Want to learn from the experience of someone successful in your industry? Having a career mentor can bring huge benefits to your professional life.
What is a career mentor?
A career mentor is someone who can share their knowledge and expertise with you and guide you through your career choices. They could be someone in your own company or someone you admire who has found success in your industry.
Some companies offer a formal mentorship scheme, but if you don’t have access to one, it’s worth the effort of finding a mentor yourself. Here are just some of the main benefits a mentor can bring to your career:
Benefits of having a career mentor
They can help you stay focussed – a career mentor can help you set career goals and stick to them
They can give you access to opportunities – your mentor could let you know about opportunities before they reach the open market, introduce you to important people or provide insider information about your industry
They can share their experiences – having a career mentor who has done it all before means you can learn from their successes, and their mistakes
They can help you see the bigger picture – a mentor can help you take a step back and see your career as a whole, as well as challenge you to take a more critical approach to your professional development
They can help you network – your career mentor could give you access to their own extended professional network and valuable connections, which can benefit your career for years to come
How to find a career mentor
Use your alumni network!
Your alumni association gives you access to a huge network of former students of Derby College, many of who have gone on to find great success in their industries. Here are several ways you can use your alumni network to find a mentor.
- Post a discussion on your Alumni LinkedIn group saying you’re interested in talking with people working in your industry
- Explore the profiles of your fellow Alumni LinkedIn group members and see if there is anyone whose career you admire. Ask them a question via InMail and see if anyone has any valuable advice they can share.