essay for a mentor

• Skip to main content
• Skip to secondary menu
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

A Plus Topper

Improve your Grades

Mentor Essay | Free Mentor Essay Example and How to Becoming a Mentor Essay?

August 27, 2021 by Prasanna

Mentor Essay: What Is A Mentor? An experienced individual who helps you grow your skills, make better decisions, and gain new perspectives in your life and career is called a mentor and the person receiving it is called a mentee. Mentor Essays highlights that Mentors provide guidance, advice, feedback, and support to the mentee. They serve as various role models in the form of a teacher, counselor, advisor, sponsor, advocate, etc. As a mentee, your mentor will share their experience to give you guidance on your career or personal life.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Qualities Define a Good Mentor

It is very important to select the best mentor. Some good qualities that all good mentors possess are:

• At the very first, your mentor should have a good record of success and more experience than you.
• A great mentor is someone who will help you to create a better version of yourself.
• “Look for mentors who are authentic, empathetic, creative and honest,” said White.
• You are always in search of someone who can give you proper guidance for your professional growth, but also someone who will speak the truth to you.
• Sometimes you need some constructive criticism, while other times you need someone who can encourage you on your success. A good mentor can provide all of those things.

Responsibilities of a Mentor

Mentor Essays tries to highlight the responsibilities of a good mentor.

A mentor can professionally guide the mentee in a  friendly and supportive way. A mentor should always try to meet the needs of the mentee. Following are the responsibilities of a successful mentor.

• Establishes, good relation with the mentee
• Understand the mentee’s explicit goals and objectives
• Respect your mentee and develop mutual trust with them.
• Ensure confidentiality of the matters and information discussed by the mentee.
• Help the mentee to take responsibility for their growth, development, and career planning on their own.
• Conduct meetings with mentees on a regular basis.
• Actively listens to mentee
• Provides, honest, and constructive feedback
• open to hearing feedback from your mentee.
• Follows the commitments made to the mentee
• Respects mentee’s limits
• Maintains a professional relationship, doesn’t enter into the mentee’s personal life or expects to be close friends
• Ends the relationship at the agreed time

Responsibilities of a Mentee

A healthy relationship is a result of both parties. Mentor essays point out that mentees are also equally important to develop a healthy relationship with a mentor. Some of the responsibilities of the mentees are:

• Share your ideas, concerns and professional goals. with your mentor openly.
• Be punctual for your mentoring sessions.
• provide a brief update on progress.
• Respect and trust your mentor.
• Your mentor’s role is to share valuable experiences with you. He is not responsible for your career..
• Ask direct questions about your needs.
• Ask questions without any hesitation. Don’t be shy about asking,
• Capture ideas and insights from the session
• Stick to the commitments you and your mentor make to each other.
• Respect your mentor’s personal boundaries. Don’t inundate your mentor with emails or phone calls.
• Remember to appreciate your mentor after each session. This will let your mentor know how he or she is making a difference for you.

Mentor and Mentee Relationship

In Mentor essays, I would like to corner that no relationship is perfect, the same is the case with mentor and mentee relationships. Each relationship has its own features. A mentor and mentee should respect and trust each other. And who knows? This mentor and mentee relationship might turn into a life-long friendship.

No mentor and mentee relationship is the same. They come in different shapes and sizes. However, there are key qualities that each mentor-mentee relationship should have to possess:

• Willingness to help each other succeed
• Disseminate information as needed
• Give and receive feedback both ways
• Improve interpersonal skills
• Actively listen and communicate
• Empathize for one another
• Respect each person’s time

Mentor essays will make you aware that rather than learning through trial and error, a mentor is a person you can look for.

Short Mentor Essay

A mentor is someone who educates, instructs, inspires  and shows the correct path to another person through their past experience. In everyone’s life, there is a person who is the role model, or someone you admire and that someone is your mentor. The one who can change the way you feel about certain issues for the better. In the Mentor essays you will get to know that generally, a mentor is someone who is always there for you and enjoys listening and talking to you. A mentor is one of the important people who serves as an advisor and is confident with whom a person can be open to discuss various issues. In fact, a mentor is a source of experience and information from which you can learn.

A mentor can make an actual difference in your work life as well as your personal life. The impact of a mentor’s guidance and wisdom now may not be realized at the beginning but you will realize its positive impact over time and go on to become a mentor to others.

FAQ’s on Mentor Essay

Question 1. What is the role of a mentee?

Answer: To have a strong bond between a mentor and a mentee, mentee also have a certain role;e to play some of them are:

• Share your goals and fears openly with a mentor.
• Don’t expect the mentor to do spoon-feeding.
• Share your failures and struggling issues.
• Listen to the mentor carefully and then apply the mentor’s guidance.
• Always respect and value the mentor’s support.
• Keep a professional relationship with the mentor

Question 2. What are the key qualities of a good mentor?

Answer: Key Qualities of a Good Mentor are

• Good listener

Question 3. What are the 3 A’s in a mentorship?

Answer: In an effective mentorship, the three A’s comprise active listening, availability, and analysis. If your mentor has these 3 A’s you will feel like you’re in safe hands and gain value for your business.

• Picture Dictionary
• English Speech
• English Slogans
• English Letter Writing
• English Essay Writing
• English Textbook Answers
• Types of Certificates
• ICSE Solutions
• Selina ICSE Solutions
• ML Aggarwal Solutions
• HSSLive Plus One
• HSSLive Plus Two
• Kerala SSLC
• Distance Education

More From Forbes

The power of mentorship.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

The Jon Dwoskin Experience.  Business Coach/Executive Advisor, Author and Speaker. I get clients unstuck and accelerate their growth.

In business, as in life in general, there are so many times where we can become stuck in place, simply spinning our wheels and making no progress forward. Not only does this stop growth cold, it leads directly to complacency — the enemy of any smart businessperson. One of the easiest and most effective ways to avoid this is with the help of mentors. In fact, I advocate that every person have at least three mentors.

A mentor is simply someone who helps us get unstuck, a non-judgmental person who listens with an open mind to help us steer clear of the mistakes they themselves made (and wish they’d had a mentor to help avoid). A mentor helps us accelerate our growth by showing us a clearer path with fewer distractions and obstacles. Think of it this way: When you climb a mountain, you’re thrilled to get to the top — but then quickly look to the next peak and resolve to reach that summit. A mentor helps you scale those upcoming peaks.

Entrepreneur Jim Rohn put it well: “Don’t take the casual approach to life. Casualness leads to casualties. Seek out the mentors that you need that will lead you to greatness in your field. If you’re not willing to learn from others, who are you willing to learn from?”

I personally have three mentors with whom I talk on a regular basis. I also count as mentors the countless others I have never met but whose wisdom made an impression on me via their books, podcasts or TED talks. Mentors are not only for the fortunate or the rich. Sometimes you may have to invest; often they are free. But when you ask someone to be your mentor, remember that it’s a two-way street of give and take. You must give them value as well.

Netflix’s Best New Show Has A Perfect 100% Critic Score

Hurricane beryl strengthens to category 5 and moves towards jamaica after pummeling other caribbean islands—photos, will trump get felony conviction thrown out because of supreme court immunity ruling here’s what to know..

As a business coach, one of the most common things I see is that many people simply lack the courage to ask for help. We have this odd belief that we should be able to do it all on our own, that asking for help is a sign of weakness. In fact, just the opposite is true. As motivational speaker Les Brown said, “Ask for help not because you’re weak, but because you want to remain strong.” Or, as the psychologist and well-known speaker Anne Wilson Schaef explained, “Asking for help does not mean that we are weak or incompetent. It usually indicates an advanced level of honesty and intelligence.”

So, how do you go about getting some mentors? Look to those you admire, who you trust and just pick up the phone and ask. Say, “I am looking for a mentor. Can I call you once a week or twice a month for five or 10 minutes to get advice? And what can I do for you in return?”

How many times have you found yourself practically babbling as you think out loud about a problem, only to discover that by the end of your monologue, you’ve already started to see a solution? That’s what talking with a mentor is like. With their neutral mindset, they give us new lenses and new perspectives. They help keep us on the right path at the right speed — not so hyped up that we’re careening a thousand miles an hour, nor so slow that we sit and do nothing.

Graduating college today looks much different than in times past. As we continue to grapple with Covid-19, new grads are entering the worst job market in more than a decade . A mentor will help you accelerate your job search and make fewer mistakes along the way. Pick those who are successful in your chosen field and let them help by offering advice, encouragement and, hopefully, introductions.

We insure everything from our health to our car to our house. Think of a mentor as people insurance — someone we can reach out to in real-time in the moment we need them. Someone to ask, “I am at a fork in the road and need some advice. Can you give me a minute?” A good mentor gives you the courage and confidence to do things maybe you wouldn’t do on your own. Many times, it just takes a word or a sentence to get you grounded, validated and back on the right path. Sometimes it’s so subtle you can’t even put your finger on it.

That may sound vague, but the benefits of mentorship are, in fact, thoroughly documented. The firm SAP HR Research examined 43 studies published over the last 30 years and found a positive correlation with the career outcomes of mentored vs. non-mentored employees. Those with mentors received higher compensation, a greater number of promotions, felt more satisfied and committed to their career and were more likely to believe they would advance. Furthermore, 76% of people view mentors as important to their overall success.

Remember, the level of consciousness that got you where you are today is not the level that will get you where you want to be. Think big — with mentors!

Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

117 Mentorship Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best mentorship topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on mentorship, 📝 simple & easy mentorship essay titles, 🥇 interesting topics to write about mentorship.

