How to choose the right mentor?

1. Identify yourself first

First, identify which challenges you currently face and what mentoring fields are most important to you. Make a close selection of potential mentors based on this criteria and visit their portfolios and read their bios. The more you will get to know their stories and specializations, the easier it will be to narrow down your selection. You might even end up having more than one mentor.

2. Shared values

It’s important to make sure your values align with the person you are looking toward as a potential mentor. Finding someone with values similar to yours will ultimately lead to a better relationship. You will certainly learn more from someone whose values mirror your own.

3. Get to know each other

We strongly recommend to get to know your Mentor first. This sounds quite obvious, but instead of trying to get all the answers in your first meeting, rather focus on getting a feel for their personality. Be prepared and find out whether they are the right fit to help you with your plan or challenges along the way. Remember true mentorship is not a sprint but a marathon.

4. Set expectations

It is vital that you clearly define what you are looking for in the relationship between you and your mentor. You should be prepared and have an idea of how much time you would like to spend with this person and what exactly you need help with. Try to be explicit in your expectations so that you and your prospect mentor are on the same page.

5. The importance of personality

As human beings, personality is definitely something to consider when choosing a mentor. Trust your gut feeling and whether you get on well with your mentor. As an introvert and your prospective mentor being on the opposite side, this might not be the perfect fit for you. On the other hand you might specifically be looking for an extroverted mentor so that you can acquire some of these qualities.

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