Have you ever had an idea that you’re not 100% sure about? Well, a mentor can be a sounding board for all of your wonderful ideas, as well as a channel through which your ideas are disseminated! Throughout your career journey, you may come across a situation that you are not familiar with, but by partnering with a more experience mentor, you can share your thoughts and ideas, and you can also get the chance to gain a fresh perspective in your problem solving. Seize the opportunity to learn from your mentor’s experience. Don’t make the same mistakes they did. They can share feedback that might help clarify your path forward, or ask the important questions that really challenge you to think outside the box. 

 

4.  It's A Great Way To Network

Networking has been hailed as one of the significant factors in fast-tracking your career growth by providing you with opportunities to advance your career that you might not have been able to find on your own. This can include providing insight into different sectors, or an introduction to a valuable contact — bagging you an interview at that company you’ve always dreamed of working in. A mentor can offer networking opportunities by making introductions to people who may be helpful in your career. Your mentor can also share exciting opportunities that will expose you to important information and/or connections. 

 

So, do you want to find a mentor?

Meet Roselyn:

If you would like more actionable career advice, or help finding a mentor, visit WEMVision's Members' Lounge. Founder Roselyn Mutongerwa is on a mission to support the social mobility of women and ethnic minorities through employment, and to enable inclusive companies to build a future-proof pipeline of diverse talent. Providing career mentorship is just one of the ways her team provides opportunities for professional and personal development, matching their members with an experienced professional, for sector insight, careers advice and guidance over a 6 month period.