Focus on identifying a mentor who can help you reach your goals. The following criteria can help you in narrowing your search. 

Role

• Would you benefit from someone on your direct team, a team you partner with regularly, or in a different area of the business?

• Consider someone who is in a role of interest to you or who would be able to provide insight into your targeted career path.

Level

• Traditionally a mentor is 1 or 2 levels above the mentee. It is a best practice for the mentor to be no more than 2 levels above your own.

• Consider peer-to-peer mentoring or reverse mentoring.

Interests and Skills

• Identify a mentor with interests that align with your own. 

• If you are trying to develop a new skill, seek someone who will be able to assist you in this area.

Career Wins

• Focus on a mentor whose success you admire and strive towards.

• Look to someone who has career wins that interest you.

Additional Tips

• Seek out a variety of people with different perspectives to advise you.

• Ask your manager to set you up with someone they think would be a good mentor for you based on your career goals.

• Be direct.  Articulate that you would like them to be your mentor and why. 

• Alternatively, don’t label it. Keep it informal by meeting with someone semi-regularly who is giving you the benefits of mentoring without officially calling it that.

• Be specific. Ask questions or for advice on something very specific where you would like their input.