A mentor, on the most basic level, is defined as an “experienced and trusted advisor.” This does not necessarily mean older; it just means someone is more experienced at something than you are. So don’t think that just because you are young, you wouldn’t be a suitable mentor. There are many opportunities in today’s workforce for younger individuals to mentor those of us that did not grow up with social media, for example.
It is also possible and in some cases advisable, to have more than one mentor. You may choose to have a mentor who is exceptional technically, to help you advance your skills in architecture, engineering or some other technical discipline and another to help you advance your business development skills.
Agreeing to be someone’s mentor is a commitment and responsibility. You agree to help them with their essential job duties, responsibilities, their growth and development and are committed to helping them become successful. This may sound daunting, but it is just about giving thought to helping someone else succeed, and so much of that is accomplished with the little things. Just including someone in an upcoming meeting that you may take for granted as part of your job might provide the mentee with a new growth experience and a new perspective. A few minutes of your time before and after the meeting to discuss the experience is all it takes to provide the learning opportunity.
Just think about what the effect would be if we each gave regular consideration to making someone else successful.
