Prepare for Your First Meeting with a Potential Mentor

From the Harvard Business Review:

Mentors help us perform better, advance in our careers faster, and even experience more work-life satisfaction. Once you’ve found someone who you think can fill this vital role, it’s important to prepare for your first meeting. Focus on two goals: Determine whether this person is really the right mentor for you, and find out whether they’re open to the idea. To make it go smoothly, pick a time and place that’s convenient for them. Whether you’re getting together in person or virtually, show up prepared and aim to make the meeting low-pressure and comfortable. Spend time getting to know the person. Be sure to share your career goals, but spend most of your time listening. Toward the end, if you’re feeling positive, make a clear ask, such as: “I’ve really enjoyed this conversation. Would it be okay if I followed up with you again in a month, after I make some progress towards my goals?” No matter what their response is, say thank you, and follow up over email to say thanks again.

Read the complete article here:

https://hbr.org/2020/01/how-to-build-a-great-relationship-with-a-mentor?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=mtod_notactsubs