How to Find and Work with a Mentor

Almost every successful professional has had an influential spark in their career. A trusted Mentor to guide and inspire them.

"A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.”

- Zig Ziglar

“It's always good to have a helping hand at the start. I wouldn't have got anywhere in the airline industry without the Mentorship of Sir Freddie Laker.”

“Now, I love mentoring young entrepreneurs. Find a Mentor,” – Sir Richard Branson

Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo, was promoted by her Mentor, Steve Reinemund.

She continues to pay it forward

“The times I feel the greatest are when I’m coaching, developing talent, mentoring people to do what they never thought they could.”

“When you see your team blossoming and growing, you say, ‘Man, I’m doing good for the next generation.’”

-Indra Nooyi

How Can A Mentor Help?

Here are some of the ways Ivy Exec Mentors help their Protégés

Insights to transferring between industries

Getting a promotion

Getting out of a career rutSuggestions for getting their startupoff the ground Networking

Selecting board members fora startup

Re-entering the work force after leave

Case Interview Skills

Moving from consultingto industry

Job search strategy

Interview preparation

Tips to secureVC funding

Leadership skills

Personal branding

Industry trends

The Impact of a Mentor

Ivy Exec surveyed hundreds of professionalsTo get their thoughts on the value of mentorship

of survey respondents said that Mentors have had a positive impact on their careers.

89% 88% of survey respondents said they believe a Mentor could be valuable to their career.

The Impact of a Mentor

So why aren’t people getting Mentors?

39%Don’t know how to approach a mentor

36%12%

7% 7%

Don’t have a programIn their company

Not sure of the impact a mentorcould provide

Receiving support from friends

or family

Too busy

Andrea Premate,Senior Mentorship Program Manager

“Start by identifying who you want in terms of a Mentor. Is it someone within your industry? Or perhaps someone higher up the ladder within your organization?”

How to Find a Mentor

“Perhaps it is someone in your extended network. If you don't have somebody in mind, take a look at Ivy Exec's Mentorship Program which has a community of over 600 industry leading Mentors.”

How to Find a Mentor

Andrea Premate,Senior Mentorship Program Manager

How to Find a Mentor• Company Offered Mentorship

Many large organizations offer internal Mentor programs.

If you are unsure if one is available to you, reach out to your HR department to find out.

How to Find a Mentor• Company Offered MentorshipIf there are colleagues who are receptive to helping out and being a Mentor, seek their counsel. However, you should not be pushy. Be cognizant of their schedules and realize they might not be able to communicate every time you need them.

• Senior Management or Colleagues

How to Find a Mentor• Company Offered Mentorship

Ideally, you want to establish a relationship over a long time.

Get involved with projects they might be working on. This way, you can demonstrate why you are worth being their protégé.

• Senior Management or Colleagues

How to Find a Mentor• Company Offered Mentorship• Your Extended Network

• Senior Management or Colleagues

Check your LinkedIn connections, then start

communicating with them!

Review their updates and comment back, ask

questions, get on their radar.

But don’t ask outright for them to

be your Mentor.

While communicating, offer valuable information, and give

them a reason to take interest in you and your work.

Just like before, foster a long-standing relation with the

potential mentor

How to Find a Mentor• Company Offered Mentorship• Your Extended Network

• Senior Management or Colleagues• Mentorship Network

Reach out to a Mentorship program that offers connections across industries, borders, functions, and cultures. If you are using Ivy Exec’s Mentorship Program, simply send a request to speak with a Mentor.

Working With Your Mentor

Now that you have connected with your mentor, it’s time to make a plan.

And you do need a plan for your meeting. Don’t just wing it.

Working With Your Mentor

Have these points ready ahead of, and during your mentorship session.

• When are you meeting?

• For how long?

• Context

• Itinerary

• Brainstorm

• Next steps

• Follow up session

Working With Your Mentor

• When are you meeting?

• For how long?

• Context

• Itinerary

• Brainstorm

• Next steps

• Follow up session

Give your mentor ample time to make room in their schedulefor you.

They are doing you a favor,so do them a favor and be flexible!

Working With Your Mentor

• When are you meeting?

• For how long?

• Context

• Itinerary

• Brainstorm

• Next steps

• Follow up session

Be aware of time constraintsthat you and your mentor have.

If you have only an hour to speak,plan out exactly what you want to cover with them over that time.

Then during the session, be sureto keep an eye on the clock.

Working With Your Mentor

• When are you meeting?

• For how long?

• Context

• Itinerary

• Brainstorm

• Next steps

• Follow up session

Before you meet, let your mentor know the context of your situation with regards to what it is you wish to discuss.

This way, you both come inwith the same amount ofknowledge of the situation and there are no surprises.

Working With Your Mentor

• When are you meeting?

• For how long?

• Context

• Itinerary

• Brainstorm

• Next steps

• Follow up session

Along with the context, let your mentor know what it is you hope to accomplish when you speak. Provide an itinerary in advance – and stick to it!

Your mentor has prepared to discuss what you put forth in advance, so don’t throw curveballs or go off topic.

Working With Your Mentor

• When are you meeting?

• For how long?

• Context

• Itinerary

• Brainstorm

• Next steps

• Follow up session

Go through as many of the items in your itinerary as time permits, taking care not to glance over the important topics.

Let your mentor do the bulk of the talking, while you do the listening (and note taking!).

Working With Your Mentor

• When are you meeting?

• For how long?

• Context

• Itinerary

• Brainstorm

• Next steps

• Follow up session

Before you end session, make sure to set next steps for you before you meet next.

Make sure they are achievable steps. You don’t want to be unable to take all the necessary steps before you meet next…

Working With Your Mentor

• When are you meeting?

• For how long?

• Context

• Itinerary

• Brainstorm

• Next steps

• Follow up session

End the session by planning when you will meet again!

Just as before, be flexible, as they are doing you a favor. Set your date and time and make sure you are ready with updates on your next steps.

Now you have everything you need to know!

Get out there, and find your Mentor.

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