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Mentorship in the Life of a Young Professional

By Kayla Hernandez, Esq., Hoffman Law LLC

Mentorship – a concept that is popularly discussed in professional circles, but in reality, rarely seen. Why? Is it difficult to find a good mentor? Do those who are capable and qualified have a desire to mentor? Is the idea of mentorship too elusive for professionals, new and experienced, to want to pursue and engage in? What – really – does mentorship even look like?

I’d like to provide some tangible and practical insight regarding mentorship to you, young professional (looking for a mentor), and to you, experienced professional (willing to be a mentor), in hopes of encouraging mentor-mentee relationships within our CAI community.

The Mentor: Who To Look For & Who To Be

Although the qualities of a good mentor can be numerous, there are three which are essential. A mentor should be (1) experienced; (2) willing and able to teach; and (3) available (yes, I mean physically, mentally, and emotionally). “Experienced” is obvious – yet too important not to mention. The experience should be in the respective area/subject in which he or she is mentoring. This can be narrowly tailored to a specific skillset within an industry, such as an engineer with expertise in a programming language or tech stack, or broad like an attorney who has experience in both litigation and transactional work in several areas of the law. It is only this experience, composed of failures, struggles, triumphs, knowledge and insight, that enables a mentor to teach. The willingness and ability to teach entails a mentor’s disposition to instruct both the theoretical and the practical, analyze and assess a mentee’s work, and provide constructive criticism. Availability boils down to the mentor’s overall capacity. A mentor must be able to devote time to prioritize and be intentional about mentoring and have the emotional and mental capacity to carry out the functions of mentor.

What Does It Look Like

Mentorship at its core is relational. The relationship is what distinguishes a mentor from being a role model and more akin to a coach.  When a mentor and mentee engage in mentorship, communication between the parties will flow both ways. There is an exchange of ideas, questions asked and answered, open discussion to examine processes, doubts, mistakes, successes and to produce understanding. 

Practically, this looks like time spent together which can be by scheduled phone calls, virtual meetings, in person get-togethers for coffee or food etc. At times, the purpose will be to “talk shop” and other times it will be simply to foster relationship. Because everyone operates differently, these times may need to be scheduled and placed on the calendar in advance, where others are more available to spontaneity. They may be regularly scheduled, such as every other week, or proceed on an as needed basis. Ultimately, it does not matter how it happens, as long as it is happening and working for both parties.

Similarly, the teaching aspect of mentorship will look different for everyone as not every mentor will instruct in the same manner. Some will take a hands-on approach and collaborate on a project. Others prefer to assess a task once its complete and provide any necessary feedback. Teaching can also come by way of advice, suggestions, and goal-setting. On the other end, a mentee must be open to learn, in order for the mentorship to be effective.

Why Mentorship

Mentorship allows an experienced professional to share the lessons learned along the span of his or her career. It offers them an opportunity to train the next generation, to bring about change, and to raise a young professional to be better than they once were in the early stages of their careers. It instills within them a sense of pride and accomplishment upon watching their mentees thrive.

Mentorship positions the young professional for growth. It offers a safe place to ask questions. It provides a young professional with the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others and to have personalized guidance in the beginning years of his or her career.

Now What?

Admittedly, I wish finding a mentor was easy. But if you are searching for one, I encourage you to keep the qualities discussed herein in mind. Mentorship can develop naturally from the relationships you already have (such as with a boss) but it doesn’t have to be this way. You can, and may have to, look outside of your immediate circle of relationships for a mentor.

If you find yourself willing and qualified to be a mentor, I encourage you to be cognizant of the young professionals you know and come across in your professional life. They may be looking for someone like you.

And to my mentor, I am grateful and indebted to you for all your guidance and for pushing me towards higher levels in my professional career.

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