• The Concept of Mentoring The roles of a mentor create a positive learning process for the mentee. Thus, a mentee determines the success of the mentoring process.
• Hershey’s HR Strategies and Mentoring The purpose of this paper will be that of determining the stages Hershey has to implement in revamping its performance administration framework to appeal to its more and more varied workers.
• Mentoring and Counseling The counselor together with the client use the experiences of the client that took place in the past and taking place in the present to address challenges that are present and those that might happen […]
• Mentoring and Coaching in Organization. It is also worth noting that employees who are frequently subjected to mentoring and sessions of coaching can do delicate tasks at the workplace. Furthermore, according to Lansberg, the perspectives of mentoring and coaching should […]
• Mentoring Theory, Research and Practice Since mentoring is a professional relationship, it is important for both the mentor and the mentee to foster trust between themselves as well as a team in the organisation.
• Proposal for Peer Mentoring Program Before the formal launch of the program, experts in peer mentorship will be invited to train all the department members and retirees willing to join the program.
• St. Augustine’s Principles Guiding Mentorship in Business The introduction chapter will contain all the necessary information to present the topic in detail, illustrate the specifics and terms of the project, the focus of the thesis, the context of the study, as well […]
• Roles of Nurse Preceptors and Mentors Their goal is to enhance the confidence and competence of the novice and new nurses to ensure they deliver high-standard care.
• Coaches and Mentors in Business The choice of a mentor by the organization limits the employee’s potential because the employee may not feel comfortable with that person and will be less able to cooperate.
• Research Justification: Mentoring as Performance Management Tool For instance, leaders in the business world have been on the frontline to identify emerging concepts from the fields of theology, education, and medicine to transform organizational performance.
• Mentorship Program for Nurses’ Job Confidence The number of nurses who struggle with confidence at the start of their career is great and this lack of self-assuredness can affect patient quality of care.”Unpreparedness of novice nurses during the process of transition […]
• Mentoring Program: Models of Coaching Practice The task of the mentor, in this case, is to direct the respective interests and goals of the mentee in the right direction for the former to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills.
• Creating Mentoring Program for Principals The author of the article reveals the importance of mentoring for principals and describes the process of creating and the effectiveness of a mentoring program in Kansas.
• Augustine’s Spiritual Mentoring and Manichaeism “The influence of Manichaeism on Augustine of Hippo as a Spiritual Mentor” is Christine McCann’s publication investigating the way Manichaeism doctrines affected Augustine’s spiritual mentoring.
• The Virtue of Mentorship at University Although Watson does not highlight the research question, it can be defined as the ways and impact of professors’ mentoring on the academic and personal success of students.
• Mentoring Youth: Trends and Tradition Considering the information provided in the text, the author’s primary research question concerns the fact what contemporary models of mentorship might be of relevance in the given environment and how these schemes could be implemented […]
• Effective Mentoring for Organizational Performance Enhancement The author’s thesis is that mentoring and coaching are influential and practical strategies to enhance organizational performance. Adeyemi posits that mentorship imparts immense benefits to the mentor, mentee, and the entity.
• Mentorship for Protégé Performance The article seeks to examine the validity of the hypothesis that proteges tend to emulate their mentors to a degree that allows estimating and quantifying the degree to which mentor fecundity determines protege fecundity.
• The Importance of Mentorship for Teachers Implications of this research include the necessity to restructure how teachers are prepared on a fundamental level and to introduce changes to the school system.
• Mentorship Concept in Teaching Profession The argument made by Petrovska et al.is based on the contrasting analysis of views and opinions that teachers have towards the mentoring process and states that “teacher’s work experience plays an important role regarding the […]
• Listening: The Core Skill for Effective Mentors The author notes that mentoring differs from management due to the central significance of altruism in the former, and the coach’s “need to learn to listen first”.
• The Concepts of Leadership and Mentoring When the five practices of the Kouzes and Posner model are applied to mentoring, a person is likely to become a valuable and effective leader.
• Mentorship and Its Impact on Business However, it is worth mentioning that the author does not address the opposing viewpoint in his study. The author did not describe a methodology that allowed him to collect the data, making it challenging to […]
• Mentoring and Goals Achievement “Mentoring can get you straight to your goal” is Milton Chang’s article highlighting the significance of mentorship in stimulating the achievement of career goals. A principal argument in the article is that mentees should enlist […]
• Promoting Christian Mentorship Using St. Augustine’s Teachings Also, it will look at how to employ business mentorship in improving certain aspects of the company to enhance the professional growth of the parties involved in the institution. The positive relationship that arises in […]
• Mentoring in Science and Engineering and Interpersonal Relationship Training An emerging research question from the article is the applicability of interpersonal training programs on mentors in other fields beyond science and engineering.
• Formal and Informal Mentoring Programs Davis’ publication compares the effectiveness of formal and informal coaching schemes by evaluating their quality, superiority of outcomes, and the associated functions.
• Mentoring Disciples and Leaders Using Christian-Based Model The author’s predominant theme is that mentorship is not optional if Christians intend to grow and the criticality of taking an interest in the progress of others.
• Coaching and Mentoring for Organizational Performance The main questions of the author include: What are the effects of coaching and mentoring in performance of a firm? The main implication of the research is the possible power of improving performance in the […]
• The Case for Women Mentoring Women Block and Tietjen-Smith analyzed their own experiences and many studies on females in the workplace in order to determine the influence of mentoring practices.
• “Interracial Mentorship Outcomes” by Leitner The main research question formulated for the study was whether the performance of mentees and the feedback provided by mentors in interracial mentoring dyads could improve as a result of decreasing negative affect and increasing […]
• The American College of Healthcare Executives Mentorship Program Ache is founded on the knowledge that the future of healthcare leadership and management lies in the new entrants and mid-careerists who need mentorship to navigate the changes and developments in healthcare.
• TED Talks in Coaching and Mentoring One of the most widespread tools used in terms of mentoring is the TED talks aimed at displaying one’s story or idea in order to provoke an inner response and desire to grow.
• Leadership and Quality Nursing: A Mentorship Program Based on the conversation with the mentor, it is evident that the leader acknowledges participative theory of leadership by encouraging staff members to collectively pursue the activities and processes in the organization.
• Current Mentoring: Nurse Employee Orientation System From the case study, the current employee orientation system is devoid of nursing ethics as seen in the behaviour of the intern nurse towards a patient.
• Importance of Mentorship in Nursing A good mentor should be able to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the learners and help them deal with their weaknesses.
• Mentoring Program Implementation for New Nurses Since the effectiveness of the program depends on a myriad of factors, I will evaluate and improve the program to ensure the hospital achieves the desired objectives.
• “Mentors and Criminal Achievement” by Morselli The researchers argue that in career field, the role of a mentor is evidently one of the most significant factors that drive the career of an individual.
• Coaching and Mentoring in the Company Objectives that are focused on the welfare of both the company and individual include the ability to carry out a specific task at the same time putting into consideration the personal and career growth development […]
• Mentoring Model in Educational Process The relationship between the learner and the teacher is one of the most essential factors affecting the outcome of education and in the modern learning environment, the development of a cordial and effective relation between […]
• Mentoring and Coaching in Management The only problem that needs solution according to the solicitors of Barton Legal Services is that the employees of the company are rather conservative selecting their working methods and that the solicitors themselves are suspicious […]
• General Mobiles: Need for Extensive Mentoring Program As the company recognizes the importance of mentoring in the firm as the service of a professional mentor with all the potential to solve the problem in the firm would the best expectable solution to […]
• Marketing Mentor Framing Strategies That is the perception and attitude of the people is the primary factor that determines the success of a business and marketing strategy.
• Why International Mentors Are Hard to Find in Universities Guiding students towards a better sense of understanding within their university life, from academics to extracurricular activities, is one of the primary goals of mentors, made pertinent by the rising numbers of international students.
• Nurse Retention & Mentorship: Translational Research The problem is nursing retention, the intervention is a mentorship program, the comparison is no mentorship, and the expected outcome is the increased retention rate.
• The Summer Undergraduate Mentorship Program I hope to observe and participate in a variety of activities, focusing on the development of my professional skills. I do hope to become a part of this program and use all of the opportunities […]
• Mentorship in Career: Research Design Questions Why do you want to be a leader and a mentor? Do you believe you have what it takes to be a successful leader and a mentor?
• Peer-Mentorship and Self-Management of Pain Thus, the results of the study will remain homogenous. To make sure that the outcomes of the study should remain objective, it will be necessary to provide every participant with an equal choice to be […]
• Mentoring and Coaching Experience The protege is the person with less experience in the relevant field while the mentor is the person with considerable knowledge and experience.
• Mentoring for Nursing Students, Its Stages and History Judging the quality of a student’s practice turns out to be a relevant component of preparing future specialists since the mentor’s evaluation of the practitioner’s progress allows educational establishments to take a more objective approach […]
• Female Managers Careers: Effectiveness of Mentoring In this context, it is important to analyse the effectiveness of mentoring in advancing the careers of female managers with reference to the work of Ehrich and Durbin among others.
• Mentoring Program for Girls in Southern Maryland The problem is that the society is blind to the fact that women are in a disadvantaged position. According to Kaufman and Williams, the biggest challenge that we have in our modern society when empowering […]
• College Student Mentoring and Interest Group To solve the problem of the lack of mentoring in many community colleges of the United States, the national government should guarantee that all community colleges in the country are obligated by a decree to […]
• Mentoring Revisited: An Organizational Behavior Construct To this extent, a research problem helps in the generation of the study questions to be answered. However, the non-inclusion of the hypothesis in the article cannot be argued as a demerit of the research.
• Coaching and Mentoring in Executive Leadership Moreover, it supports the view that coaching and mentoring are effective tools to build leadership qualities in the executives and use of these programs has a positive impact on the personal and professional growth of […]
• Pain Alleviation and Peer Mentorship: Variables To understand the effects that peer mentorship and self-management have on the process of alleviating pain among patients, one should consider the demographic characteristics of the target population as one of the factors that are […]
• Adult and Peer Mentorship Program Evaluation The research hypothesis is supported by the set of objectives, which designed to form the core of the research. To come up with a credible report the research team will adhere to the code of […]
• Mentoring Plan for Organizational Culture The weaknesses associated with this department have affected the performance of the firm. The program will encourage every employee to promote the best practices.
• Coaching and Mentoring: Developing Effective Practice The strategy has the potential to support the targeted outcomes. The mentor also identifies the strengths of the relationship during this phase.
• Counseling and Mentorship Program for Hispanic Children The purpose of the mentorship program was to educate and widen their learning skills of the targeted children. The program also targeted to inform these individuals about the relevance of schooling in the Hispanic society.
• CEO’s Coaching & Mentoring Program The content shall also cover the rationale for coaching and mentoring employees of Skoda, benefits of the program and identification of employees who can participate in the program The program will also evaluate qualities of […]
• Development of Training and Mentoring Program The cause of the program will define the main reason why the program has to be pursued while the focus will clarify and concentrate the specific areas where the training and mentoring will address.
• Mentoring of New Teachers The aim of the paper is to reveal the nature of mentoring, outline key elements of two research findings, and compare them.
• Educator Mentoring in Public Texas Schools Educator mentoring in public Texas Schools It is apparent that Texas education Agency offers a wide range of services to members of staff in the teaching fraternity and mentors to facilitate mentorship programs in public […]
• Human Resource Management: Workplace Shortages (Mentoring) Because of the upgraded demands towards employees and the unwillingness of the latter to train their professional skills on their own, the Australian public companies and private entrepreneurships have developed a strategy of mentoring, which […]
• Effect of Mentorship on Employees The administrators scrutinise the mentoring profiles and match the mentor and the mentee depending on training needs, career goals, and competence.
• Teacher Mentorship Programs in Texas The increase in teacher mentees is instrumental in the enhancement of the sufficient teaching staff in the region’s educational system. Mentors need to have a proper understanding of the vital role that they play in […]
• Employee Mentoring and Coaching In general, any manager who wants to assume this model must instill, in his employees and to himself, the principle that leadership is cooperative and collaborative.
• Mentoring: Analysis of the Articles The peculiar feature of this article is that the authors focus on early career of a teacher and the necessity to mentor new teachers to cope with the duties set.
• Development of Adolescent Mentoring Programs The mentoring programs are aimed at instilling responsibility values to the young fathers, not only to relieve the burden left on the mothers, but also to facilitate parental rights to the children.
• Coaching and Mentoring in Business Business coaching and mentoring is very important in instilling knowledge, skills, styles, and techniques as well as the ability to make significant decisions that are aimed at improving an individual’s achievement or business goals.
• Comparing and Contrasting the Followership and Mentorship in “Wall Street” and “The Matrix” He teaches Fox to use the loopholes of business to his advantage. Neo uses the skills that Morpheus has taught him to save his mentor.
• Mentorship for Health and Social Care Practitioners
• Building Mentorship Capability From Build-A-Bear Workshop
• Changing the Culture With Modern-Day Mentorship
• Mentorship Program for Children: Letter to Parents
• Designing Instructions for the Mentorship Program
• Five Mentorship Must-Haves in the Entrepreneurial Space
• Mentorship Through Maslow’s Self-Actualisation: Teaching, Learning and Assessment Theories
• Health and Social Care: Mentorship, Facilitation, and Supervision
• Increasing Cycling for Transportation Through Mentorship Programs
• Connection Between Juvenile Offenders and Possibility of Mentorship Program
• The Relationship Between Management Theories and Mentorship Programs
• Mentorship Alliance Between African Farmers: Implication for Sustainable Agriculture Sector Reform
• Evaluating Mentorship Program for Ford Motors
• Preparation for Providing Effective and Efficient Mentorship Nursing
• Recruitment and Mentorship Plan For Enlisted Aide Program
• Student Mentorship Program for the Community College
• Where Are the Coast Guard’s Mentorship Programs?
• American Minority Youth Mentoring Program Overview
• Auditor and Non-mentor Supervisor Relationships: Effects of Mentoring and Organizational Justice
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada: Mentoring to Prevent Crime
• Can Companies Use Mentoring to Increase Employee Retention?
• The Role of Mentorship in a Successful Journey
• Mentorship in “The Mosquito Coast” and “The Book Thief”
• The Effect of Mentorship and Socialization on Female Attorneys
• How Engaged Pedagogy Can Use Participation in Stimulating Learning
• Exploring Mentoring and the Role of Mentor in Education
• Mentor and Mentee Relationships in the Army
• Why African American Students Need African American Mentors
• Mentorship to Improve the Performance of Underachieving Students
• Skillsfuture Mentorship Programme in Singapore: Developing an Open Mind Towards Diversity
• Career Motivation, Mentoring Readiness, and Participation in Workplace Mentoring Programs
• Coaching and Mentoring for the Leadership and Management
• Combining Mentoring Programs With Cash Transfers for Adolescent Girls in Liberia
• Correlation Between Educator Attrition and Mentoring Programs
• Developing Coaching and Mentoring Programs in the Workplace
• Difference Between Counselling and Mentoring
• Employees Benefit From Coaching & Mentoring Program
• Expanding Leadership Diversity Through Formal Mentoring
• Leadership Mentoring and Succession of the Charismatic Churches
• Personal Growth Research Ideas
• Talent Management Questions
• Career Ideas
• Pedagogy Topics
• Performance Management Ideas
• Growth Strategy Titles
• Motivation Research Ideas
• Wall Street Questions
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, March 2). 117 Mentorship Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/mentorship-essay-topics/

