Getting the most out of mentorship

By Maple Chen, Business Strategy Manager at American Eagle Outfitters

When looking for career advice, we’re often told: “Find a mentor!” But what does that really mean, and how can a mentor help you achieve your career goals?

When I entered the workforce after college, my first mentor was assigned to me by my company’s training program. She was a senior-level manager who had started in the same role as me ten years earlier but worked in a different department now, and I was required to set up three meetings with her over the course of my four-month-long training period. I am grateful for how formal this first mentorship experience was. I didn’t need to feel shy about taking time out of a busy person’s day, and she was uniquely positioned to give me great advice about succeeding in the role. 

Over the years, I’ve had other similarly formal mentor relationships, thanks to my company’s Close Knit Co-Mentorship program that matches associates across departments for a six-month series of meetings. But I have also had mentorships that grew more organically -- former managers who I kept in touch with, and leaders in other departments who could offer a different perspective.

If you’re looking for a mentor but not sure where to start, I would recommend trying a mentorship program! Pennsylvania Women Work’s 3 Cups of Coffee program is, of course, a great place to start. Your current employer may also have a program you can join – according to MentorcliQ, “as of 2022, 84% of U.S. Fortune 500 companies have visible mentoring programs.” Your manager or Human Resources department should be able to help you, or if a formal program isn’t available, they may have suggestions for potential mentors in your organization to reach out to. 

So, you have a mentor now…what’s next? Here are some suggestions to make the most of your meetings with your mentor:  

• Identify your career goals. Are you working toward a promotion? Looking for greater work-life balance? Trying to make a career transition? Knowing this, and sharing it with your mentor, will help guide your conversations.
• Ask about your mentor’s career path. If you can find them on LinkedIn, you can prepare questions about particular roles or transitions you want to learn more about. Coming up with personal questions and conversation topics will help lead to a productive conversation.
• Consider how this individual can support you. What are you hoping to get out of this relationship? Do you need a resume review or interview practice? Do you want to talk through issues you’re currently struggling with at work? Are you looking for introductions or referrals to help you land your next role? 
• Share updates on your progress. As your relationship progresses, you can come to your meetings with updates on your progress and how you are putting your mentor’s advice to work. 

At some point in your career, you will likely find the tables turning, and it might now be your time to be the mentor instead of the mentee. When you feel established and secure in your career, and you feel you might have experience to offer others, it’s time to consider stepping into that mentorship role!We all have something in our story that others can learn from. 

For me, I found myself taking interns under my wing and offering one-on-one meetings to share advice, and now new hires at my organization often reach out to learn more about my career path. I love talking about what I’ve learned, and when I realized that people actually found a 30-minute phone call helpful, I discovered I had become a mentor without really trying to!

As you begin mentoring others, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Practice explaining the different parts of your career. Work on your own “elevator pitch,” but include enough detail so your mentee fully understands your career path and what you do for a living. 
• Meet your mentee where they are. Some people just need a listening ear and someone who believes in them, and others may need much more guidance and explanation. You’ll learn a lot in your first conversation and map out a plan for your mentoring relationship from there.
• Be ready to learn just as much from your mentee as they are from you! Your mentee may come from a different field, company or background than you, and you may find that hearing their story and perspective helps you think about your own work differently. That’s the true power of mentorship. 
  

​When done right, mentorship creates a support network for both mentors and mentees, and helps us all learn from each other’s mistakes and successes. Use these tips, and make it your goal for 2024 to build at least one new mentor relationship! I promise you won’t regret it. ​

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