Finding a mentor can be one of the most rewarding decisions you’ll make in your career, and this applies across every single industry under the sun, from professional basketball to web development and firefighting.
The problem is that it isn’t always easy to approach someone and to ask them to be your mentor.
That’s because the people who are most in-demand as mentors are generally those who are the most successful – and the people who are the most successful tend to be the busiest.
It’s a classic catch-22.
The good news is that mentorship is almost always a good idea. Let’s take a look at why you might want to find yourself a mentor in the first place.
Mentorship programs are now so popular that 70% of Fortune 500 companies have some form of mentorship program. There are quite a few good reasons for that.
In fact, when compared to non-mentored employees, mentored employees:
- Get paid more
- Receive more promotions
- Feel more satisfied and committed to their career
- Feel more positive about their organisation and senior management
- Feel informed about the future of the organisation
The problem is that it’s not always easy to find someone who’s willing to act as your mentor. Successful people tend to be busy people, and you’re also effectively asking them to share their wisdom with you for no tangible return. You can offer to pay them for their time, of course, but that can often become expensive, especially if you’re paying consultancy rates.
It helps if you’re able to offer them something in return, but if you approach mentorship with a transactional approach, you’ll be building your relationship on a weak foundation.
So what should you talk about instead? Well, it really depends on who you’re talking to, what your previous interactions with them have been and whether you’re talking to them face-to-face, via email or through LinkedIn.
Here are a few free templates for asking someone to be your mentor which are tailored to different situations.
Templates to ask someone to be your mentor
Emailing someone you already know:
Hi Susan,
As you know, I have a huge amount of respect for you and I’ve learned a lot from you already. I just wanted to drop you a quick email to ask you for a favour. I’m at a stage in my life and my career in which I feel I could benefit from a little mentoring and guidance.
You’ve already had such a profound influence on my career that you were the first person who came to mind. I was wondering whether we could meet up for a coffee (or even hop on a call if you’re busy, as I’m sure you are!) so that we can talk about this a little further?
Thanks,
[YOUR NAME]
Hi Susan,
My name is [YOUR NAME] and I was given your contact details by [YOUR CONTACT].
I’m currently working as [YOUR ROLE] at [YOUR COMPANY], a position I’ve held for [YOUR TENURE]. I’ve been following your career for a while now, and I have a huge amount of respect for the work you’ve been doing. I was wondering whether you’d have a few minutes to hop on a phone call or perhaps even to meet up for a coffee?
The reason I ask is that I’m currently exploring potential mentorship opportunities and I think that there’s a lot that I could learn from you. I’d love to be able to work more closely with you over a longer period of time if your availability permits, but in the meantime, I’d love to ask you a few questions about your career if you’re available. Please let me know!
Thanks,
[YOUR NAME]
[CONTACT NAME],
I really love what you’ve been doing at [COMPANY NAME]. I’ve also been thinking a lot about the conversation we had about [TOPIC] when we last met at [EVENT NAME].
I was wondering if you’d be interested in meeting up so that we can chat a little further? I’m actually looking for a mentor at the moment and I think you’d be perfect if you’d be interested. The drinks are on me!
Thanks,
[YOUR NAME]
So anyway, [NAME], it’s been great to talk to you. I’ll be honest, I haven’t had a conversation this educational/inspiring for a while now. We should hop on a call more often! I’m actually looking for a little mentorship at the moment and I think you’d be the perfect person, I don’t suppose that’s something you’d be interested in? It doesn’t have to be too formal, just a phone call here and there to pick your brains would be fantastic.
Hey [CONTACT NAME],
I love your work. I’ve been following you for a little while now, and I particularly enjoyed [PIECE OF CONTENT]. I just wanted to reach out to you because I’m a huge admirer of the work you’ve been doing and I’m currently looking for someone to mentor me on the topic of [SUBJECT MATTER].
It’d be great to hop on a call or to drop you an email (whichever you prefer) to talk about this some more, is that something you’d be interested in? Please let me know, and keep up the good work! Thanks.
Even with the templates that we’ve shared today, asking someone to be your mentor isn’t easy. After all, you’re effectively asking them to bet on your success, and while they might not be investing their money, they’re certainly investing their time.
We know that asking someone to be your mentor can be difficult, and that’s why we built GrowthMentor in the first place. We were sick of the old-fashioned approach to mentorship and wanted to bring it into the 21st century, adding value to both mentors and mentees at the same time.
So if you’re sick to death of doing it the hard way, sign up to GrowthMentor today. We help you to take care of those messy introductions and you can find yourself a mentor with just a few clicks.
