Finding a mentor can provide wisdom and guidance from someone with more experience. The process of asking someone to be a mentor should begin by researching potential mentors you admire and want to emulate. Get to know people in their network to learn more about their character and values. Schedule an informal meeting, like getting coffee, to ask questions and allow the conversation to flow naturally rather than immediately asking them to be your mentor. Follow up after to thank them and offer to meet again if they agree.

1. HOW TO FIND YOUR
MENTOR
ALVINHOPEJOHNSON.NET
Alvin Hope Johnson

2. NO
MATTER
WHAT
INDUSTRY
YOU
DECIDE TO
ENTER
Everyone can benefit from the wisdom
and experience of someone’s who’s been in that line
of work longer than you. Finding a mentor can mean
having a supportive figure to lean on, to receive
advice from, to ask questions in times of uncertainty.
There are many advantages to asking someone to be
your mentor. The process of doing so can be awkward,
however, and worded incorrectly, can put a person in
a corner. When looking for a mentor, here’s how to do
so in a way that will foster an organic relationship
that benefits the both of you:

3. FIND SOMEONE
YOU WANT TO
EMULATE.
or is merely in the field you want to exceed in, but you
want to find someone you like on a personal level.
You’re picking a partner, in many ways, so you want
that partner to be someone you work well with, and
share similar strengths and values with.
Take some time to think through the potential
mentors you’re considering. Shop around. Jeff Goins
recommends having a few people in mind before
committing to The One.
Not only do you want to look for
someone who has the job you want

4. GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE
WHO KNOW THEM
Check out their online presence.
If you don’t know your potential mentor very well yet,
check to see if their public persona lines up with your
observations. Do they still seem like someone who could
potentially be a good fit?
Find out about the person you want to
mentor you
DO YOUR
RESEARCH.

5. NOTE
That this is not the time to
ask this person to “be your
mentor.”
That’s a lot of pressure to
put on someone you might
not know very well, and
more than that, you still
need to evaluate if this
initial meeting was helpful
or not.
BECAUSE INSTEAD
Just ask to get a cup of
coffee or something equally
informa, and come with
questions prepared. The
conversation might get
away from that, but it’s also
important to let the
conversation flow
organically, too.
ASK FOR THE INITIAL MEETING.

6. You want to show that you are committed to this working relationship. Make sure to follow up within a
day, thanking this person for their time. Email is more than acceptable at this stage; anything more
involved could be too time-consuming or overbearing. This is also an appropriate time to mention that
you’d like to do this again, and offer to put something on the calendar if they agree.
FOLLOW UP POST-MEETING.

7. FOR MORE ON MENTORSHIP,
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND SELF-
EMPOWERMENT, VISIT ALVIN'S BLOG AT:
AlvinHopeJohnson.net