No matter where your career path takes you, making the journey on your own can be a daunting prospect.
In an environment as agile and evolutionary as technology, the path to success is always changing, with new updates and innovations happening all the time. Having someone alongside you to help you over the hurdles you’ll face in the pursuit of your ideal career is a powerful way to stay strong, confident, and motivated.
A great mentor is more than just a leader in the technology space; they’re a source of motivation, drive, and development. Mentors help you to build your connections, expand your mind, and discover new skills. These are the people who never let you settle for just “getting by” at work. With a mentor, you discover your true potential.
Here are just seven reasons why you need a mentor in your life.
1. Mentors Provide Expertise
Whether you’re a Salesforce superstar or a data analyst in training, we all face challenges on the road to success. One of the best ways to overcome these hiccups is to speak to someone who has been down the same path.
Mentors have already been where you are now. They’ve made the mistakes you’re concerned about making, and they know how to offer advice that will help you to avoid them. A great, and well-connected mentor might even be familiar with the latest software and tools you’re using in your role, which means they can answer any questions you have.
2. Mentors See Opportunity for Growth
Assessing your skills isn’t easy. It’s difficult to be objective when you’re listing strengths and weaknesses in your CV, which is why so many people have trouble working out where they need to grow.
Fortunately, a mentor can analyse your potential for you, and spot opportunities for development that you might have missed. For instance, if you’re a marketing employee, your mentor might suggest working on your knowledge of AI and analytics, even if you never considered taking that path with your career. They can see the routes that will lead you to the best results, which makes them a great compass for your professional life.
3. Mentors Motivate You
The road to success isn’t always an easy one to travel. Even the most passionate team members find themselves feeling uninspired at times. For instance, you might make a mistake in your big data career, or struggle to understand blockchain and tell yourself that you’re simply not right for the role you’ve been striving for.
A mentor won’t try to convince you that you’re ready for a position that you can’t handle. However, they will give you the motivation to keep moving forward when the going gets tough. Mentors remind us that we all make mistakes – often by sharing their own experiences. As Oprah Winfrey told the world: ” A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.”
Sometimes we all need a cheerleader, and a mentor can be that for you.
4. Mentors Challenge You to Go Further
While support is important for any ambitious employee, sometimes what we really need is a little push.
There are times when it’s tempting to simply sit back and rest on your laurels in a career – particularly when you feel comfortable in your current role. However, a mentor is there to help you see your true potential and push you to reach it.
Mentors are leaders at heart, which means that they inspire, advise and even challenge you when necessary. They celebrate your successes with you, help you learn from your failures, and remind you that the only way to succeed is to keep pushing forward. This might mean encouraging you to take a new marketing automation course, learn how to use a new HCM system, or apply for a promotion at work.
5. Mentors Offer Honest Advice
One of the biggest assets of a great mentor is their experience. , They know how to help you overcome the obstacles you will face as you develop your career.
When you’re unsure which path to take, a mentor can assess all the variables from an unbiased perspective and give you their honest advice. At times when you need to make decisions for yourself, such as whether to take a job in blockchain or continue your career in data analytics, mentors can act as a sounding board as you work through your options.
6. Mentors Make Connections
Another positive side effect of a mentor’s experience in your field is their network. Many of the best mentors have spent years building connections with industry experts and peers that can open doors in your future.
Sometimes who you know can be just as important as what you know in the technology industry. Mentors can provide access to people in your industry that are willing to invest in you, offer additional training, or even introduce you to new career opportunities.
7. Mentors Prepare you For Change
Currently, the world of technology is in a state of flux thanks to the arrival of the fourth industrial revolution. However, this isn’t the first time that people in this sector have had to deal with change. The tech space has been growing and evolving for decades, which means any mentor you connect with will know first-hand how to deal with transformation.
A mentor can coach you to cope with the current and impending changes in your space and ensure that you’re always ahead of the curve. Mentors teach you how to build the right connections in your HCM career, take the right training opportunities in big data, and adapt your automation strategies so that you’re always on the cutting edge of the industry.
Thanks
Lee
About Resource On Demand
Resource On Demand is Europe’s first specialist Salesforce Recruitment Company, now also focusing on growth Cloud markets.
We assist innovative and disruptive organisations to grow their technology teams. Supporting companies to fill Cloud roles that span across Digital Marketing, Marketing Automation, Human Capital Management and the growing Salesforce.com suite of skills.
The team at Resource On Demand have access to an extensive database of key talent, registering over 8000 Cloud professionals each year.
To find out how we can support you call us on +44 20 8123 7769