How Do I Find A Mentor?

tiarafeaster·Feb 14, 2022

Posted in:Advice Favors Tech Career Growth

Good morning ladies!

Does anyone have a mentor? If so, how did you find each other? Do you just ask if someone can mentor you? Did they volunteer?

I'm looking for a mentor to help me not only further my career, but actually step into the space I need. I have a hard time putting myself "out there" , so I believe I'm missing out on a quite a bit.

Any stories or advice would be great!

dipishapatel·Feb 14, 2022

Hi Tiara! You can check out https://www.get-merit.com/ to find a mentor!

rachelkspurrier·Feb 14, 2022

Yes, I love Merit (I'm a little biased because I write for them)! Also, one of their co-founders wrote a great article on finding a mentor! https://medium.com/merit-publication/why-mentorship-2c29254684cf

anitavivar·Mar 04, 2022

@dipishapatel Thank you very much for sharing the link!I read there that Merit works best for people located in the United States and Canada, do you happen to know if it's because of the language barrier or if there's any other reason?

dipishapatel·Mar 04, 2022

Hi @anitavivar welcome to Elpha! I'm tagging @teresaman as she would have better insight into this.

teresaman·Feb 14, 2022

Check out @jmmggg11's mentorship program at First Round! https://elpha.com/posts/5px0p861/level-up-in-your-career-in-2022-apply-to-first-round-s-fast-track-mentorship-program

Brionna·Feb 14, 2022

I know @Ashima is building something over at https://dreami.io/!Also, finding a mentor can be generally challenging, which is why I think everyone is recommending these matching resources. Do you generally have a sense of what you're hoping to get from a mentor/mentee relationship? What exactly is it you feel that you are missing that you think you could get from a mentor/mentee relationship? Is it possible that you might be able to get that thing elsewhere or even better offer it to yourself? I think once you're clear on why you want a mentor, it will help others find what it is that you want and are looking for. Feel free to message me if you want to talk it through!

Ashima·Feb 15, 2022

Wow!! Thank you for mentioning us :)

BrianaBrownell·Feb 14, 2022

My experience with mentor matching programs has been quite poor -- I have never really "clicked" with someone that I was linked with. Where I've found success and value is pairing with people in more of a co-mentoring relationship. I have specific expertise that other folks find valuable, and so conversations are two-sided rather than one-sided.

sunnymoe·Feb 14, 2022

I use thelighthouse.us to find mentors

Ashima·Feb 15, 2022

I have so many thoughts on this!! (I started a whole platform dedicated to this because it felt so hard)If you ever want to chat any time, just let me know :)

tiarafeaster·Feb 15, 2022

Yes please!!!!

Ashima·Feb 28, 2022

Just feel free to directly message me!

gabrielleseok·Feb 15, 2022

I started using https://adplist.org/ and it's the only thing that's been super easy for me to find and immediately talk to a mentor!

dorathysimeon·Feb 21, 2022

check out Wentors

adalysmarias·Feb 22, 2022

I'll start with a plug, because I'm trying to put myself out there more, too! I recently launched Adathena https://www.adathena.com/, a platform specifically designed to match mentors and mentees based on career goals, communication styles, and more. We've been able to get fantastic mentors from great companies onboard already, and I'd be happy to talk to you (or anyone else) about mentorship.Outside of mentorship platforms, finding a mentor can take a little work/time, but it's so worth it. If you've had managers in the past who've had a positive impact on you, get back in touch with them; let them know how much they've impacted you, and that you'd love to be able to meet up with them more regularly as you try to grow yourself and your career. Another thing that can be helpful is to do a LinkedIn search for people who are in the jobs or industries you're aiming for, or whose career trajectories mirror the one that you're trying to achieve. If they post on LinkedIn or anywhere else, start commenting on those posts, asking thoughtful questions and using it as an opportunity to introduce yourself. Otherwise, send a connection request and just ask if they'd be willing to sit down with you for 15 minutes to chat about their experiences. Make it clear that you're not looking for a job referral; that you genuinely want to just learn more about them and their professional history. Get to know them during that meeting, and see if they seem like they'd be a good fit for you. If so, ask if you can keep meeting in the future. Don't dive right into asking for mentorship; instead, try to develop that relationship first. The best mentorship relationships come from a position of trust and friendship, and that's the sort of thing that needs time to grow.

KristinaOUOD·Mar 09, 2022

Hey @tiarafeaster, I am sharing with you just the right mentorship program you need - OneUpOneDown. AI-powered women’s (only) mentorship platform, based on near-peer mentoring. You will get access to great advice and authentic connection, both in your personal and business growth.You can try now for free here: https://app.oneuponedown.org/registerNear-peer mentorship is where mentors are an average of 3-5 years ahead of a mentee, or just a couple of life stages ahead of them. This form of mentoring results in highly relevant advice and enhances both the mentor and mentee’s ability to relate to one another. I am part of the Marketing team at OneUpOneDown, so feel free to contact me for more information, hope I helped :)