Universities and colleges across the country are doing it as never before — creating programs to help students launch their careers through formal and informal mentor networks.

Mentoring is especially helpful for new and soon-to-be grads — those who may not have much work experience.

The steps in launching a career are critical.  I constantly see missteps that individuals have taken along their career path. But if they had had some concerned, caring, solid advice, those missteps might have been avoided.

The first year in the first “real” job generally sets the tone for an individual’s future advancement. Navigating through the workplace is not intuitive; rather, it is a process learned from one’s peers and colleagues. Along the way, a novice’s receiving wisdom and advice from those who have traversed the land mines and career obstacles, not to mention withstanding the vagaries of the world economy, can really make a difference to a person’s success, or failure.

What makes a good mentor? One who is knowledgeable in his or her field, honest with advice, and good at communicating in a style that allows for a free exchange of thoughts between mentor and mentee. (Yes, mentee is a word; no need to look it up.)

A mentor’s role is to focus on the mentee and his or her career, offering support for individual growth and maturity. A mentor can act as a sounding board, offering advice, suggestions, or tips in a field of interest shared by the “newbie.” Good mentors often develop a strong personal interest in the well-being and development of the mentee. (It’s important to note that coaching is a somewhat different process in which the coach is job-focused and performance-oriented.) 

All grads need to learn the ropes, understand the workplace political climate, demonstrate competency with their jobs, and catch on to the tricks involved in getting promotions. And, if they are assertive and intend to move up the corporate ladder, a mentor is an important component in their professional advancement.

Not Your Mother’s Workplace
One of the major changes in the workplace in the last 15 to 20 years is the disappearance of the “organization man/woman,” or the prototypical loyal employee. This person typically has worked in the same company for 40 years and retires with a pension and a gold watch. In today’s world of work, this is an unlikely scenario. Loyalty is not nearly as much a part of the cultural expectation that it used to be. As a result, mentoring is more important than it once was since it provides a unique component—that of social networking. The power of this sort of social networking means that with the advantage of a mature mentor, a promising mentee may discover overlooked routes to career growth that contribute to his/her decision to remain with a company and pursue viable alternatives for advancement—thus benefiting both the mentee and the company.

Selecting a Mentor
In choosing a career mentor, it’s a good idea to pinpoint a professional working in a field that interests you. Test the waters by seeking advice from him/her about some aspect of the workplace. A mentor is more willing to invest in a relationship if he/she is willing to share some of him/herself. Having a mentor can help solidify one’s career choice and facilitate useful connections.

One important thing to remember: Don’t seek someone when you are in a state of desperation or helplessness. Selecting an appropriate mentor requires thought and planning ahead.

In turn, the value to a college student in being partnered with an alumnus/alumna or other professional is, like the credit card ad says, “priceless.” Students (mentees) get a rare opportunity to find out from their mentors what the “real workaday world” is like. In turn, mentors — remembering what it was like trying to make the all-important career choice — reap the rewards of helping set a student on a rewarding career path.
There are many ways in which a mentor and mentee can interact. For example, a mentor can invite a student to job-shadow him/her in the workplace to see what it’s like to carve out a career as an attorney, scientist, counselor, or business person.

Become a Mentor
For the last two years, Career Services at the University of Utah has had a mentor program embedded in the database software Ucareerlink. The system currently has some 326 alumni who have volunteered to serve as mentors to students. Career Services educates and advertises to both students and alums about mentoring and Ucareerlink. If you would like to participate as a mentor, go to: http://careers.utah.edu/employers/mentor.htm.

The site lays out some ground rules and outlines responsibilities and expectations for mentor and mentee alike. Most important, becoming a mentor in the program does not require a huge time commitment—it depends on you as to how much time you are willing or able to devote.

Thank you! And remember: As a professional, you have a lot to offer our students!

Questions? Concerns? Contact Julie Swaner, Program Manager, Alumni Career Services.

Return to home page