Consider Several Mentors
- Mentoring doesn't have to be an exclusive activity.
- It may benefit you to find several mentors and absorb different things from each one.
- Your goals may require more than one mentor to help you achieve your desired perspective.
Know What to Expect from a Mentor
- Know what you want from a mentor and work as directly as possible to obtain it.
- You may decide on your own that you need another mentor to pursue more subtle, less tangible goals.
Stick to Business
- Although strong attachments are bound to form, remember to keep your personal life separate from your professional life.
- Make sure that you and your mentor focus mainly on business, especially if your mentor is of the opposite sex.
Be Prepared to Outgrow Your Mentor
It is likely that your present mentor will one day have little to offer you which means that you have grown. Instead of advice, you are asking for confirmation. Signs that you have outgrown your mentor:
- Feeling you are not hearing anything new from your mentor,
- Feeling confident about tasks that once scared you,
- Recognizing that your mentor's goals are not your own, and
- Feeling that you are pretending enthusiasm for your mentor's company and advice.