When people early in their jobs seek out mentors, they often try to find those with a depth of experience.
Someone at the top of your profession can’t teach everything. Experts are so far removed from your day-to-day work that they can’t understand your problems and dilemmas.
Opt for a few-steps-ahead peer-mentor, somebody who’s approachable and has a tad more experience than you do. She will have walked in your shoes recently and faced comparable struggles. She can give you sensible, relevant, “this is how it’s done here” guidance on your choices. She may also help you navigate the culture, watch over your shoulder, channel your career choices, and help you learn the hoops of the trade.
Informal peer mentors can be more valuable than relating to those that feel forced or arbitrarily assigned by the human resources department. Besides, peer mentors are more available. They’re easier to rope into a mentoring relationship than someone up the career ladder.
Idea for Impact: Look for a mentor who’s a few levels ahead of you in your chosen field. Someone accessible to you.
For mentors, you need people in your life that are further along than you, people who have been exposed to new levels so that you can go to those new levels.