"117 Mentorship Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." IvyPanda , 2 Mar. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/mentorship-essay-topics/.

IvyPanda . (2024) '117 Mentorship Essay Topic Ideas & Examples'. 2 March.

IvyPanda . 2024. "117 Mentorship Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." March 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/mentorship-essay-topics/.

1. IvyPanda . "117 Mentorship Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." March 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/mentorship-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "117 Mentorship Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." March 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/mentorship-essay-topics/.

Introduction to Mentoring: A Guide for Mentors and Mentees

In 2006, American Psychological Association (APA) President Gerald P. Koocher, PhD, convened a presidential task force on mentoring to connect psychology graduate students and early career psychologists with more experienced senior psychologists in a range of mentoring relationships that cut across areas of scientific and professional interests. The mission of the task force was to work with organizations and individuals to facilitate mentoring relationships both formal and informal; and to leave structures in place that will sustain mentoring as an integral part of being a psychologist. To accomplish this goal, the task force created a training program for potential mentors and mentees that is appropriate for State, Provincial, and Territorial Psychological Associations and Divisions. A pilot mentoring program is being launched at the 2006 convention and if it proves successful, a broader program may be established. A long term goal is to establish web-based networking for the APA membership. Further, the task force hopes these efforts will inspire diverse educational, research, and policy outcomes. To gather support for this endeavor, the task force established partnerships with the Policy and Planning Board as well as other boards and committees. They sponsored special programming at the 2006 convention that stemmed from this initiative. This Introduction to Mentoring was produced as a general guide for prospective mentors and mentees who are interested in engaging in professional developmental relationships

A mentor is an individual with expertise who can help develop the career of a mentee. A mentor often has two primary functions for the mentee. The career-related function establishes the mentor as a coach who provides advice to enhance the mentee’s professional performance and development. The psychosocial function establishes the mentor as a role model and support system for the mentee. Both functions provide explicit and implicit lessons related to professional development as well as general work–life balance.

For the purposes of this document, it is important to differentiate between the terms protégé and mentee . The term protégé has a clear history in mentoring research and primarily applies to individuals engaged in senior–mentor and junior–protégé relationships within an organization where protégés are clearly identified as “under the wing” of a mentor — protected and nurtured over time. The term mentee is used here to refer to the broad range of individuals who may be in the role of “learner” in mentoring relationships, regardless of the age or position of the mentor and mentee.

Research has consistently found mentored individuals to be more satisfied and committed to their professions than non-mentored individuals (Wanberg, Welsh, & Hezlett, 2003). Furthermore, mentored individuals often earn higher performance evaluations, higher salaries, and faster career progress than non-mentored individuals. Mentors can also benefit from a successful mentoring relationship by deriving satisfaction from helping to develop the next generation of leaders, feeling rejuvenated in their own career development, learning how to use new technologies, or becoming aware of issues, methods, or perspectives that are important to their field.

In the initiation stage , two individuals enter into a mentoring relationship. For informal mentoring, the matching process occurs through professional or social interactions between potential mentors and mentees. Potential mentees search for experienced, successful people whom they admire and perceive as good role models. Potential mentors search for talented people who are "coachable." Mentoring research describes this stage as a period when a potential mentee proves him- or herself worthy of a mentor's attention. Both parties seek a positive, enjoyable relationship that would justify the extra time and effort required in mentoring.

Formal mentoring programs manage the matching process instead of letting these relationships emerge on their own. Good matching programs are sensitive to demographic variables as well as common professional interests. The assignment of a mentee to a mentor varies greatly across formal mentoring programs. Mentors may review mentee profiles and select their mentees or program administrators may match mentors and mentees. Regardless of the method, a good formal mentoring program would require both parties to explore the relationship and evaluate the appropriateness of the mentor–mentee match.

The cultivation stage is the primary stage of learning and development. Assuming a successful initiation stage, during the cultivation stage, the mentee learns from the mentor. Two broad mentoring functions are at their peak during this stage. The career-related function often emerges first when the mentor coaches the mentee on how to work effectively and efficiently. Coaching may be active within the mentee's organization when a mentor assigns challenging assignments to the mentee, maximizes the mentee's exposure and visibility in the organization, and actively sponsors the mentee through promotions and recognition. Mentors outside of the mentee's organization can also provide valuable advice on how to thrive and survive; although they lack organizational power to directly intervene on behalf of the mentee. The psychosocial function emerges after the mentor and mentee have established an interpersonal bond. Within this function, the mentor accepts and confirms the mentee's professional identity and the relationship matures into a strong friendship.

The cultivation stage is generally a positive one for both mentor and mentee. The mentor teaches the mentee valuable lessons gained from the mentor's experience and expertise. The mentee may also teach the mentor valuable lessons related to new technologies, new methodologies, and emerging issues in the field.

The separation stage generally describes the end of a mentoring relationship. The relationship may end for a number of reasons. There may be nothing left to learn, the mentee may want to establish an independent identity, or the mentor may send the mentee off on his or her own the way a parent sends off an adult child. If the relationship's end is not accepted by both parties, this stage can be stressful with one party unwilling to accept the loss. Problems between the mentor and mentee arise when only one party wants to terminate the mentoring relationship. Mentees may feel abandoned, betrayed, or unprepared if they perceive the separation to be premature. Mentors may feel betrayed or used if the mentee no longer seeks their counsel or support.

