Finding a Mentor as a College Student

This is an excerpt from my e-book, Landing Your Dream Job in College: 

During my time in college, I was blessed to have two amazing career mentors. My first mentor was a sassy businesswoman and XULA alumna from Louisiana. She pushed me to be the greatest. I never thought about becoming a VP of Marketing or even starting my own consulting firm until she encouraged me to be a game changer. My next mentor was a professor and academic advisor of mine at Jackson State. He had an extensive background in entrepreneurship and writing. In fact, he inspired me to write my first e-book for people who stood in my shoes as a college student.

I can’t tell you how valuable a mentor is to your success. There is a lot that you don’t know. A mentor can give you personalized advice and guidance that will serve you tremendously in your journey to achieving your dreams.

I wouldn’t trade my mentee experiences for the world. If there’s anything that you should take from this guide, it is this: gain a mentor during your undergraduate years and never stop learning from them. People are so willing to help you. You just have to show them you want to be helped. So you’re probably wondering at this point, how do I get a mentor? This is very simple!

• Attend networking events. This will put you around key players who have years of experience in your field. Establish the connection first. Don’t go up to someone and immediately ask him or her to be your mentor. They don’t know you yet. My best advice is to introduce yourself and share your goals.
• Keep in touch from there. Informational interviews are a great way to learn more about the person and their experience within their field. That’s such a valuable conversation and I can assure you that it will lead to many more.

Being a mentee is such a thrilling experience. Like, seriously! Don’t be afraid to get the help you need. You don’t know everything yet, and that’s okay. The only thing that stands between you and your dream job is good career advice. Take it from the people who were once in your shoes and now call the shots to hire people just like you. You’ll be amazed just how effective this will be.