4 Benefits of Continued Mentorship

When we think of mentors, we often think of a senior role model who has "made it" and can help us land our dream job or grow our professional network. But the truth is, anyone can be a mentor, and mentorship extends far beyond simple professional development.

Those of us with mentors benefit from access to a large professional network and (more than likely) a well-connected mentor, but we also have the chance to grow personally. I haven't always been the most confident writer, but thanks to a mentor who focused on building my confidence, I now know my worth, appreciate my talent, and use that confidence to advocate for myself every day.

As an added professional bonus, he is the reason I felt good about applying for my dream job. I now do what I love with a company I love—and it's all because my mentor helped me grow on a personal level.

He still mentors me alongside my other mentors. You're probably wondering why I still need mentors when I achieved what I set out to do: grow my network and land my dream job. Mentors are invaluable no matter where you are in your career or life, and with continued mentorship, we can grow even more.

1. Increased self-confidence and awareness

Whether you're suffering from the all too common imposter syndrome or lack the experience to feel confident about yourself or your work, mentors can help. By highlighting your strengths and helping you work through your growth opportunities, mentors not only build your confidence, but they make you more self-aware too.

Confidence. According to the Young Women's Alliance (YWA), communicating regularly with a seasoned pro who encourages you can help boost your confidence significantly. Think of your mentor as your sounding board—someone to bounce ideas off of and gain insights into your skills, what you need to succeed, and how to get there.

Once you build up this confidence with your mentor, it will probably show up as comfortably sharing your ideas in team meetings or advocating for yourself when promotion time comes around. Just remember, this takes time. As you build a relationship with your mentor, you'll start seeing the longer-term benefits like a surge in confidence.

Self-awareness. Another benefit of long-term mentorship is an increase in self-awareness. Think about it—when you work with someone you look up to, you make yourself vulnerable by letting your mentor see your flaws and expressing a desire to grow. That alone requires a level of awareness. You have to be keenly aware of your strengths and weaknesses, but you also have to be willing to self-reflect.

The feedback you get from your mentor will also help you become more self-aware. They may reveal things about yourself that you weren't even aware of or make suggestions that require you to consider where you are and where you're trying to get.

Being self-aware is a highly desirable career trait, so you get both personal and career development benefits here!

2. Increased job satisfaction

We all want to be happier at work. Mentors can play a large part in how satisfied we are in the workplace. Don't believe me? Check out the stats from a study conducted by Sun Microsystems:

• Mentors and mentees were approximately 20 percent more likely to get a raise than those not in a mentoring program
• Twenty-five percent of mentees received a raise. Only 5 percent of managers without mentors received a raise (that's a 20 percent difference!)
• Employees with mentors were promoted five times more often than those without mentors

Beyond pay raises and promotions, Guider (a mentorship platform) explains that we get a sense of fulfillment from attaining our goals at work. Naturally, we feel more satisfied in the workplace. Our mentors help equip us with the skills necessary to meet our goals, which is why mentees feel more satisfied and fulfilled in their careers.

3. Improved leadership and communication skills

No matter what you do or where you work, communication skills are vital to success. We build personal relationships through communication, but in the office, we use it as a tool to work as a team, lead, and ultimately, get our work done.

Communication. We communicate every day, but there is always room for improvement. Whether you're a college student starting your first full-time job or an employee leaping into management, your mentor can guide you on how to communicate or help build up skills.

If your mentor has a lot of experience, they've likely seen it all—from gossipy coworkers to micromanagers who make your job difficult. Your mentor will help you create a plan or show you effective communication tactics.

Leadership. I look up to all my mentors because they are exceptional leaders—they relate well to their employees and mentees and have the skills to inspire and empower their teams. They have acquired an array of skills that allow them to lead effectively. They are more than willing to share those skills with me.

The longer I stay connected to my mentors, the more my skills grow. Remember, any skill takes time to learn, so if you're hoping to only meet with your mentor a few times and become a leader, you'll be sorely disappointed. As your mentor/mentee relationship grows, so will the leadership skills you learn from them.

4. Exposure to diverse perspectives

Have you ever heard the saying, "Take a walk in my shoes"? When we walk in someone else's proverbial shoes, we empathize with them and better understand their views and values. The same goes for the workplace.

When you expose yourself to people with lived experiences different from yours, you see the world through their eyes, become more empathetic, and can even become more innovative. Your mentor may have different ways of doing things that make you rethink how you problem solve. They may approach business in a way that helps you become more innovative. They may expose you to more human experiences that have you focusing on inclusion in the workplace.

Get to know your mentor and strive to understand their perspective—even if you disagree. The long-lasting effects could help you overcome struggles with teammates in the office, be more empathetic toward your friend's situation, or help you think outside of the box to drive innovation.

Pay it forward

Being a mentor is not for the faint-hearted. It's a lot of work, dedication, and a desire to help your mentee be successful. They put in so much work to make us the best we can be, not only now, but for the rest of our lives. The least we can do is pay it forward to friends, family, or fellow employees who might be starting out or seeking a mentor.