During the redefinition stage , both mentor and mentee recognize that their relationship can continue but that it will not be the same as their mentoring relationship. If both parties successfully negotiate through the separation stage, the relationship can evolve into a collegial relationship or social friendship. Unlike the cultivation stage, the focus of the relationship is no longer centered on the mentee's career development. The former mentor may establish mentoring relationships with new mentees. Likewise, the former mentee may serve as a mentor to others.

The mentoring relationship is inherently flexible and can vary tremendously in its form and function. The mentoring relationship exists between one individual in need of developmental guidance and another individual who is both capable and willing to provide that guidance. Further, the mentoring relationship represents an important developmental relationship for the mentee as it supports and facilitates his or her professional development. Given the wide variety of mentoring relationships, they are broadly classified as formal or informal (Chao, Walz, & Gardner, 1992) according to the manner in which the relationship formed. Below are some of the possible needs of mentees, roles and characteristics of mentors, and settings for the relationship, which can be combined to create a wide variety of relationships.

Mentee Needs

• Guidance in a general or specific professional area
• Series of questions or issues
• Broad career development
• Early career development
• Ethical and moral guidance
• Assistance in navigating professional settings, institutions, structures, and politics
• Professional identity development guidance

Roles and Characteristics of Mentors

• Acts as an experienced role model
• Provides acceptance, encouragement, and moral support
• Provides wisdom, advice, counsel, coaching
• Acts as a sponsor in professional organizations, supports networking efforts
• Assists with the navigation of professional settings, institutions, structures, and politics
• Facilitates professional development
• Challenges and encourages appropriately to facilitate growth
• Provides nourishment, caring, and protection
• Integrates professional support with other areas such as faith, family, and community
• Accepts assistance from mentee in mentor's professional responsibilities within appropriate limits
• Enjoys the opportunity to pass on their wisdom and knowledge and collaboration with early career professionals
• Professional settings
• Organizations (e.g., APA)
• Internet, email, telephone
• Informal national and international networks within specialties

Relationship Types

• Established career and early career
• Professor to student
• Professional to professional
• Peer mentoring (same developmental level with specific experiential differences)
• Parent-like features can be present
• Task-focused versus relationship-based
• Daily contact versus less frequent contact
• Short-versus long-term mentorships
• Collegial collaborations

Informal Mentoring

Informal mentoring relationships develop spontaneously and are not managed or specifically recognized as a mentoring relationship within a larger organization. A mentor reaches out to a mentee (or vice versa) and a relationship develops which benefits the mentee's professional development. Due to the spontaneous development, these relationships depend somewhat more on the individuals having things in common and feeling comfortable with each other from the beginning. The relationship may develop out of a specific need by the mentee around a task or situation for guidance, support, or advice. The relationship is most likely to be initiated by the mentee as she or he seeks support around a specific task. This type of relationship might also develop when an established professional needs an early career professional to complete certain tasks within an office or project setting.

Formal Mentoring

Formal mentoring relationships develop within organizational structures that are specifically designed to facilitate the creation and maintenance of such relationships. Wanberg, Welsh, and Hezlett (2003) identified six primary characteristics of formal mentoring programs that can directly influence the program's effectiveness: (a) program objectives, (b) selection of participants, (c) matching of mentors and mentees, (d) training for mentors and mentees, (e) guidelines for frequency of meeting, and (f) a goal-setting process. Program objectives may vary from socializing newcomers into an organization to intense career development of a target population (e.g., high potential people, women, ethnic minorities). These objectives affect the scope of the mentoring and will help drive goal-setting and training objectives. Formal mentoring programs are generally more effective when mentors voluntarily participate (rather than being drafted or coerced) and are intrinsically motivated to help mentees (Baugh & Fagenson-Eland, in press).

Formal programs vary widely in their methods to match mentors and mentees, and in their preparation of individuals to engage in mentoring. Programs that solicit important matching criteria from both parties are more likely to initiate successful mentorships. Matching criteria may include professional interests, demographics, geographical location, human interest factors (e.g., hobbies, lifestyles), personality, values, and learning orientation.

Orientation or training programs for mentors and mentees can help both parties establish a psychological contract for the relationship. Training objectives can include clear communications of expectations of the relationship, goal-setting procedures, conflict resolution skills, and general structure of the mentoring program. Furthermore, these programs often suggest guidelines for frequency of meetings. Ragins, Cotton, and Miller (2000) found such guidelines were related to more frequent meetings and more mentoring. Typical guidelines suggest one or two meetings per month and specify the mentee as the responsible party to initiate these meetings.

Finally, a goal-setting process provides structure to the relationship. Good goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.

Developmental Networks and Mentoring

Mentees often have more than one mentor throughout their careers. With multiple mentors, a mentee can benefit from different mentors who have a variety of experiences and skill strengths to share. A developmental network perspective is used to expand our understanding of mentoring. Different mentors may be able to address different developmental needs of mentees in order to facilitate career progress.

Filstad (2004) observed that most organizational newcomers had multiple role models that served different needs during the work adjustment process. Although most of the mentoring research has focused on only one mentor–mentee relationship, Kram (1985) recognized relationship constellations that provide multiple sources of developmental support for a mentee. More recently, Higgins, Chandler, and Kram (in press) provide a theoretical framework to reconceptualize mentoring. The typology of developmental networks is described by two dimensions: (a) the diversity of social systems from which mentees draw upon to form developmental relationships, and (b) the strength of these relationships.

For early career psychologists, a matrix of mentors and developmental functions is presented in Table 1 (PDF, 182KB). Consistent with developmental networks, the matrix recognizes that one mentor may not address all of a mentee's developmental needs and that additional mentors may be needed to fill in the gaps (Chao, in press).

A mentor's position, relative to the mentee, is typically superior in status and power, although some mentors may be peers and others may even be subordinate to the mentee. Mentors who have professional roles that are superior to the mentee often have power to affect the mentee's career development. They may be in positions of authority to evaluate the career progress of the mentee or to provide resources and experiences that enhance the mentee's development. These mentors also can use their power indirectly, by influencing people who are directly responsible for the mentee. In contrast, peer mentors typically do not exercise formal power over mentees, but they often provide support and both partners share lessons learned as their careers progress. Their similar positions and shared developmental needs provide a common ground for peer mentoring. Finally, subordinate mentors can be rich sources of information about people and procedures. Mentees who are new to an organization may be more comfortable asking a subordinate or staff person for help because making the request and receiving evaluations are generally less threatening.

In addition to superior, peer, and subordinate types of mentors, these relationships can be distinguished by the key criteria that match a mentor with a mentee. Typically mentees are drawn to mentors who have key experiences in a particular professional specialty or interest area. The professional area is an obvious matching criterion, but it is not the only one. Mentees often seek mentors who share important demographic characteristics such as gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation. Furthermore, mentees can identify with particular mentors who have values, attitudes, and experiences that the mentee holds or aspires to have.

Table 1 (PDF, 182KB) illustrates how different mentors may help a mentee address a variety of developmental needs. This table is presented as an example and is not an exhaustive list of mentoring relationships or types of mentoring support. Across the top of the table are six types of mentoring relationships describing mentors who are senior, peer, or junior to the mentee, and also describing matches based on professional interest, demographics, or common values and experiences. Four career-related and four psychosocial mentoring functions are described for early career psychologists. Table 1 illustrates how a senior mentor may be well-positioned to help a mentee publish scholarship and obtain tenure, yet that senior mentor may not be well-positioned to help a mentee balance work–family issues. Thus, multiple mentors may be better than a single mentor. Although there is some research to support the use of multiple role models or mentors (cf. Filstad, 2004), more information is needed to know how mentees synthesize lessons learned and how they resolve conflicting information and advice.

Many psychologists are familiar with the necessity of rapport development with clients for positive therapeutic outcomes. The therapeutic relationship plays a pivotal role in the experience for both client and practitioner. Successful mentoring also depends on the quality of the relationship between mentor and mentee. Mentoring relationships may involve sharing more personal information related to professional growth whereas in therapeutic relationships, the therapist is likely to have stricter boundaries of self-disclosure. Training programs for counselors do not assume that trainees come with the knowledge necessary to develop strong rapport with clients, however little guidance is offered to mentors or mentees about the dos and don'ts of establishing a healthy mentoring relationship. The mentoring relationship mirrors in many ways a relationship between a counselor and a client, however it differs significantly in other ways. Areas in which the two overlap include positive regard, setting boundaries, active listening, and ethical behavior. However, one important area in which the mentoring relationship does not parallel a therapeutic relationship is that it is specifically not therapy.

In an effort to facilitate the development of functional and successful mentor relationships, articulating the rules of etiquette for these encounters may prove beneficial for both mentors and mentees. Although not intended to be comprehensive, this Introduction to Mentoring outlines key points that are essential to the development of rapport and the evolution of functional mentor relationships. Some points may be more appropriate for mentor relationships between two professionals and others more appropriate for mentor relationships between a student and a professional. These points are stated under the rubric of etiquette, along the lines of the conduct agreed upon by professionals to be observed in social and professional life.

Frequently both parties come to a mentor relationship with divergent expectations. Mentors may enter a mentor relationship to pass on wisdom received from their mentors. Mentees may solicit a mentor for counsel on career development. Some mentors may conceptualize the relationship as a business arrangement in which both parties benefit and some mentees may feel entitled to the attention of the mentor. The Stages of Mentoring section of this guide outlined the mentor relationship and establishing appropriate boundaries and warned that the relationship can devolve into a tangle from which both mentor and mentee wish to escape. What mentor does not have a story about a mentee who turned into a nightmare and a drain on resources? What mentee has not had a less than stellar mentor with stories about the hardships suffered under a tyrannical mentor? With some forethought and empathy, the mentoring experience can prove not only beneficial for all involved, but also lay the groundwork for a lifelong professional relationship.

Carl Rogers (1957) argued that all that was necessary for a successful therapeutic encounter was unconditional positive regard. Although this may not be sufficient to guarantee a successful mentor relationship, any relationship without a shared sense of respect is likely to quickly become dysfunctional. Respect is a cornerstone of the mentoring process. In a world where resources are in short supply and stress levels at all-time highs, respect can serve as a social lubricant for mentoring—respect for both mentor and mentee. Without shared positive regard, encounters become taxing and productivity levels fall. However, it is from a place of respect that a mentor understands the multiple forces involved in the struggle for professional identity development in the mentee and it is from a place of respect that the mentee understands the time limitations under which a mentor struggles. Although respect is earned and develops over time, it is a wise mentor and mentee who enter their relationship from a respectful stance.

