Extending and Improving Skills
The most common reason people are looking for a mentor, is to extend and improve an existing skillset. Most frequently, people like to learn about Python, Machine Learning and JavaScript - conveniently some of the top technologies of the year.
Simply improving your skills will make it possible for you to reach any other goal mentioned in this article easier: It gives you a better outlook on the job market, it helps you succeed academically and it will make it easier for you to change and start careers.
A mentor in this scenario can be a great help when it comes to leveraging existing content, having a guide setting up custom exercises for you or simply have an accountability partner.
Preparing for a Career Change
It’s uncommon nowadays to stay at the same company or position for a long amount of time - so when the urge to change careers comes around, people are looking to match up with a mentor. According to our data, roughly 25% of people signing up for a mentor, do so to prepare for a career change.
Whatever it may be: Looking for a new type of job entirely, doing a career change from one topic to another, or simply reaching for a promotion or new position, a mentor can be a great resource - not only for networking but also for self-confidence. Having someone in the industry strengthen your back is unbelievably valuable!
Help at School
Another large chunk - approximately 20% - of our mentees are full-time students. School can be hard, and having someone older, more experienced guide you through it is invaluable.
Just like with other use cases, having a mentor at school comes with a great range of benefits:
- An accountability partner
- A source of self-confidence
- An outside view of someone who went through it already
- A contact in the industry at your service
Starting a Career
Finally, a smaller but still substantial chunk of mentees are about to finish school - and are looking to start their career.
Career starts can be incredibly hard, and having a mentor in the industry help you and root for you can give you an extreme head start when it comes to resume writing, career development, internships, job search and interviews.
Mentors can be incredibly helpful when it comes to referrals as well - they are usually highly connected in the industry and know you very well. Don’t be surprised if your mentors gets you into your first full-time position!