4 Reasons Why You Need an Internship Mentor and How to Find One

Starting an internship is a key milestone in your professional journey ahead. Not only for building essential skills and exposing yourself to exclusive industry insights, but one of the most significant aspects of doing an internship is that it gives you an opportunity to find a career mentor for yourself. A professional internship mentor can provide guidance, support, and advice throughout your career journey as you go through the complexities of your industry. So, let's explore what significance mentorship holds during internships and dive into some practical strategies for finding the right career mentor for you!

Importance Of Mentorship

Mentorship can be a great support when you are trying to build your brand new career and thus diving into the uncharted waters of your chosen industry. However, it can also have certain benefits related to personal growth. Here are some reasons why you should find career mentors during your internship: 

1. Support And Guidance 

As you start your career journey, you do need some support and guidance since things are fairly new for you. In such situations, having an internship mentor who already has experience in your industry can be a great help. Since they already understand the industry trends and etiquette, they can help you develop better success strategies and handle complex situations as well. 

2. Better Networking

While networking is an important part of having a rock-solid career, it can be difficult to get started with, especially if you are entering the industry newly as an intern. On the other hand, your internship mentor must already have an extensive network of contacts from your industry since they’ve already worked for quite some time. Finding an internship mentor for yourself can help you tap into these networks, grow your own, and unlock future opportunities.  

3. Skill Development And Growth

Constructive criticism and feedback are invaluable for skill development and overall professional growth. Your internship mentor can identify your strengths and areas for growth and offer you opportunities for improvement. This can push you in the right direction and thus contribute a lot to your growth. 

4. Career Advancement 

When it comes to your career path, an internship mentor can be a reliable source of career advice. With enough experience in the industry, they can help you identify growth opportunities. Your career mentor can also offer you insights into career trajectories, help you guide you through career decisions, and contribute to your career advancement. 

How to Find an Internship Mentor

A mentor can be a great asset in your career. But how do you find one? Here are some strategies and tips to help you find an internship mentor during an internship: 

1. Identify Your Potential Mentors 

The first step to finding a mentor is to start identifying all the potential mentors that you can choose from. Here’s where to find your potential mentors: 

a. Look within your organisation

Joined your new internship and looking for a mentor? Start by identifying potential corporate mentors in your organization. Find people who are experienced, well-connected, and influential in your chosen field. 

b. Utilize Networking Events

As a professional, you will come across many networking opportunities, especially events like conferences, team meetings, professional skill workshops, etc. These events can be great places to meet industry professionals and experts and thus identify potential corporate mentors who are not in your organization but are connected to it in some way. 

c. Ask For Recommendations

While looking for a mentor, you can also ask for recommendations from people you already know. Your colleagues, faculty, university alumni, etc., may have networks of their own and thus can recommend experts from your field who can potentially be your mentors. 

2. Initiate Meaningful Connections 

Once you have identified all the potential mentors, you need to initiate meaningful connections with these individuals so that a natural mentor-mentee relationship can take place eventually. Here’s what you can do: 

a. Research About Your Mentors

Now that you have your potential mentors identified, you need to do your homework research! Take your time to understand their work and learn about their area of expertise and their achievements in the field. This can help you build true appreciation towards their expertise, and you can reach out to them for the right reasons! 

b. Reach Out With A Clear Purpose

The next step is to reach out to your potential mentor for intern mentoring. Make sure to do so with a clearly and concisely stated intention. Let them know that you admire their work, that you would like to cultivate a mentor-mentee relationship, and why you believe that they can be a great mentor for you. 

c. Request An Informal Meeting

After reaching out to the mentor and having some back-and-forth conversations, you can now propose an informal meeting with your potential mentor to discuss your goals, interests, and expectations around your intern mentoring process. You can also get to know about your mentor’s career journey during this time and ask questions about navigating your industry.

3. Cultivate A Mentor-Mentee Relationship 

Cultivating an effective mentor-mentee relationship for successful intern mentoring is an art. Here are some steps you can take to ensure that the relationship is flourishing: 

a. Establish Clear Expectations

Be articulate and clear about your expectations of this relationship. Discuss how often you will be meeting with your career mentor and what kind of topics you need to cover during these meetings. Discuss any specific areas that you need guidance and support on. 

b. Learn To Take Feedback

Growth depends on continuous improvements, and that comes from taking feedback. So, learn the art of being open-minded and taking constructive criticism well so your internship mentor can help you identify areas that need improvement. You can use this feedback to build a better career path and success strategies. 

c. Respect Your Mentor’s Time

Understand that your mentor’s time is valuable. So, make sure you are respectful of their time-related boundaries and personal commitments. Come to every meeting prepared. Note down any questions or topics you need to ask your mentor so your meetings are productive and your career mentor’s time is used wisely. 

4. Find mutual ground for growth and learning 

To strengthen your bond with your internship mentor, finding common ground is one of the most crucial steps. Here’s how to do it: 

a. Share Your Own Experiences And Insights

Make mentorship a two-way street. Share your experiences, insights, and observations about your career path. This can create an opportunity for mutual growth and learning rather than feeling like a student-teacher relationship. 

b. Seek Collaboration Opportunities

Shared experiences can strengthen any kind of relationship and the same is true for mentorship as well. Be on the lookout for collaboration opportunities like projects, initiatives, and professional development activities. But make sure these opportunities are within your mentor’s expertise and interest. 

c. Express Your Gratitude

Intern mentoring is time-consuming and requires active effort from both sides. Be grateful for the time and effort your internship mentor is investing in the process. A small gesture of appreciation or even a thank you note can improve your relationship and keep the positivity flowing. 

Just like your student health insurance, internship mentorship during your internship is an amazing and very valuable investment in both your personal and professional growth. Your internship mentor can offer guidance and much-needed insights as you start with your career journey. By understanding the importance of mentorship, you can ensure a smooth flow of your career. With the right kind of planning, approach, and intentions, you can foster a mentorship relationship that is built on trust, respect, and mutual growth. With internship mentorship, you can enhance your internship experience and make sure you are in for long-term success in your career. Mentorship is a life-long journey of mutual learning and growth, so approach it with curiosity, politeness, and commitment to excellence.