What To Expect From Your Mentor

If you’re wondering what to expect from your mentor, you’re in the right place! Perhaps, you’ve decided to find a mentor, or you’re just dipping your toes in the water, wondering what mentoring is all about. Either way, you’re probably thinking, who is a mentor exactly? An insightful coach, a skilled trainer, a guidance counsellor or maybe a supportive friend? It’s natural to have these thoughts, and we’re here to help you.

Read on for the full picture of what to expect from a mentor, as well as tips on how to make the most of your mentoring journey.

What Does Mentoring Involve?

Mentoring, especially one-to-one mentoring, goes beyond generic advice. It’s a relationship where a mentee seeks specific guidance from a mentor – typically someone who is an expert in their field. One-to-one mentoring creates a bond between the mentor and the mentee with both benefiting from each other’s insights, experiences and skills.

Mentoring can help you enhance your skills and knowledge, boost your confidence and help you progress successfully in your career. With your mentor, you might do activities like career mapping, skill-building workshops, setting SMART goals or even attending virtual conferences together.

What to Expect from Mentoring

Now that you know what mentoring is all about, let’s dive deeper into what to expect from a mentor:

• A Whole New Way to Learn: Mentoring is more than just a series of chats. It’s your personal learning adventure. It’s not just about what you learn, but how you learn. Your mentor is like a wise friend who guides you in the right direction. Say you’re into IT, your mentor might suggest looking into specific Python courses, taking up data analysis projects or attending tech innovation conferences. They’ll offer hands-on advice tailored to you.
• Access to a Bigger Network: Remember, it’s not what you know, but who you know. And making new contacts is definitely a bonus you can expect from mentoring. Your mentor will have a whole network of connections and can introduce you to key contacts, potentially giving you a leg up in your career.
• Confidence Booster: Got a big presentation or a job interview on the horizon? Your mentor’s got your back. They’ll help you prepare and practice, so you can walk in feeling like a champion.
• A No-Judgement Zone: Imagine a place where you can be 100% you, share your doubts and get honest, constructive feedback. That’s what to expect from your mentor – a go-to person who listens without judging.
• Skill Guidance: Whether you’re looking to master a specific task at work or just get better at communicating with your team, your mentor will have tips and tricks up their sleeve. For example, if you’re now leading a small team, they might share insights on giving feedback effectively or handling tricky team dynamics.

What To Expect From Your Mentor

While the benefits of mentoring can be experienced across all mentoring relationships, there are specific advantages that come with different mentoring styles. Let’s explore what to expect from your mentor, depending on your specific partnership:

What to Expect from Traditional Mentoring

This is the classic style of mentoring, where your mentor is typically more experienced and older than you. They’ll guide you through the ins and outs of your job, as they’ve already been in your shoes. With their wealth of experience and industry knowledge, they’ll help you tap into the right opportunities and avoid common pitfalls.

What to Expect from Peer Mentoring

Peer mentoring is like teaming up with a colleague. You’re on the same level, sharing experiences, challenges and solutions. It’s a mutual growth pact where you’ll benefit from each other’s perspectives. In a peer mentorship, you’ll have the advantage of getting practical feedback from someone who understands your current situation very well.

What to Expect from Reverse Mentoring

Reverse mentoring is where the traditional tables turn and someone younger or less experienced than you becomes your mentor, offering a fresh perspective on your challenges, goals and career path. Gen Z and millennials have a completely different way of approaching situations, so keep your mind open and you never know where this style of mentor-mentee relationship could take you.

What to Expect from Leadership Mentoring

Whether you’re navigating a challenging career situation or making a tough call, a leadership mentor can help you navigate these moments with confidence. They’ll be someone who is or has been a leader themselves, so they’ll know exactly what it’s like to be in your shoes. This type of mentor can offer strategies and insights to transform your leadership approach.

What to Expect from a Career Mentor

A career mentor is usually someone who’s already walked in your shoes, faced the challenges you’re encountering and navigated the complexities of the professional world. Wondering what to expect from a career mentor? Think of them as your personal guide in the corporate world. They’ll help you set clear career goals, make strategic decisions to progress on your path and share practical insights from their own journey, setting you up to excel. From preparing for a promotion to negotiating your salary or handling your boss, a career mentor can help you navigate the road in front of you. With their support, you’ll be well-equipped to reach your goals.

What to Expect from a Business Mentor

Diving into the business world can be daunting, but that’s where a startup or entrepreneurship mentor can step in.

Not sure what to expect from a business mentor? They can help you crystallise your big idea, guiding you as you make the first steps on your journey. They’ll also serve as a bridge to vital industry connections, introducing you to key players who can open doors for you. Entrepreneur mentors can also provide hands-on advice for day-to-day operations, from managing cash flow to selecting the right tools.

The benefits of having a business mentor are clear to see, with 76% of respondents to a survey featured in Enterprise Nation’s 2022 Mentoring Matters report stating that mentoring had been important for their business’ growth.

What Your Mentor Will Expect from You

While you may have expectations for your mentor, they’ll also have some for you. Knowing how to be a good mentee is important to make the relationship valuable for both of you. Impress your mentor by keeping the following points in mind:

• Be open and proactive in communicating your goals, needs and concerns
• When mentors offer feedback, embrace it as a golden opportunity for growth, not as criticism
• Remember, your mentor’s time is valuable, so always be punctual for your meetings and come prepared with questions or topics you’d like to discuss
• Show your commitment. Dive into every learning opportunity and actively seek ways to develop both professionally and personally

What To Expect From a Career Navig8r

We call our mentors Career Navig8rs, because that’s what they are – people who’ll help you navigate your career path. Here’s what to expect from your mentor when you connect with someone via our online mentoring platform:

• Free Discovery Call: Once you’ve found someone you think you’d like to work with, you can schedule a free 20-minute discovery meeting to meet the mentor and make sure they align with your needs and goals. It’s important that both parties feel comfortable before beginning a more formal mentorship
• Access to Expertise: Our mentors are experts in their fields and have a wealth of knowledge. So whether you’re seeking industry insights, career change advice or skill enhancement, your mentor will be there to guide you
• Structured Sessions: We recommend booking in an hour for each mentoring session to start with. You can choose to lengthen these if you’d prefer once you get going
• User-Friendly Platform: The Career Navig8r platform is easy to use, so it’s simple to connect with mentors, schedule sessions and make progress towards your goals, from wherever you’re based
• In-built Video Conferencing: Chat with your mentor via our integrated video conferencing tool. It’s safe, maintains your privacy and guarantees a seamless mentoring experience
• Feedback and Ratings: We value your feedback. We’d really appreciate it if you could take the time to rate your mentoring sessions and share your experiences with us
• Secure Payments: We use Stripe to handle all transactions for safety and reliability

Find a Mentor

Finding the right mentor can be a game-changer for your career. It’s all about knowing what you want and setting the right expectations with your mentor. Start your search for a mentor today.