How to find a mentor

Finding a mentor is not easy and it can be scary to put yourself out there and ask.  

Identify why you want a mentor.  What conversations do you plan to have with them and what purpose you would like them to serve?

Identify who would be a good fit.  What type of person are you looking for? What is their professional role?  What type of organization do they work for or are they an entrepreneur?

Ask for a connection.  People are more likely to respond if they are being introduced by someone else. Think about your supervisor, social network and even your Linkedin connections and then ask them to introduce you for a 15-minute conversation.

Stick with 15-minutes.  Don’t go straight from not knowing someone and ask for full out mentorship.  15-minutes is enough time to ask questions and doesn’t overwhelm the other person in terms of time.