Is Mentoring More Effective Online Or In Person?

If you’re looking at taking the big step into online mentoring then researching the pros and cons will naturally be one of your first priorities. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered as, here at Career Navig8r, we know all about building professional relationships both in the real world and online, as well as the advantages and disadvantages to both.

In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at both approaches, all while explaining why we feel that, with the right mindset, online mentoring can actually provide the best of both worlds.

The Digital Dynamics of Online Mentoring

Online mentoring, and online communication in general, certainly has its own unique dynamic, and for anyone who’s new to that world, the transition from face to face communication can be daunting.

That being said, in a post-pandemic workspace, as we’ve all become far more familiar with the conventions of remote working practises, so too have we begun to find ways of building those meaningful professional connections outside of traditional offices. In practice, it’s become clear that while the digital dynamic is different, those differences don’t have to be problematic ones.

For example, taking and referencing notes in face-to-face meetings can be difficult for some people. It breaks eye contact and can often place a barrier between speakers. With remote working that barrier is, in a sense, always there. You and the person you’re speaking with are as much separated by the screens between you as you are brought together. 

On the other hand, once you become used to remote working, that barrier starts to disappear. People often find that they become quite comfortable communicating in this fashion while also being able to refer back to important documents without breaking the flow of conversation.

This can be particularly beneficial to some people who struggle with anxiety, freeing them from some of the self-consciousness they may have felt in a face-to-face meeting.

Furthermore, online mentoring facilitates faster, easier file sharing. This is a particular benefit to job roles that require a computer such as graphic design and programming, allowing people to share their work with one another in a faster, and less formalised way. This, in turn, can lead to a more iterative feedback process and better communication all round.

The Benefits Of In-Person Mentoring 

Of course, being an online business mentor does come with its drawbacks and the big one is personal connection. While online communication can go a long way in substituting personal connection, it can never totally replace it.

But working face-to-face isn’t just about being able to see each other in person. It’s also about building momentum around your goals.

Online meetings are easy to schedule which makes them even easier to reschedule. That’s a slippery slope and Mentees who lack motivation can find themselves putting off tasks and delaying meetings as a result. With face to face mentoring, while it’s technically possible to reschedule, it’s a lot harder to do so which gives meetings a feeling of weight and importance they otherwise might not have.

Convenience and Connection: How to Have the Best of Both Worlds

Remote conferencing is, without a doubt, more convenient than face-to-face meetings for all the reasons we’ve already discussed and plenty more besides.

Online mentoring is far more accessible for those with disabilities, it’s far more flexible for those who want/need better control over their time, and it exponentially widens the net for potential Mentor/Mentee relationships, allowing Mentees to find just the right person to meet their needs.

Nonetheless there are still plenty of people who feel a strong desire for in-person meetings and, while understandable, we believe that with the right approach, online mentoring can still provide most – if not all – of the benefits of in-person mentoring.

It all starts with isolating problems and finding solutions. As an example, let’s take the issue we discussed earlier – that it’s easier to procrastinate when meetings can be conveniently rescheduled.

If you find this happening with your Mentee then the first thing you need to do is talk to them about it. After all, as the Mentor it’s important that you feel you can nudge them in the right direction when they’re falling behind on important tasks. From there, the two of you can find a better method to incentivise your Mentee.

This can be anything from defining clearer goals for each meeting so that they feel they’re getting something more concrete out of the process to setting up calendar reminders – both of which can be handled far more easily through technology.

By utilising all the tools at your disposal, we believe that it’s possible to achieve great things through online mentoring. Sign up today at CareerNavig8r.com and start connecting with the people who need you most.