As an entry-level employee, there are so many things you are unaware of and would need guidance on; this is where a mentor comes in.
Usually, a mentor has experience in a similar field you are in and will be able to provide support to an upcoming professional who becomes the mentee.
Just like in secondary school days, when you had a "school father or mother", you knew that your stay in school would be devoid of hustle – at least some of it. This ideology applies to the importance of having a mentor, as it is having someone to take you "under their wing" in unfamiliar territory.
This ideology applies to the importance of having a mentor, as it is having someone to take you "under their wing" in unfamiliar territory.
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03-05-2023
It's one thing to want guidance in a field, and it is another to get the actual guidance. Here are how you can get access to a mentor;
1. Joining a formal mentorship program
These programs usually have a bank of mentors that will be assigned to you once you sign up. This is one of the easiest ways of getting a mentor, as there are systems in place with the program to ensure that mentorship is ongoing, almost like accountability in your mentorship program. You can look up Ahaspora Professionals Network, Resilient Ghana, Ghana Mentorship Network and others to enroll in these formal mentorship programs.
2. Networking
Try attending seminars or events within your field; this would connect you to like-minded professionals. You can begin a conversation about mentoring with someone you met through this avenue. The helpful thing about these networking events is that you may not find a "school father or mother", but you will find "school siblings". It's important to note from this that you can also benefit from peer-to-peer mentorship and having a community that you can fall back on and learn from in your professional journey. Eventbrite has a consistent calendar of networking events in Accra; you can check it out.
3. Shoot your shot
This is a hardcore, direct approach and possibly the hardest in finding a mentor. You can shoot your role model a direct message via social media or an email introducing yourself and pitching your idea of mentorship to them. Though this may be a courageous step, there is no harm in asking them to be your mentor; you never know what could come out of it.
It's important to note from this that you can also benefit from peer-to-peer mentorship and having a community that you can fall back on and learn from in your professional journey.
Side note: You are not limited to, but LinkedIn would be a more suitable social media platform for shooting your shot.
Five times as many promotions were given to those who got mentorship as opposed to those who did not.
1. Mentors reinforce growth
Since you are already seeking a mentor, you are on a growth path for which a mentor supports that growth process. One way of career development is through the guidance a mentor gives in shaping not only your professional character but also your professional character.
2. Mentors are a free asset
Usually, mentorship is offered on a complimentary basis where there is no payment for being a mentor or a mentee. This means you have a walking body of knowledge for your professional journey. Mentors provide instructions and specialised insights that will help you succeed. For example, a mentor can show a mentee starting a new business how to draw a business plan and budget or even act as a reviewer of the necessary documents.
3. Mentors serve as accountability partners:
Within the first few meetings with your mentor, you will be asked to share your goals and aspirations in life. This is to help the mentor assess how best they can help you achieve your goals. Once this is set, the mentor is accountable for timely achieving your goals.
4. Mentors connect you to others
A mentor is more experienced in their field of study, with a more extensive network of professionals. Getting access to this mentor indirectly opens you up to the connections the mentor has to offer. The network the mentor exposes the mentee to also allows the mentee to build their professional network, which would link them to potential opportunities or other like-minded people who can help them.
5. Mentors serve as a support system
Overall, a mentor is there to encourage, willing to listen, offer constructive feedback, provide guidelines and is a trusted ally. Understand that your mentor has your best interest at heart and is one of your biggest cheerleaders in the workplace and your professional journey. Mentors and mentees rely on one another to keep information private because the corporate sector can be fiercely competitive.
You may fail in all your endeavours to get a mentor the traditional way. There is still an opportunity to observe and learn from someone you admire or aspire to be like. It can be enlightening to observe how they work, listen to how they speak, dress, and observe their body language. As a "self-appointed" mentee, you can learn the specifics of their technical abilities and the subtleties of how they approach issues and overcome difficulties.
You can understand the mentor's mindset and thinking style when you observe your mentor, who already has attained a high level of accomplishment. You can start adopting the same values and principles for yourself if you better understand the values and principles that govern them. This is only to let you know that even if you do not spend much time with your mentor or converse with them, you can still learn much from them by simply watching them.
01.Mar.23 by Papa Kwesi Asare-Dokyi
02.Feb.23 by Papa Kwesi Asare-Dokyi
* we won't spam you, never.
03-05-2023