A mentor who is clear and upfront about what the mentee can expect from a mentoring relationship, who guides the process, and who sets appropriate boundaries, creates an environment in which the relationship can thrive. A mentor who can provide perspective during critical incidents, and encourage the mentee to find balance, enables growth through the relationship. From the mentee's perspective, respectful behaviors such as punctuality, reliability, and the development of an independent work style, create an environment in which the mentor can best meet the needs of the mentee. This broad perspective may help a mentee to understand and value that the mentor relationship can be the start of a long-term, mutual, professional relationship that changes over time.

The number of complex circumstances and interactions in a mentor relationship are limitless, but basic social etiquette can be applied successfully in most cases. Respect, sensitivity, and equanimity can always serve the mentor and mentee well. Specifically, Table 2  (PDF, 120KB) lists a number of do and don't recommendations differentiated by mentor and mentee, though most can be applied to both parties.

Are ethical guidelines needed for mentoring when this process involves two adults? Should these guidelines rise to the level of standards? That is, should ethical guidelines be mandatory? Psychologist Linda Phillips-Jones suggested that standards for mentoring are not required but that better preparation for both mentors and mentees is needed ( Mentoring Group ; retrieved November 15, 2005).

Most professions have an established code of conduct, often called an ethics code. The APA's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct is subdivided into five general principles and 10 standards (APA, 2002). The general principles can be seen as an aspirational guide to appropriate interactions with others in many situations, including mentoring. They do not, however, dictate what is good and bad mentoring. The following section provides an illustration of the relationship of these ethical principles to the mentoring relationship.

APA ethical principles

Principle A is Beneficence and Nonmaleficence . Psychologists should try to help others and be careful not to harm them. Although this is good advice, it may be harder to define both help and harm in the mentoring relationship than in more formal psychological relationships. When considering this principle, psychologists must also be aware that mentoring is a mutual relationship. Although one member of this relationship is viewed as having information and skills that will assist the other, the relationship is reciprocal: Each can benefit from the other over the course of the relationship. Therefore, it is not just the mentor who must remember this principle but also the mentee. The actual process of addressing this principle will be related to the purpose of the mentoring. For example, if mentoring exists within a research context, there are issues of workload and publication credit. On the other hand, if the mentoring is within an organizational context, issues may be more closely related to confidentiality and navigation of internal political systems.

Principle B, Fidelity and Responsibility , leads the mentor to clarify the roles of each party to the relationship. Part of this clarification process is establishing that the mentor will help the mentee and not just use the mentee to further his or her own career. When these roles are established, it is important for both parties to understand that they may evolve over time. A healthy mentor relationship matures and both the roles and responsibilities change to accommodate that maturation process. It is important for both the mentor and mentee to be aware of any changes that have occurred.

Principle C, Integrity , follows from the previous principle. Both the mentor and mentee need to do what they have agreed to do when establishing the relationship. If a point of conflict or confusion arises, each person should be willing to resolve that issue.

Principle D, Justice , calls psychologists to aspire to fairness, and to ensure that access to psychological services is free from inappropriate bias. By virtue of Principle D, psychologists consider choices they make regarding with whom they will enter a mentoring relationship, and explore their reasons for choosing a particular mentee as opposed to other possible individuals who may desire such a relationship.

Principle E, Respect for People's Rights and Dignity , guides both the mentor and mentee to consider personal differences so that any differences do not bias their interactions. This principle also serves as a reminder that in some mentoring relationships there may be a power differential that could impact the process.

Potential problems in mentor relationships

Although mentoring is generally defined as a relationship that helps the mentee and the mentor, problems in the relationship may hinder the career development of either individual. If the bounds of the relationship are not clearly understood, a mentee may be overly dependent on a mentor, asking for micromanagement instead of career advice and counsel. A mentee may also ask for personal favors or expect involvement and credit with the mentor's work. Such a relationship would not help the mentee establish his or her own independence and would intensify difficulties in the separation stage. Mentors should not use nor exploit their mentees, nor should they take credit for the mentee's work. They may resist the separation stage and insist on some voice in the mentee's career decisions. Severe interpersonal problems with the relationship may mitigate the value of many mentoring lessons.

Perhaps the most visible interpersonal problem in mentoring occurs when the relationship moves from a professional one to a personal one. Research on cross-gender mentoring has identified sexual relationships as a potential problem (Young, Cady, & Foxon, 2006). Although sexual relationships are not confined to cross-gender mentoring, no research on sexual relationships in same-gender mentoring has been published to date. Kram (1985) describes how observers perceive unfair advantages to a mentee who is also in a personal relationship with the mentor. If the personal relationships are substantiated within a single organization, the organization will generally terminate any formal relationship between the two individuals and may even terminate one or both participants employment.

In addition to problems within the relationship, mentors and mentees may experience problems with performance issues. Mentors may be jealous when their mentees outshine them. In addition, one partner may struggle as a result of errors made by the other. For example, a mentee's reputation may be tarnished if his or her mentor commits a serious breach of ethics. Likewise, a mentor may be viewed negatively if his or her mentee's performance is not meeting expectations. The mentor's judgment in selecting a good mentee may be questioned as well as the quality of the mentor's counsel and advice.

Problems with mentoring may be minimized when both parties have clear expectations of what the professional relationship can do and what it should not do. Formal mentoring programs often include a training component for both parties to understand the expectations. Specific content of these training programs depends on the form of mentoring and purpose of the mentoring program.

In general, personal reflection about the mentor relationship both before initiating it and throughout its course, by both the mentor and mentee, will contribute to a robust, growth-oriented relationship. Finally, although obvious but often forgotten, both the mentor and mentee are human beings who strive to meet personal needs and goals in a complex world. Everyone has bad days, and forgiveness and patience will aid in overcoming what may appear to be barriers to a successful mentor relationship.

Mentoring has long been recognized as a powerful tool in career development. Early career psychologists are advised to find mentors, either informally on their own, or to participate in formal mentoring programs. Regardless of how a mentor and mentee are matched, etiquette and ethics demand that the relationship be conducted in a professional manner with consideration and respect for both individuals. Mentoring is a dynamic process and a developmental network of mentoring can help mentees identify several mentors who can address a variety of career-related needs. Successful mentorships often evolve into friendships with both partners learning and providing support for the other.

• American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. American Psychologist, 57, 1060–1073.
• Baugh, S. G., & Fagenson-Eland, E. A. (in press). Formal mentoring programs: A “poor cousin” to informal relationships? In B. R. Ragins & K. E. Kram (Eds.), Handbook of mentoring: Theory, research, and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Chao, G. T. (in press). Mentoring and organizational socialization: Networks for work adjustment. In B. R. Ragins & K. E. Kram (Eds.), Handbook of mentoring: Theory, research, and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Chao, G. T., Walz, P. M., & Gardner, P. D. (1992). Formal and informal mentorships: A comparison on mentoring functions and contrast with nonmentored counterparts. Personnel Psychology, 45, 619–636.
• Filstad, C. (2004). How newcomers use role models in organizational socialization. Journal of Workplace Learning, 16, 396–409.
• Higgins, M. C., Chandler, D. E., & Kram, K. E. (in press). Relational engagement and development networks. In B. R. Ragins & K. E. Kram (Eds.), Handbook of mentoring: Theory, research, and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Johnson, W. B., & Huwe, J. M. (2003). Ge tt ing mentored in graduate school. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Kram, K. E. (1985). Mentoring at work: Developmental relationships in organizational life. Glenview,IL: Scott, Foresman & Company.
• Ragins, B. R., Cotton, J. L., & Miller, J. S. (2000). Marginal mentoring: The effects of type of mentor, quality of relationship, and program design on work and career attitudes. Academy of Management Journal, 43, 1177–1194.
• Rogers, C. R. (1957). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 2, 95–103.
• Wanberg, C. R., Welsh, E. T., & Hezlett, S. A. (2003). Mentoring research: A review and dynamic process model. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 22, 39–124.
• Young, A. M., Cady, S., & Foxon, M. J. (2006). Demystifying gender differences in mentoring: Theoretical perspectives and challenges for future research on gender and mentoring. Human Resource Development Review, 5, 148–176

Centering on Mentoring 2006 Presidential Task Force American Psychological Association

Chair Jessica Henderson Daniel, PhD

Members Joseph F. Aponte, PhD Georgia T. Chao, PhD Haydee M. Cuevas, PhD Benjamin D. Locke, PhD Janet A. Ma..hews, PhD Mark A. Vosvick, PhD Danny Wedding, PhD Tanya E. Williamson, PhD

Ex-Officio Gerald P. Koocher, PhD

Related Resource

• Career Advice

What Do the Best Mentors Do?

By  Joya Misra and Jennifer Lundquist

You have / 5 articles left. Sign up for a free account or log in.

iStock/Monkeybusinessimages

Mentoring matters. As we have written in previous columns, students and faculty members are much more likely to succeed in academic contexts when they receive good mentoring. Yet, because mentoring is rarely taught or recognized, it can be difficult to learn how to mentor effectively.

For this column, we interviewed faculty members from different disciplines whom colleagues and students identified as excellent mentors. The practices of these highly regarded mentors shed some light on the qualities of effective mentoring.

Intergenerational Transmission of Mentoring

When we asked faculty mentors to reflect on how they themselves had been mentored, only some pointed to the influence of their own undergraduate or graduate mentors. But in those cases, these mentors often have remained important in the faculty members’ lives.

One senior faculty member revered his undergraduate and graduate mentors, saying, “A lot of the things I’m describing to you are echoes of my own life as a student. I wouldn’t be who I am without that.” A less senior faculty member noted with surprise that her dissertation committee has been “even more attentive” as she publishes her first book than they were when she was completing the dissertation.

Many faculty mentors did not necessarily have good mentors themselves. In fact, one described their high-prestige advisers as giving “15 minutes, once a year,” while another said they were “raised by wolves.” Many developed peer mentoring networks instead, some of which continue to operate. Checking in regularly with peers navigating similar career tracks can be large source of support.

