Practical Tips for Becoming a Mentor for Young People Making a positive difference in a young person’s life can be extremely rewarding emotionally. When you take on the role of a mentor, you get to do just that, sharing your expertise and experience to help another individual. However, if you’re new to mentorship, you may be wondering how it works—and where to get started. This guide provides additional information about what mentorship requires and why it’s so valuable and gives you some practical tips to get started.   Recognize the value of mentoring others Becoming a mentor isn’t just emotionally rewarding. It also offers tangible benefits for your career. Your experience as a mentor will allow you to improve your leadership, management, and interpersonal skills. Mentoring is also a practical way to grow your professional network and boost your profile and that of your organization. Finally, keep in mind that the people you mentor now may be future leaders of tomorrow. You are making valuable contacts who could one day be influential in your field, even if they’re just starting out now.   Understand what it takes to be a good mentor Being a good mentor requires strong interpersonal and leadership skills. You have to be able to empathize and connect with the person you’re mentoring. Good listening skills are also important. Finally, it’s critical that you’re able to offer constructive feedback. You want to be able to help people and guide their path without offending them. This article provides additional tips on how to be a good mentor, including how to offer constructive feedback. For example, asking questions that stem from a place of genuine curiosity is often a good start.   Master the soft skills required for mentorship Mentorship is largely about sharing your concrete experiences and industry knowledge. However, it also requires some essential soft skills. Listening, communication, and empathy are important. Emotional intelligence or emotional quotient, EQ, is also critical. According to Edgecumbe, EQ is generally helpful in the working world. It allows people to be better leaders. To develop EQ, you need to focus on key points like self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.   Look for opportunities to mentor others There are many opportunities to mentor young people, for example, through your local church or school. There are also non-profits devoted to supporting young people that offer mentoring opportunities. For example, Forever Young People is a teenage mentoring program in Hertfordshire. You can also find people looking for mentors at industry conferences and professional events. Finally, online networks like LinkedIn and Meet A Mentor are great ways to connect with people in your field who may be seeking guidance.   Consider getting a job that allows you to serve as a mentor If you discover that you really love mentoring, you may want to make a career of it. You can find charitable jobs that involve mentoring via online platforms. When applying for a job as a mentor, make sure to create a tailored CV and cover letter. You should share these documents as PDFs when applying, creating the most professional appearance. If you create the document as a Google Doc first, you can quickly save it as a PDF to convert your Google Doc using this handy tutorial. Mentorship can be a wonderful way to expand your horizons and gain emotional satisfaction. It also offers practical benefits for your career, from helping you to expand your network to allowing you to connect with future business leaders. In the UK, there are many nonprofits that allow you to meet teens and other young people seeking guidance. The above guide offers some ideas to help. For more content about mentorship and helping young people, see our mentoring page. Share this blog! Thank you for reading this blog post. If you found it insightful or helpful in any way, why not share this with others online?

Why You SHOULD Get A Mentor Do you feel like you’re not getting the results that your company would expect from you? Do you find yourself asking, “Am I doing this right?” or “Is what I’m doing even worth it?” Have no fear. You are not alone. Just keep in mind that most successful people have mentors to help them reach their goals. And really, why shouldn’t someone who is struggling with these same issues? The benefits of having a mentor are overwhelming, so it’s no wonder that more people are looking for one. A mentor can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, provide advice on how to improve, show you the ropes in your new field or industry, and support you when things get tough. But before you make the move, let us show you EXACTLY how a mentor can be your most valuable investment.   Third-Person Perspective Oftentimes, we may fall into the thoughts that we have all the skills and knowledge needed to do everything on our own. However, many times it is difficult to see the wrong in your ways, meaning that you automatically perceive everything you do as the best in the situation. Frankly, however, a more experienced third-person perspective may be a deal breaker! This is one of the most important things an experienced mentor can do – Give you a third-person perspective and feedback! And we all need that.   New Skills Whatever endeavour you are in, odds are that it will require a certain level of soft and hard skills. As a more experienced individual that has been in many situations that demand an array of different skills, your mentor will more than likely be able to teach you new social and technical skills, that will ultimately help you improve. Think of teaching as a part of the mentorship!   Avoiding Mistakes Odds are that if you hire a mentor, he will have gone through the mistakes you are about to make, but can’t see through. If you give your mentor a clear vision of your pathway and plan, he will be able to identify possible gaps and mistakes and give you valuable insight. Remember that a mentor is a person with loads of experience who has been through a lot of hardship!   Making Connections Usually, mentors are influential people that know others in high places, who can be useful for your endeavour. Think of your mentor not just as a teacher and an analyst, but also as a hotspot for the creation of valuable interpersonal relationships and connections. This is perhaps one of the biggest benefits of hiring a mentor!   Final Thoughts No matter how well taught you are and how many technical and social skills you have, there is ALWAYS more to learn and improve. Hiring a mentor will allow you to get a professional, third-person perspective on everything that you do, with a precise analysis of possible mistakes. Besides creating a more clear vision and path to your goals, a mentor can help with your overall personal development, as well as the establishment of valuable connections with individuals and companies. And so… Why Don’t YOU have a mentor yet? See our mentoring page for more information.   Share this blog! Thank you for reading this blog post. If you found it insightful or helpful in any way, why not share this with others online?