Questions to ask a mentor about career development
When it comes to career development, there is a key area many people think about but not everyone opts for - mentoring.
Tapping into the wisdom of other professionals in our sector, industry, and working world helps glean insights, inspire action, and encourage momentum towards goals that really matter.
But knowing what to ask can stump many people before the ball even gets rolling. What should I ask a mentor? How long do we need to talk for? How do I even find one? All questions that can whizz round the mind of anyone looking for mentoring or even thinking about it.
What are the benefits of mentoring?
The benefits of a mentor, whether they are external, or within your organisation are boundless. It may involve speaking to someone in a field you are interested in but have no experience in just yet. Or you may have a specific area in an existing field you want to grow and develop. Whatever it is you are looking for guidance on, speaking to someone who has been there, done that, and figured out how to improve the t-shirt so to speak, is beneficial.
Accelerate career and growth
76% of people think having a mentor is important but only 36% have one. Mentors have a host of knowledge to share and if not everyone is making use of mentoring, it stands you in good stead when you do. There are only so many projects and 1x1s that can occur in one workplace. Having a mentor can help accelerate career growth by giving the learnings, tools, and guidance some employees in the space are not even aware of.
Grow confidence in abilities
Speaking to a mentor can help affirm existing knowledge and grow confidence in other areas. For example, someone looking for mentoring to help grow as a people-manager, can come away feeling boosted with insights and ideas of how to be a good manager when the time comes. For another person looking to affirm their problem-solving skills, mentoring can help grow confidence in a job well done.
Develop your skills
As well as re-establishing existing knowledge and skills, mentoring can also help develop new skills, for both the mentor and mentee. As a mentee, you can feel equipped with awareness for certain situations that may have unfolded, have strategies and mechanisms to hand, whether it is people-problem solving as a team, or learning to communicate new scientific findings to those who are not as clued up on the experiments.
Get objective advice and support
The beauty of working with an external mentor is that they are unbiased. There is no hidden agenda, no internal politics, and no limitations when giving advice. Sometimes we can shut ideas down when we are brainstorming something we are close to. An external mentor can help encourage broader thinking, bringing different perspectives and ideas to the partnership. This objective support can be incredibly useful and refreshing if you are in a situation you cannot currently see a different door out of.
What questions should I ask a mentor?
The questions you want to ask a mentor depend on a few factors. Are you looking for guidance on developing technical skills in STEM? Or is it more getting to grips with management styles? Perhaps you need some support navigating tricky team dynamics, or want to feel inspired by someone who has worked in your field for a long time.
Before you kick off your mentoring sessions it is common to have an introductory call or meeting where you can both seek clarity on what you want out of the process.
It is good to ask:
How much time can we dedicate to mentoring? Do we want to (and is it possible if so) to meet once a week or once every month?
What can I do to ensure a successful mentoring partnership? How can I help encourage my best growth throughout the process?
What sort of areas do I need support on? Is it management? Am I looking to change careers and move into STEM?
Once you’ve established the goals for the mentoring process, some of the more general questions to ask your mentor for insights can include:
What was the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career?
What would you do differently if you were starting out now?
Who inspires you?
What was the biggest learning experience you had in your career?
I’m having difficulty with managing X,Y, Z at work…what would you do in my position?
If you’re looking to shift careers, you might want to ask your mentor for advice on navigating the shift, any communities to be part of and any organisations to be aware of.
Mentoring in STEM
Mentoring is a great way to provide wider access to support and learning for individuals looking to work in or transition to STEM. With diversity and inclusion being a pillar of importance for communities including STEM, now more than ever, mentoring can help encourage and support more people to enter a space they are really needed.
With so much in STEM being about curiosity, development, insights, and being inquisitive, mentoring has a lot in common.