I accidentally discovered my first mentor when I was 18 years old. Fresh out of high school, I didn’t know much, but I did know that I wanted to work in an advertising agency.
Armed with a list of the top companies in the country, I sent each of them a letter in the mail to introduce myself (Yes, this was a long time ago.). Of the dozens of letters I sent out, just one replied.
Finding someone to be your mentor has become much easier over the years, but there are still some rules you should follow.Credit: Getty
My letter had somehow reached the desk of a senior executive who invited me to their large offices in North Sydney. There wasn’t a job in his department, he told me, but there was an entry-level opening in the mail room. I recognised this was the tiny crack in the door of opportunity I needed, and began my first full-time job delivering letters and packages around the office.
That same man – kind, suave and British – eventually became my boss and, over time, my first mentor at work. He was patient enough to teach me the gentle art of persuasion and how to build respect through actions. He was also the first of many mentors I’ve been fortunate to have in my life, all of them formed organically.
Some companies have official mentorship programs where you’re matched with senior colleagues, but you shouldn’t have to wait for that to gain the benefits of experience. Here’s how to find your own people your own way:
1. Look outside your industry.
It might be tempting to think a mentor has to know all the details about your business. Sure, that sometimes helps, but so can have perspective from outside your field to give you fresh insights you hadn’t thought of before.
2. Ask first.
Mentors rarely find you, you have to seek them out. Look around at everyone in your network, both inside and outside your workplace, and identify those you admire. You don’t have to use the loaded word ‘mentor’, but it is up to you to make the first contact.