Thus, excellent mentors develop their mentoring strategies both in imitation of their own positive mentoring models and in reaction to more negative experiences.

Recognition of the Whole Person

Although the guru model of mentoring implies that mentors must be fountains of wise advice, one of the most important characteristics of good mentors is listening. While none of the mentors subscribe to a one-size-fits-all prescription to mentoring, all agree that listening to mentees allows them to develop strategies specific to the person’s current needs.

Many of the faculty mentors also reflect on the importance of recognizing students as whole people with personal lives that impact their academic work. One mentor recounts, “You attend to their intellectual development, but also be aware of their emotional and personal and family stresses that impact that intellectual job that we're supposed to do. The idea that students just bring in a big brain, surrounded by nothing -- it doesn't work that way.”

Another similarly argues, “People die, people get pregnant, you get married, go through divorces. It’s OK to say, ‘I’m not juggling it well’ and … let people know so we can figure out how to best help you. I think that’s half the battle, because a lot of people think that you can handle everything.”

Rather than merely addressing mentees’ intellectual work, the most effective mentors, then, recognize the whole person and help students navigate challenging times. Some further note that this broader connection creates a relationship that is valuable and meaningful to both the mentor and mentee.

Recognizing the whole person also reflects on shared backgrounds between the mentor and mentee, which may include racial and ethnic heritage, first-generation status, gender, nationality, or other factors. Some faculty mentors from underrepresented groups note that they felt “kind of lost” when they entered academe, and when faculty members or senior students reached out, it had enormous impact. Yet, for underrepresented faculty members, this can also lead to a heavy mentoring load, because they know how difficult it may be for mentees to find other mentors who understand their experiences.

Part of recognizing mentees as whole people may also mean portraying themselves as a whole person to mentees, for example: “I share a lot of my own personal experience and I feel like that’s one of the places that I often begin, is sort of sharing a little bit about how I did it and what I experienced and what worked for me.”

Another person who engages in substantial informal mentoring notes that he tries to model the enjoyment he gets out of being an academic: “I think it’s important to communicate and get people to become involved in the joy of being an academic, the joy of being an intellectual … It’s just understanding we’re somehow getting them to participate in that, the intellectual life, which I find really very rewarding.”

In summary, great mentors listen first and foremost. In so doing, they come to see their mentees as whole people, rather than as “a big brain,” tending both to their mentees’ personal and professional well-being, and sharing their own experiences.

Regular Contact

Strong mentors are often in consistent contact with the mentees, although frequency differs as “people need different things at different times.” As one describes, “I’m not going to let them just go away for months at a time and not have any contact with me. Some people work better with frequent interchanges, while some people work better if they can get a whole chapter together and really don’t want to show it to me until they’ve done that. If I see that’s working for them, that’s fine.”

Yet most successful mentors suggest that contact makes an enormous difference to seeing mentees meet goals in a timely way. As one mentor explains, “Some people I meet with every week, some people I meet with every other week, but my minimum is that you have to check in with me once a month.” Another described that, although meetings vary in frequency and timing, “when people are really in the thick of preparing for comps or they’re in the final stage of producing their thesis, it wouldn’t be unusual to meet once a week.”

In such meetings, faculty mentors check in to help mentees set timelines and schedules that are sensitive to the reality of the mentee’s life. Meeting with students regularly also allows mentors to convey “very, very clear expectations,” which helps ensure mentees make consistent progress.

A number of mentors hold weekly or biweekly meetings with groups of students as a way to mentor multiple students efficiently, while also facilitating peer mentoring networks. As one notes, “I encourage people to talk to their seniors, their peers … I learned [my skills] in the lab from other students … If you’re using a particular software [and] you’re running into problems, somebody maybe is using it and has solved the problem you have. There’s no point in going and banging your head against the wall and trying to do it by yourself.”

One mentor describes using technology to keep on track with students. For example, YouCanBookMe allows students to set up appointments, Trello allows the mentor to track conversations with mentees and Harvest Time Tracking allows her to track how much time she gives to mentoring activities each week.

In summary, while the best mentors use a range of approaches to maintaining contact with students, almost all emphasize the importance of being in regular touch.

Best-practice mentors also give students regular and constructive feedback. Most of the mentors attempt to provide feedback within a week or two of receiving a mentee’s draft. Other career pressures mean that they cannot always provide immediate feedback, but they strive to respond promptly. Some suggest scheduling meetings to ensure that they read material by a certain date and can then give feedback at the meeting. One explains “I’m happy for them to send me stuff, but if they really actually want to get feedback, they probably have to make an appointment, because deadlines are all of our friends, right?”

In fact, many identified slow feedback to mentees as one of the worst things mentors can do, for example: “It’s not as if it’s big news to people if you don’t respond to written work for six months … it’s going to take longer for them, and they’re not going to do so well.” Most best-practices mentors note that they are frustrated by their colleagues’ lack of accountability around mentoring.

Type of feedback also matters. Research projects often change, but it is important to maintain connections so that mentees do not drift. Rather than written materials, feedback may relate to the ideas that are beginning to come together or shifts in the way the student is thinking.

Another issue is in how faculty mentors provide feedback. Some note the importance of encouraging mentees, making constructive comments and not being so frank that the student gives up. As one said, vicious critiques can lead to “crippling fear,” but good, probing comments make work better.

In summary, the best mentors respond in a timely, useful way, even as they find it challenging to find the time to provide quality feedback.

Many mentors note that having a reputation for good mentorship can lead to having too many mentees and feeling “eaten alive” by their mentoring commitments, including from students and colleagues outside their own university. These mentors emphasize the importance of setting limits on the number of mentees, and time devoted to mentoring. As one argues, “I think we have to be realistic about how many students we can really attend to. If we’re going to do a good job for them, it’s not as many as the administration thinks we can attend to.”

Most of the mentors we spoke with wish they had fewer mentees so that they could give each more time. They describe the challenge of wanting to offload mentees but needing to ensure that they receive caring, consistent mentorship. When mentees need a skill set that the mentors themselves do not have, good mentors describe encouraging mentees to find other mentors or build broader mentoring networks.

Mentors also note that, at times, it can be frustrating to provide uncredited informal mentoring. As one woman of color says, “Unfortunately, [students] also gravitate towards white men, and they feel that’s going to be their ticket to success.” She later notes, “I’m asked to read stuff, but I don’t get credit.” Mentors, therefore, sometimes provide feedback necessary for intellectual growth but find their mentorship unrecognized.

Despite such challenges, the best mentors recognize that they learn a great deal from their mentees and that these relationships matter. Rather than only feeling like mentorship is a drain on their energy and time, effective mentors also see it as “nourishing,” “meaningful” and, for some, the best part of their job.

Over all, the interviews show that good mentors see mentees as whole people with lives outside of work, they maintain regular contact and they provide mentees with useful feedback at different career stages. At the same time, mentoring well can be time-consuming and challenging.

Individual mentoring approaches should be buttressed by institutional supports -- such as recognition and resources, clear guidelines, training programs , and professional development -- as we previously described . When these structural mechanisms are in place, mentoring relationships can become empowering and enriching for both mentee and mentor.

A Dean Called for Silencing Harvard’s Faculty Critics. He’s Been Roasted.

Lawrence D.

Share This Article

More from career advice.

Hiring for Humanity

To create an office culture marked by trust, humanity and collaboration, Diana Lawrence poses a rather unexpected que

In Praise of Lunch

Amid the stress and clutter of our daily lives, and the divisions straining our politics and culture, we need sustain

Bad-Faith Counteroffers

Black and other minoritized faculty don’t receive equitable ones if they receive them at all, which harms both them a

• Become a Member
• Sign up for Newsletters
• Learning & Assessment
• Diversity & Equity
• Career Development
• Labor & Unionization
• Shared Governance
• Academic Freedom
• Books & Publishing
• Financial Aid
• Residential Life
• Free Speech
• Physical & Mental Health
• Race & Ethnicity
• Sex & Gender
• Socioeconomics
• Traditional-Age
• Adult & Post-Traditional
• Teaching & Learning
• Artificial Intelligence
• Digital Publishing
• Data Analytics
• Administrative Tech
• Alternative Credentials
• Financial Health
• Cost-Cutting
• Revenue Strategies
• Academic Programs
• Physical Campuses
• Mergers & Collaboration
• Fundraising
• Research Universities
• Regional Public Universities
• Community Colleges
• Private Nonprofit Colleges
• Minority-Serving Institutions
• Religious Colleges
• Women's Colleges
• Specialized Colleges
• For-Profit Colleges
• Executive Leadership
• Trustees & Regents
• State Oversight
• Accreditation
• Politics & Elections
• Supreme Court
• Student Aid Policy
• Science & Research Policy
• State Policy
• Colleges & Localities
• Employee Satisfaction
• Remote & Flexible Work
• Staff Issues
• Study Abroad
• International Students in U.S.
• U.S. Colleges in the World
• Intellectual Affairs
• Seeking a Faculty Job
• Advancing in the Faculty
• Seeking an Administrative Job
• Advancing as an Administrator
• Beyond Transfer
• Call to Action
• Confessions of a Community College Dean
• Higher Ed Gamma
• Higher Ed Policy
• Just Explain It to Me!
• Just Visiting
• Law, Policy—and IT?
• Leadership & StratEDgy
• Leadership in Higher Education
• Learning Innovation
• Online: Trending Now
• Resident Scholar
• University of Venus
• Student Voice
• Academic Life
• Health & Wellness
• The College Experience
• Life After College
• Academic Minute
• Weekly Wisdom
• Reports & Data
• Quick Takes
• Advertising & Marketing
• Consulting Services
• Data & Insights
• Hiring & Jobs
• Event Partnerships

4 /5 Articles remaining this month.

Sign up for a free account or log in.

• Sign Up, It’s FREE

We use cookies to enhance our website for you. Proceed if you agree to this policy or learn more about it.

