What are some of the values of having a mentor? Here are a few ideas from the Business Career Center on the importance of having a mentor.
You can learn more about a field you're interested in.
Having a mentor in a field or industry that you are interested in can help guide your career choices. You can learn from them the positives and challenges of being in that industry, as well as the key characteristics you need to have a successful career, and then relate them to your own values and strengths.
You can make and achieve goals.
A mentor can help you set the right goals at the current point in your professional life. They may have been in your position at one time, and know what the right moves to make to advance into your career.
You can develop meaningful skills.
A mentor can help you develop technical and transferable skills you'll need in the workforce. They may be your closest connection to the latest trends and technology, and can provide you with the resources to learn and understand these new innovations. Communication, a transferable skill, is one of the most important skills to develop when having a mentor. You should consistently reach out to your mentor for career-related advice (at least once a month).
The connections you make may land you a job.
Having a mentor is more than just getting to know someone and their career. Mentors can be your reference, recommend you to an employer, or help you expand your network. Value the connections you make through a mentor as they may be the boost you need to get you to the next point in your career.
Ready to find a mentor? Check out Husker Connect: https://huskerconnect.unl.edu/
Click the link here to schedule an appointment with a career coach if you want to learn more about having a mentor or ways you can access one: https://business.unl.edu/current-students/business-career-center/