You are ready to give your new career all you’ve got.  You have prepared from both an academic and research standpoint.  You look good on paper.  You look good in person.  You know your stuff.  So why do you feel like a fish out of water?  This feeling of being out of sorts in a new job is a common reaction.  Starting your career or relaunching with a new focus is unsettling, to say the least.  It can be difficult to know which way to go and who to speak with along the way.  That’s where mentors come in.  Here are five things a good mentor can do for you.

Mentors Help Set Attainable Goals

Mentors have been where you are.  They started their career with a goal in mind and ended up where they are because of the choices they made.  They already know what some of the pitfalls will be along the way, and you can learn from their mistakes so that you can make different choices.  Mentors can help you clearly define what you would like to do and where you would like to be in the future.  Together you can create milestones and short-term goals that are attainable and represent progress along your career path.

Mentors Help You Focus Your Career

It’s easy to get caught in the generalities of today’s workplace.  Positions, even those that are clearly defined at the outset, often contain a level of gray space where roles and responsibilities are loosely interpreted.  While it is every newbie’s desire to impress his or her boss, sometimes taking on all of the unclaimed work just brings on more work that is unrelated to your career path.  A mentor can help you determine what makes sense to get involved in and what doesn’t.

Mentors Act as a Sounding Board

Mentors are not all-knowing and should not be approached as such, but they are seasoned professionals who know the ropes.  They may be able to help you identify training or even degree paths that would be beneficial for you, such as a non-profit management degree.  They can serve as sounding boards for your ideas and can offer suggestions for reaching your goal.

Mentors Give You Something to Aspire to

Having a mentor provides you with a living, breathing, accessible aspiration. In business, as in life, we look at people who are dong well in their fields and aspire to be like them.  In this instance you will have access to the person you look up to and be able to ask them questions about their path to success.  Additionally, getting a mentor that is well-respected in your industry can only help your career.

A mentor is a valuable ally.  He or she can help you in many ways, which allows you to mold yourself into the professional you would like to be.  Approach someone in your industry who has reached a level that you would one day like to attain.  Have a conversation with that person to determine their availability and, if you both agree, embark on a mutually beneficial relationship that will help you achieve the future you’ve always wanted.