• Essay Database >
• Essay Examples >
• Essays Topics >
• Essay on Journey

Free Mentor Essay Example

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Journey , Perspective , Teaching , Life , Mentor , Tourism , Skills , Success

Published: 02/25/2020

ORDER PAPER LIKE THIS

In life, a mentor is one of the important people who serve as an objective advisor and confidant with who a mentee can be open to discuss various issues. It is worth noting that a mentor is not a molder but rather someone who inspire and serve as role model. In fact, a mentor is a source of experience and information from which a mentee can learn from. My life mentor came as part of my academic life, and we have always bonded and focused on something deeper. Education can be one of the difficult activities and it calls for crucial perspective and mentorship. My mentor is associated with academics and his life is one of a kind. In general perspective, the life of my mentor had a lot of impacts in my life. In fact, his life journey is an absolute role model and exemplary example that has become part of my life. The journey of my mentor was driven by a global vision. This is because he has tremendously become successful in life based on his view based on broader objectives and goals. In his day to day activities he was driven by his global vision. Perhaps, my mentor always asserted that a program is one of the absolute means in achieving life goals. My mentor became successful through his focus on leading from the front. The journey of my mentor was full of challenges both financial and social, but he was always willing to share his expertise, skills, and knowledge. The life journey of my mentor was full of demonstrations of positive attitude as well as positive aspects. There were occasions whereby life seemed to be difficult and success seemed unachievable. He could always focus on the importance of remaining positive in a life and he always builds a positive attitude towards life. My mentor has always succeeded in most of his activities, but what is behind his success is the personal interest in mentoring and the urge to make the world a better place for all people. My mentor life was a clear image of what good mentors should look like. He was compassionate, knowledgeable, and possessed good qualities of a trainer and a teacher. It is worth noting that mentoring is more of teaching that the art of changing someone’s life. He could communicate so easily, and this formed the basis of all educative sessions that we carried out. Mentorship entails growth among all the stakeholders. There are occasions whereby my mentor could take some advice from me. Such life is encouraging since he focused on growth and dynamic nature of life. Based in the life of my mentor, values and good network are some of the common characteristics. The essence of having good network with other people drives one towards success. On the society, my mentor is well known for his ability and reputation to help others and make them solve their problems. Setting of good example sets the centre stage of the entire mentoring skills and knowledge. Mentoring incorporates various activities, my mentor was a father of a family, but he always focused at solving the mentee problems rather than involving them in their problems. One of the crucial components of my mentor life journey is the issue of professionalism. He basically had professional skills, which include respect, personal courage, competence, integrity, as well as commitment. These qualities that he possessed during the mentoring process seemed to have been the pillar of his career as a mentor. My mentor is one of the important people in my life for various reasons. It is evident that he has actually impacted my life in various ways. Looking at my entire life, I attribute my success and strengths to him since he saw me through various aspects of life. In life we tend to underestimate the impacts of mentor, and this is why many people fail in life. My mentor is very important because he encouraged me in various occasions. There are many occasions that I feel too low, and in such occasions he encouraged me. In addition, my mentor is important because he helped me reduce the mistakes I make in life. The wisdom that I received from him helped me to prevent the mistakes that could not be avoided easily. I was weak in various issues, but through his mentorship I managed to eliminate my weaknesses. This is one of the difficult aspects of mentoring since it entails a lot of pruning off. Our friends will always tolerate our weakness, but a mentor will ensure that the weakness is eliminated. He is also important because he brought out my strength and ensured that i realize my potentials in life. It is through my mentor that I became truthful and honesty. Success in life is all about saying the truth and being honesty. There are various impacts that my mentor has caused in my life. Some of the impacts are associated to empowerment, support, expectations, boundaries, social competencies, time management, positive identity, as well as positive values. In gametal perspective, the life of my mentor is a clear perspective of a good mentor.

Cite this page

Share with friends using:

Removal Request

Finished papers: 2786

This paper is created by writer with

ID 272729576

If you want your paper to be:

Well-researched, fact-checked, and accurate

Original, fresh, based on current data

Eloquently written and immaculately formatted

275 words = 1 page double-spaced

Get your papers done by pros!

Other Pages

Encyclopedia biographies, confirmation term papers, irrigation term papers, anticipation term papers, precipitation term papers, powder term papers, antibody term papers, migrant term papers, doctorate term papers, footprint term papers, endorsement term papers, example of main issue topic article review, economic questions course work, research paper on protest movements in the arab world, good example of research paper on the culinary traditions from czechoslovakia, good example of modernizing copyright law essay, electro mechanical control systems essay example, generic drugs book reviews examples, hw5 essay samples, reforming workers compensation thesis examples, other essays examples 2, sample research paper on future of the internet, good essay about the constituition of the united states, good example of effect of video games on childrens and adolescents behavior argumentative essay, free essay on a dynamic system, good book review on should this student have been expelled, free case study on american apparel corporate image, all i really need to know i learned at home course work, good course work about adjectives and adverbs, treynor essays, tim allen essays, lanham essays, visicalc essays, tame essays, phone industry essays, the prisoner essays, premarital sex essays, organizational psychology essays, tariff barriers essays, food restaurants essays, vishnu essays, product lifecycle essays, sambia essays.

Password recovery email has been sent to [email protected]

Use your new password to log in

You are not register!

By clicking Register, you agree to our Terms of Service and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Now you can download documents directly to your device!

Check your email! An email with your password has already been sent to you! Now you can download documents directly to your device.

or Use the QR code to Save this Paper to Your Phone

The sample is NOT original!

Short on a deadline?

Don't waste time. Get help with 11% off using code - GETWOWED

No, thanks! I'm fine with missing my deadline

• Entertainment
• Environment
• Information Science and Technology
• Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Sociology

Essay Samples on Mentor

Startup mentoring: process and benefits.

Mentorship is an alliance in which a more experienced or a person with great knowledge helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. Mentor is someone who must have an expertise in a subject he/she wants someone to be mentored. A mentor is...

• Human Development

My Influencer and Inspiration: the Role of a Mentor in My Life

A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. Someone who had been a significant mentor in my life was my mom’s close friend; cate yousef. I grew up with my two brothers in atlanta...

• Positive Psychology

Beneficial Role of Mentor in a Student’s Life

Have the thought of finding a mentor ever crossed your mind? Often there are times when students seem perplexed looking at the various career opportunities the world has to offer. Everything seems so overwhelming, that it becomes difficult to choose the right career path. No...

• Professionalism
• Student Life

The Importance of the Structural Strategy in Mentor-Mentee Relationships

Throughout life people often have a person who one looks up to as a role model. Having an adult figure in one’s life to help guide, support, and assist to reach goals one wants to achieve (Rhodes, 2002). This person often will guide you as...

• Parent-Child Relationship

A Reflection of One's Success in a Healthy Mentor-Mentee Relationship

The purpose of this reflection work is to discuss and reflect on the learnings gained through this Peer mentorship experience. "My mentor said, ‘Let’s go do it,’ not ‘You go do it.'", This quote by Jim Rohn is an excellent example of a healthy mentor-mentee...

• Healthy Lifestyle

Stressed out with your paper?

Consider using writing assistance:

• 100% unique papers
• 3 hrs deadline option

Relevance of Religion and Mentoring Relationships in the Process of Nation Building

Benedict Anderson in "The Nation as Imagined Community" defines nation as "an imagined political community" ,"imagined as both inherently limited and sovereign." In modern terminology, nation acts as a collective organization of numerous heterogeneous groups that are brought together through certain binding homogeneity. A certain...

• Nation Building

Younger Generation’s Development: Mentors Make A Difference

When a child leaves a less than satisfactory home to come to school, they tend to act out and get into lots of trouble. These children are seen as “at-risk” children. At-risk children are known for having behavior issues and problems obtaining educational material in...

• Childhood Development

Best topics on Mentor

1. Startup Mentoring: Process and Benefits

2. My Influencer and Inspiration: the Role of a Mentor in My Life

3. Beneficial Role of Mentor in a Student’s Life

4. The Importance of the Structural Strategy in Mentor-Mentee Relationships

5. A Reflection of One’s Success in a Healthy Mentor-Mentee Relationship

6. Relevance of Religion and Mentoring Relationships in the Process of Nation Building

7. Younger Generation’s Development: Mentors Make A Difference

• Gender Roles
• Gender Stereotypes
• Social Media
• National Honor Society
• American Identity
• Americanism
• American Dream

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

Why i Want to be a Mentor

This personal essay will explore the author’s reasons for wanting to become a mentor. It will discuss the value of mentorship in personal and professional development, the desire to share knowledge and experience, and the satisfaction derived from helping others grow. The piece will reflect on the author’s own experiences with mentors and how these have shaped their desire to mentor others. At PapersOwl too, you can discover numerous free essay illustrations related to Employment.

How it works

First, you look for a teacher, then you become one.

Getting yourself a mentor is the secret desire of every novice businessman.

Becoming a mentor is already a new stage of professionalism. And he is much closer than he looks. To do this, you do not need to devote your whole life to one business, receive 74 awards in the chosen field and wait for the students to find you themselves.

The events that are happening to you and your experiences have made you who you are now.

You have become more perfect thanks to achievements and knowledge, mistakes and failures. Any of your experiences can help those who are just starting their journey. The great thing was said by journalist Margaret Fuller: “If you have knowledge, let other people receive light from them.”

Mentoring is a symbiosis. You share your wisdom with others, and it helps not only them, but also you.

Why become a mentor To be happy, you need to help others. When you seek solutions to other people’s problems, you withdraw from your worries.

Working on someone else’s difficult situations allows you to look at your own problems with a new perspective.

To feel significant and in demand, you need to share knowledge. Being a mentor means being influential, inspiring and motivating. This is useful to both parties. For the student, you are a source of knowledge and energy. For you, student respect is a source of happiness and confidence.

Passing on your knowledge and experience increases self-esteem and job satisfaction.

To develop continuously, you need to find a student. As a protege gains new knowledge, a mentor hones skills:

– leadership skills; – interpersonal communication; – establishing mutual understanding and trust; – analytic skills; – decision making skills.

Through mentoring, the mentor is faced with new challenges, opportunities, and emotional rewards that he would never have faced.