- Mentors can help college students define their career goals and get experience.
- Figure out what you hope to gain from the experience before asking for mentorship.
- Even if the person says no, they can still be a valuable connection in your network.
Mentors offer college students critical support and guidance in all aspects of their lives, from coursework and classes to jobs and extracurriculars. But even if you already know the benefits of having a mentor, actually asking someone to be your mentor can feel daunting. Who should you ask? And how?
Follow the four steps below to learn how to ask for mentorship and find potential mentors.
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Ready to start your journey?
Step 1: Identify Possible Mentors
Your first step is to consider different types of mentoring relationships, from those that provide career advice and recommendations to those that focus on general encouragement and keeping you grounded. You may even already have someone in mind.
Here's a list of potential mentors:
- A teacher or professor
- A recent graduate or alum from your college
- An employer or co-worker
- A classmate or peer with similar career interests and goals
- A family member or friend who works in your field
- An employee at a company you want to work for
- A professional you met at a job fair or other networking event
- A professional in your field who you connected with on LinkedIn
Try to think of people who already know you and who are familiar with your academic and professional goals. Ideally, they'll also have the expertise you're searching for. Has anyone in your professional network benefited from having a mentor? Perhaps they themselves are now ready to become mentors.
Make sure, too, that anyone you're considering has ample time to devote to mentoring. Your college's alumni network can be an excellent resource to start with.
Step 2: Prepare for the Conversation
Next, consider your expectations for the mentorship. It's best to think of mentoring as a professional relationship, with a level of formality or structure. Once you've done this, you can develop a proposal to present to possible mentors in a conversation that invites them to consider the opportunity.
Your proposal to your potential mentor might address the following points:
- Communication: How will you two connect — online, in person, or through a combination of methods? Create a plan that includes the tools you'd use and how often you'd like to communicate, whether that's through phone calls, email, Zoom, or face-to-face meetings.
- Your Goals: What kind of support are you looking for? Networking, career and school advice, job shadowing, collaborative projects, promotion, career transition, and resource recommendations are just some of the potential outcomes. Decide what your top priorities are, but understand that these might change over time.
- Your Role: Acknowledge your role as a mentee. Explain that you're not only interested in receiving advice but also ready to do the necessary work. Being mentored isn't a passive experience. Connect your goals to the actions you're prepared to take under a mentor's guidance.
Step 3: Make the Ask
You've probably heard the saying "You don't get what you don't ask for." While some people may volunteer to serve as mentors, you'll likely need to take the initiative and ask your chosen person directly to be your mentor.
Once you've identified possible mentors and created a proposal based on your needs and goals, it's time to have the conversation.
If you can meet with your prospective mentor in person, set up an appointment to talk. Cafes are great places to get to know someone and ask for mentorship. If you can't meet face to face, consider using Zoom or another video conferencing platform.
If a live conversation just isn't possible, send your request over email or in a LinkedIn message (assuming that's how you normally correspond with your prospective mentor).
Below are a few sample ways of asking for mentorship.
Build Upon Previous Conversations
As you may remember from our last conversation, I want to move forward with [an academic program / an internship / a job opportunity] to help me [learn more about a particular field / gain important skills / move in a new career direction]. Our conversations so far have been extremely valuable, and I think I could benefit from additional guidance through mentorship.
Would you be interested in discussing this possibility with me?
Introduce Your Proposal First
I'm interested in working more closely with a mentor. Would you be willing to consider that role? If so, I'd like to share my goals for that work, a tentative plan for meetings and conversations, and my commitment to following through with our ideas and your recommendations.
Express Appreciation for the Time Required
Your work has been inspiring to me as [a student / a new professional] in [name of field or industry].
I realize your calendar is often full and appreciate the time you've invested in me so far. Would you be willing to schedule a meeting with me [once every two weeks / once a month] to discuss [academic opportunities / professional development opportunities]? If so, I'd like to talk more about how we can organize our time so that it's a meaningful experience for both of us.
Step 4: Show Gratitude
Whether your prospective mentor's answer is yes or no, be sure to thank them for considering your request and taking the time to meet with you. Remember that it's not uncommon for busy professionals to decline mentorship requests.
What's more, not agreeing to be a mentor doesn't mean they're not interested in staying in your network and helping you out in other ways. You can continue to learn from your connection. And who knows — they may even be able to refer you to someone who is ready and willing to take on the role of mentor for you.
Feature Image: kate_sept2004 / E+ / Getty Images