/ˈmenˌtôr,ˈmenˌtər/ noun: an experienced and trusted adviser. verb: advise or train (someone, especially a younger colleague).
It’s no secret that having a great mentor can positively influence your career. One doesn’t need to look hard to see examples of how Boston University mentors have changed lives for the better. Take alumna Denise and student Jorge as an example. As a senior at the College of Engineering, Jorge was looking to get some guidance on his next step. Denise, on the other hand, had reached a time in her life where she could give back to those same organizations that helped her build a successful career. Together, they engineered a lasting mentorship. (Yes, pun intended.)
Are you seeking a great mentor?
Mentoring relationships can sometimes be hard to define and are often informal. There are some important questions you should consider before reaching out or asking for help. Here are some tools to purposefully find and ask for mentorship:
Video: How to find the right mentor
Blog: How to choose a mentor
Start with an informational interview or a career conversation to assess whether you are the right fit for each other:
The lucky among us have a good mentor—a teacher or coach who made a positive impact on our lives. But great mentors understand that their formal and informal mentoring connections are treated like any personal relationship: a two-way street with learning and growth required on both sides. Some excellent resources for high-quality mentoring:
Podcast: How do we mentor the next generation
Alumnae Oindrilla Chatterjee (MET’19) and Hema Veeradhi (GRS’19), former Red Hat interns that transitioned to full-time roles at Red Hat, talk about what makes a good mentor and how to craft meaningful mentoring relationships.
The Red Hat Collaboratory provides opportunities for BU students to work with Red Hat engineers to scale the open hybrid cloud. These experiential learning opportunities prepare BU students for industry research. In this Compiler episode, a Red Hat podcast hosted by Angela Andrews and Brent Simoneaux, Red Hat Collaboratory Co-Director Hugh Brock discusses the mentorship opportunities provided by this internship program.
TEDx Talk: How to be a great mentor
Educator and theologian Kenneth Ortiz shares his thoughts and wisdom on what is needed to develop successful mentor relationships to raise up the next level of leaders around us.
Ready to FIND or BE a great mentor?
Over 5,000 alumni have volunteered as mentors on BU Connects.