From: ASAE

A good mentor can have an impact both professionally and personally. One young professional shares four things she’s received from her mentors over the years.

A study comparing mentored employees and non-mentored employees found that mentored employees received more promotions and higher compensation and felt a higher satisfaction in their career.

I still don’t know how I found the courage to ask someone more experienced to take time out of their schedule to meet with me, answer questions, and knowledge share about career management and industry-related topics. However, every time I’ve asked someone to be a mentor, much to my relief, the person accepted and was flattered.

I’ve even found mentors as a result of difficult career experiences. For example, I had a former supervisor who corrected me for a mistake I made during the interview process on my second day of work. While it was a hard pill to swallow, I knew I would never make that mistake again. So, after she moved on to another company, I saw value in asking her to be my mentor. The rest is history, and after a yearlong relationship, I still consider her a mentor and she is one of the first people I call when I have good news to share or need advice.