Find a Mentor Through Your Network (Part 1): 9 Benefits of Having One

You should have at least one in your life. Sometimes you can even have many, depending on your needs and what you’re looking to achieve.

What am I referring to? A mentor.

What do they do? A mentor advises and supports you, offering unlimited value through their experience and knowledge. They provide sincere advice and guidance to aid in your success, especially when it comes to your professional development.

And you should have one.

Benefits of Having a Mentor

Are you looking to embark on a new job path or want to learn a specific skill? A mentor can help.

Are you starting up a small business? Collaborating with another entrepreneur on a mentorship level can bring your new company to great heights.

When you team up with a mentor you open yourself up to numerous opportunities. It’s arguably one of the most important things you can do on your networking journey.

Here are nine benefits of partnering with a mentor:

They teach you. Given their insights and expertise, they educate you on what they already know and have been through and experienced.
They challenge you. But in a good way. They see your potential and push you to go further than you think you can and praise you when you do achieve success.
They listen to you. As someone to bounce ideas around with they make a great sounding board and a person to go to when advice is needed.
They connect you. A mentor can introduce you to others who are influential and help you build relationships that are valuable.
They save you time. Through leadership and guidance, they point you in the right direction of the most productive opportunities and make doors open for you which helps expedite attaining your goals.
They give you confidence. Your self-assurance is boosted through their momentum for you to succeed as they help you to grow both personally and professionally.
They inspire you. Given their achievements and successes, they provide inspiration and encouragement for you to reach your own goals.
They navigate your journey. By helping you steer clear of unnecessary hard-earned lessons they prevent you from driving down a highway of bad decisions.
They benefit through your value. Your mentor needs to find worth in the relationship as well, it goes both ways! Keep in mind they will also be learning from you, too.

Sometimes you don’t realize what you have to offer! And it takes the coaching of a mentor to recognize your potential. They help you appreciate how worthy you really are, and just how valuable you can be to others within your spheres of influence.

Overall, a good mentor will work with you to set your objectives, encourage you to achieve them, and assist in your decisions as you take chances in reaching your goals.

When you collaborate with one, you can gain first-hand experience from someone who you admire and aspire to be. They help bring out the best in you and ensure your capabilities shine through.

It’s beneficial that you establish who plays this role in your life.

Not having one at all in today’s competitive landscape could put you at a disadvantage. And once you decide how valuable having a mentor is, you should evaluate those within your networks to assess who can serve as a perfect one for you.

“A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you.”
Bob Proctor (Best-selling author and professional speaker)

Learn How to Collaborate with a Mentor

Are you looking to change careers or pursuing a different job role? Are you starting a new business and seek guidance from a leader in your industry? Collaborating with a mentor expands your opportunities. And when you enroll in our certification program and become a NetWorkWise Certified Professional (NWW-CP), you’ll learn how to build and maintain the right relationships to help you develop a successful mentorship.

This course teaches you ways to cultivate connections with people who will guide you in reaching your goals. And once complete, you receive credentials validating you as a networking expert.

Sign up today and get NetWorkWise Certified! You will soon see the rewards of making long-lasting and meaningful relationships that offer mutual value and significant benefits.

This is Part 1 in the NetWorkWise Find a Mentor Through Your Networks series