Cite this page

Why I Want To Be A Mentor. (2021, Jul 07). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/why-i-want-to-be-a-mentor/

"Why I Want To Be A Mentor." PapersOwl.com , 7 Jul 2021, https://papersowl.com/examples/why-i-want-to-be-a-mentor/

PapersOwl.com. (2021). Why I Want To Be A Mentor . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/why-i-want-to-be-a-mentor/ [Accessed: 2 Jul. 2024]

"Why I Want To Be A Mentor." PapersOwl.com, Jul 07, 2021. Accessed July 2, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/why-i-want-to-be-a-mentor/

"Why I Want To Be A Mentor," PapersOwl.com , 07-Jul-2021. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/why-i-want-to-be-a-mentor/. [Accessed: 2-Jul-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2021). Why I Want To Be A Mentor . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/why-i-want-to-be-a-mentor/ [Accessed: 2-Jul-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

Essay Service Examples Education Mentor

Why I Want to Be a Mentor Essay

Personal Background

• Proper editing and formatting
• Free revision, title page, and bibliography
• Flexible prices and money-back guarantee

Reasons for Becoming a Mentor

Qualifications and skills for being a mentor, challenges and solutions, benefits of being a mentor.

Our writers will provide you with an essay sample written from scratch: any topic, any deadline, any instructions.

Cite this paper

Related essay topics.

Get your paper done in as fast as 3 hours, 24/7.

Related articles

Most popular essays

Generally there is a misconception about coaching and mentoring; it is assumed these are one and...

• Critical Reflection

As a mentor, my role according to Casey and Clark 2011 is to be a good and competent role model...

Mentoring is a dynamic aspect of our daily lives. It is a partnership between a more experienced...

The Mentoring Program is designed to provide information to new employees with the opportunity to...

Coaching and mentoring are regular terms used across the school, especially in my role as...

As a manager when new employees start their roles, I will mentor and coach the new employee for a...

Garvey, Stokes, and Megginson (2009:26) conclude that ‘there can be no ‘one best way’ in mentoring...

This is the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Learning Strategy for 2019-2018. This is based on the skills...

Stereotypically, when considering how an individual can engage with CPD to enhance their...

Join our 150k of happy users

• Get original paper written according to your instructions
• Save time for what matters most

Fair Use Policy

EduBirdie considers academic integrity to be the essential part of the learning process and does not support any violation of the academic standards. Should you have any questions regarding our Fair Use Policy or become aware of any violations, please do not hesitate to contact us via [email protected].

We are here 24/7 to write your paper in as fast as 3 hours.

Provide your email, and we'll send you this sample!

By providing your email, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy .

Say goodbye to copy-pasting!

Get custom-crafted papers for you.

Enter your email, and we'll promptly send you the full essay. No need to copy piece by piece. It's in your inbox!

7 Qualities That Make a Good Mentor (and How to Find Someone Who Has Them All)

You’ve heard it again and again: Everyone needs a mentor in their career, if not several. Just like you want the kind of friends who can successfully guide you through life’s twists and turns—like how much you should spend on your next apartment or whether or not you should get bangs—you want people who can provide that same level of support in your career. And mentors can be valuable in just about any stage you’re in, whether you’re job searching, getting adjusted in a role, looking to move up, or exploring a new and intimidating path.

But what exactly makes for great mentorship? We’ll let you in on the secret formula to finding and keeping the perfect mentor for you.

What Is a Mentor?

A mentor is a person who provides you with the tools, guidance, support, and feedback you need to thrive in your career. They’re often someone who’s gone down the same road you’re on currently and is “there to advise you on what they’ve done and what’s worked for them” says Muse career coach Brad Finkeldei .

Just about anyone can act as your career mentor—a friend, a friend of a friend, a family member, an alumnus of your school, a co-worker or peer, a current or former boss, someone you got to know through a networking event. A mentor isn’t someone you admire from afar. They should be able to play a consistent role in your life over some period of time.

Al Dea, founder of CareerSchooled and a Muse career coach outlines several clear benefits of having a mentor in your career.

First, they’re knowledge and opportunity centers—they can “provide you with insights and context and experiences that either you may not necessarily have at all or you have limited visibility into,” he says. Plus, having a mentor “can help you get unstuck” when you’re struggling to come up with a solution to a problem or can’t seem to make a decision.

Having a mentor also helps you build your professional network because they may know or be connected with people who can help you down the road.

(Oh, and being a mentor provides plenty of benefits, too, including leadership training, access to new professional contacts and opportunities, and the satisfaction of being a part of someone else’s success. It’s really a two-way relationship!)

What Are the Qualities of a Good Mentor?

Not all mentors are created equal. The best mentors share some important qualities. You’ll want to look for these attributes in anyone you’re thinking about building a mentor-mentee relationship with. And if you’re looking to be a better mentor yourself, these qualities are worth noting.

1. Relevant Expertise or Knowledge

It may seem obvious, but your mentor should, more often than not, have some kind of relevant background. Maybe they’re a few levels or titles ahead of you (say, a VP of sales while you’re an account executive) or have worked in the space you’re interested in for some time. But they should be able to help propel you forward because they’ve been there, seen the landscape, and know what it takes to be successful.

“Having some sort of commonality can also be really helpful because that’s usually what can bring that relationship together,” Dea adds.

One thing to watch out for: This person shouldn’t be more than five or 10 years ahead of you. Someone who’s 20 or 30 years out has a wealth of experience to share, sure, but they may also be so removed from where you are that they can’t relate to your situation and provide accurate advice. The modern workplace is constantly changing, so what was common practice in your mentor’s prime may no longer be relevant.

2. Enthusiasm for Sharing That Expertise

Just as important as your mentor having expertise is them being willing to share it with you. They shouldn’t be someone who begrudgingly hands over knowledge and expects figurative payment in return, nor should they reveal things in a vague, manipulative fashion. Rather, they should be open and excited to spread the word.

The best mentors give advice not because they like to hear themselves talk, but because they genuinely want others to benefit from the hard-won wisdom they’ve learned over the course of their careers.

3. A Respectful Attitude

You don’t want someone who criticizes you harshly and unconstructively, mistreats you or others close to you, and ultimately gives you a bad name. That makes for an unproductive and frustrating partnership.

And on the rare occasions when good mentors act in a less-than-respectful manner (look, we’re all human), they acknowledge it and apologize authentically.

4. Eagerness to Invest in Others

“Mentoring is an investment. No one gets paid to do it in their day job,” explains Dea. Because there’s no concrete incentive, you’ll want a mentor who finds genuine joy in helping others.

Great mentors realize that they’re playing a long game, and as a result are patient in how they guide others down their path. They don’t expect immediate gains, and they don’t give up easily. More importantly, they care about maintaining and growing their professional relationships.

5. The Ability to Give Honest and Direct Feedback

Finding someone who’s respectful is key, but so is finding someone who will give you some tough love when you need it. A good mentor knows how to deliver feedback in a way that’s constructive, kind, and direct, and doesn’t shy away from being honest because they’re afraid of hurting your feelings.

Basically, you want “someone who’s willing to call you out on your BS,” says Finkeldei, because rarely can you get that kind of perspective in the workplace. And you know you’ll make better decisions and come out stronger with someone like that by your side.

6. Reflective Listening and Empathy

These are important qualities in a mentor because “they can have all the answers in their head, but if they’re not willing to listen to where you’re coming from, they’re not going to be able to steer you in the direction that you want to go,” says Finkeldei.

What does this look like? Your mentor should be asking questions more often than simply telling you what to do. And, says Finkeldei, they should show that they’re “actually curious about what you’re up to and why you’re up to that.”

That curiosity is important because “you want someone who can relate to you from your perspective,” says Finkeldei. Oftentimes people try to impose their own beliefs or ways of approaching things on others, and this can be a good mentor’s downfall. So find someone you can trust to take your values and input into account over their own.

7. Willingness to Be a Sponsor

Not every mentor has to also be a sponsor, but it can be really helpful to have this kind of mentor in your corner.

The difference between the two, Dea explains, is action: While a mentor is someone who can guide you with advice and support, a sponsor is an ally who takes it one step further by being someone “who is actively advocating for you…both behind closed doors and publicly.”

Basically, he says, they use their political credibility and relationship capital to “get you access to opportunities or titles or roles that you would not be able to get on your own.”

How Do You Spot These Qualities to Find a Good Mentor?

Ask yourself these questions to see if someone in your life would be a good mentor. If you say “yes” to most or all of them, chances are they’d be the right fit for you:

• Is it clear they have real experience walking the same path as you (or a path you’re interested in)?
• Do they seem to invest in and enjoy being a part of others’ success?
• Are they good at giving and receiving feedback?
• Do they speak in a truthful and respectful manner?
• Are they invested in their own growth and development?
• Do they see the value in investing in growth and development in general?
• Do you respect and like this person inside and outside the office?
• Are they well liked by others?
• Do they have mentors of their own? (If so, that’s a good sign they understand the value and impact of a mentoring relationship.)

While it’s great to be intentional about finding a mentor, Dea notes that you shouldn’t try to force it or expect things to fall into place right away. “The best approach you can [take] is to constantly be going out and building relationships with people and learning [from] them. If you’re constantly just in that mindset, you’ll kind of incept yourself into getting mentors,” he says.

And remember, says Finkeldei, having a mentor isn’t about becoming the person—rather, “you’re aspiring to have their skills and to gain the knowledge that they have.” Everyone’s seeking their own definition of a successful career, and chances are yours will look much different than your mentor’s. Rely on them for guidance and encouragement, but make sure you’re continuing to do what feels right for you.

Home / Essay Samples / Sociology / Mentor / My Motivation To Be Accepted To The Mentorship Program

My Motivation To Be Accepted To The Mentorship Program

• Category: Sociology
• Topic: Mentor

Pages: 1 (407 words)

Views: 3098

• Downloads: -->

--> ⚠️ Remember: This essay was written and uploaded by an--> click here.

Found a great essay sample but want a unique one?

are ready to help you with your essay

You won’t be charged yet!

Body Language Essays

Apology Essays

Effects of Social Media Essays

Gossip Essays

Intercultural Communication Essays

Related Essays

We are glad that you like it, but you cannot copy from our website. Just insert your email and this sample will be sent to you.

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service  and  Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Your essay sample has been sent.

In fact, there is a way to get an original essay! Turn to our writers and order a plagiarism-free paper.

samplius.com uses cookies to offer you the best service possible.By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .--> -->