Having good mentors in an academic career is like having a superpower!
In this video, I unpack the many benefits of having mentors, how the mentoring relationship can work, and tips for how to go about finding good mentors and avoid bad ones.
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Complete topic list and timestamps:
(0:00) Introduction to Mentoring (0:20) My Experience with Being Mentored (0:41) Why is Having Mentors Awesome? (1:06) Mentors See Things You Don’t (1:21) Mentors Bring Diverse Experiences (1:41) Mentors Provide Typical Support (1:57) Mentors Are a Critical Part of Many Careers (2:13) Constructive Criticism in a Safe Environment (2:35) Mentors Enable Growth (3:20) Supervisors Aren’t Always Mentors (4:05) What Makes a Good Mentor? (4:18) My Way Isn’t Necessarily Best for You (4:37) Tailored Advice for You (4:57) Update Their Advice, Constantly (5:22) Give Good Advice But Let You Screw Up (5:57) You Still Need to Critically Listen (6:22) Mentors Don’t Have to be Friends (6:37) Mentors Don’t Have to be Perfect Matches (7:11) Make up Your Mentors in the Aggregate (7:39) Mentors for Specific Areas of Your Career (8:26) Interacting with Your Mentors (9:24) Finding Mentors (9:52) Use Your Existing Network (10:09) Be Flexible When Approaching Mentors (10:35) Can Be Done Online! (11:04) Good Mentors Do Due Diligence (11:18) Your Mentor Team Should Evolve Over Time (11:46) Summary: Mentors are like a Superpower
Full Video Notes
- Why mentors? Advisors, confidantes, disaster averters, constructive criticism in a trusted environment. See things you don’t. Diverse opinions. Can, where appropriate, write support letters, award nominations etc…
- Good Mentors Are Like a Superpower: Successfully careers are made by having good mentors
- Confronting, constructive criticism: give confronting, constructive criticism in a safe and trusting environment – the key enabler of growth.
- Mentors and supervisors: aren’t the same thing, but there can be overlap
- E.g. leaving your job discussion
- Bad situation
- Self-aware and introspective: Key properties of good mentors: self-aware and introspective
- Avoid “I did it this way, and therefore it’s the way to do it”
- Aware of the role that random variation and good / bad timing played in their career
- Are very aware that what worked even a few years ago may be totally inappropriate now
- Give good advice, frequently, but will let you make “mistakes of passion”
- Are occasionally wrong – your challenge is to still filter their advice.
- Not necessarily your friends (but can become friends)
- Not perfectly aligned in all regards, don’t need to see eye to eye on everything
- Are made up in aggregate, especially as you become more senior
- Technical
- Career
- Work-life nexus
- Entrepreneurial
- Interaction with Mentors: Both Regular and Irregular Interaction
- Monthly catchups
- On demand, sporadic advising. Professor advice example.
- A once off hour of quality, targeted advice can be incredibly valuable and career changing.
- Finding mentors
- Regularly “interacting” with other people, including new people. Wide variety of forms: not just over drinks, virtual meetings over a cup of tea etc…
- Asking for mentoring: regular thing, or a once-off meeting?
Good mentors do due diligence: a good mentor will make sure they are a good fit for you, and is confidence inspiring for you as a potential mentee.