How to be a good mentee

Mentors have the ability to connect their mentees to people who can help them move ahead in an industry. Providing good advice is one benefit, but deep knowledge of how to handle unfavorable situations is even more useful for mentees. Learning to listen with an open mind and maintain a communicative relationship with a mentor can help a mentee gain new understanding of what business strategies work and which should be kicked to the curb.

The success of a mentoring relationship depends on the mentee, as he holds the key to his own development. A mentor can offer a plethora of good advice, but without a will to absorb information and implement it in his day-to-day life, a mentee won't benefit from the relationship.

A good mentee treats advice sessions like client meetings. Showing up late can come off as irresponsible, and building a poor relationship with a mentor, even if it is a paid arrangement, can impact the amount of useful advice a mentor feels comfortable offering. After all, the goal is to be introduced to a new network of professionals, not deter your mentor from wanting to make those connections happen for you.

At the first meeting, it is important to let a mentor know why you're unique. What hopes, fears, ideas and goals have helped you come to the realization that you want to enter a specific line of work? In order to prepare for the first meeting, it can be helpful to write down all of these categories and create a chart. Sometimes, knowing what you want and being able to effectively communicate it do no coincide. Learning to organize your thoughts can help you optimize information sessions and show professionalism.

After you've gained a grasp of the relationship you have with a mentor, it is important to own the friendship. It is counter-intuitive to expect your mentor to drive your career goals. Simply showing up and waiting for a mentor to deliver career-changing knowledge doesn't happen without established rapport. Since a mentee is the driving force in the success of her own career, planning ahead and coming up with an agenda can help get the most out of a mentoring session.

While a mentoring relationship does not always have a designated timeline, you should only continue the sessions if both parties can still benefit. Many times, mentors have career goals of their own. Preventing mentors from dedicating more time to their own responsibilities can be detrimental to the overall continued friendship in the future. Overall, mentees controls what they get out of a relationship. It is easy to think that a mentor can change your future, but truthfully, destiny is in your own hands.