New Graduates… find yourself a mentor (or coach)
4 long years of academics. You have put in hours studying (hopefully), made great strides in your chosen field of study, developed lifelong friendships and had “the” college experience. Now reality is about to set in……you are entering the next phase of your life! What an exciting time! You now have the opportunity to go anywhere and become whoever you dream to be.
Don’t let your journey begin without finding a mentor/coach.
If you were to spend time researching legendary sports coaches, you would find such luminaries as the late Pat Summit, Head Basketball Coach for the University of Tennessee Lady Vols, and the late John Wooden, Head Basketball Coach for UCLA Men’s basketball team. These are just two examples of outstanding coaches who impacted their players well beyond athletics.
These two coaches were tough on their players, drilling and training them for the basketball court but they also were passionate about preparing these hard working young people for life after their college careers.
Everyone needs a mentor/coach. Period. No one is so gifted that they never need another person to bounce off ideas and life’s aspirations. In business this person may be your manager or a co-worker. Who you choose as your coach is important but not as important as what they do in their role as your mentor/coach.
As you prepare for your college life to end, seriously consider looking for a mentor/coach.
Sometime you may not want to seek counsel from your parents and that’s ok, so look for someone who may already know you, your characteristics, integrity and history. Here are qualities to search for in your mentor/coach.
Someone who will be authentic
Someone who will help you, listen to you and hold you accountable
Someone who will have your back, no matter what
Let’s explore these.
Authentic:
A mentor/coach is someone who will care deeply about your success. They will give you real, honest feedback even if it stings sometime. It is a huge benefit at the beginning of your professional career to choose a mentor/coach who will observe you in your role and then is brutally honest with your performance. Total honesty is the only way you will improve. Think of it as a gift. When Coach Summit was coaching she did not sugar coat anything…. if one of her players was not achieving their best she let them know. The key is to find a mentor/coach who knows what the performance standard for your chosen position is and will give you honest, caring and authentic feedback. Remember this person only wants the best for your career, so try not to be defensive or offended by it.
Listens and holds you accountable:
A mentor/coach will assist you in being accountable for your actions, performance etc. In college your grades were your personal scoreboard and it was up to you build a network of accountability partners to ensure you were meeting timelines for your studies. In the business world the scoreboard will be your individual performance in the role. A mentor/coach is critical here as they have been where you are and can help light your path actively listening to you and helping to navigate the choices with you. Coach Wooden’s players understood that being accountable in the game would only make them a better player. In the business world, personal accountability will help to advance your career.
Has your back, no matter what:
A mentor/coach will always have your back. We all have family and friends in our lives we choose as our “ride or die”. A mentor/coach needs to be our professional “ride or die”. They will defend you if needed and support you when you make a stupid mistakes helping get you back on track. They won’t always give you unicorns and rainbows…. because they are authentic and hold themselves accountable to you as your mentor/coach.
Knowing you have a trusted person always in your corner can be very comforting, especially as you start your new career, navigating the ins and outs of “real life”. Having a wonderful relationship with a trusted mentor/coach will help propel you upwards in your career. Hopefully when you have climbed your career ladder you will be given this privilege to help someone too.
If you would like to learn more about what an interview coach can do for you, please contact me at tom@interviewvcoachingsolutions.com