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Author: Victoria Cohen
“Mentors advise and guide you, help you develop leadership skills, and can increase your confidence.”
– Kelsey Ott, Marketing and Events Manager at Engage! Cleveland
Working with a mentor will bring a brand-new perspective for you to reflect on when evaluating where you are and where you’d like to be. This will not only help you gain insight into how you’d like to grow professionally, it will also help you learn about who you are as a person, what you’re best at, and what you truly want out of both your personal and professional life.
Whether you need help with defining a set of goals, the logistics how to get started, or navigating roadblocks along the way, a good mentor will help guide you through the process with clarity. Many effective mentors utilize the method of helping you set SMART goals which is a very effective method for setting you on the path of success for your next goal.
What is a smart goal?
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-Bound
Have you ever heard the phrase “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know?” Having an experienced mentor can open up doors for new opportunities as well as expand your professional networks.
One of the best ways to learn is through someone who has already made mistakes in their professional careers and learned what works, and what doesn’t. A mentor can provide you with valuable constructive criticism to identify your weak spots and guide you on making adjustments that will help land you where you’d like to be long-term.
We’re often capable of much more than we think we are. Working with a mentor who’s well established in their career will open your horizons to consider new opportunities that are only at arm’s length from you. While mentors aren’t therapists, they can serve as a great source of motivation and encouragement by supporting you as you navigate your professional career.
Engage! Cleveland offers a professional mentorship cohort where you can get connected with a mentor to help you
learn, grow, and excel in both your personal and professional life.
*Deadline to register is November 28, 2022
Our Vice President of Recruiting and Service Delivery, Rachel Mack had the opportunity to participate in the first cohort of the Engage!CLE Mentorship program and shared her thoughts on the benefits of participating in Engage! Cleveland’s mentorship program. “The ability to connect with another professional who I’m able to use as a resource in things like career planning, making important/tough decisions or having difficult conversations, learning how to lead and manage a new team, and having someone outside of my organization providing me with different perspectives has really been invaluable. The EC program made the sometimes-uneasy task of seeking out formal mentorship, very comfortable. Our organization has been so fortunate to participate in the program and we’ve been able to have a team member join each cohort – this time we have two!” – Rachel Mack
For more information on the logistics of the program, I spoke with Kelsey Ott, Marketing and Events Manager, at Engage! Cleveland.
“This program is designed to match young professionals with seasoned professionals to grow professionally and personally. The program is six months long and will consist of one mentor matched with a small group of mentees. We offer both a Women only cohort and a Co-ed cohort option. Engage! Cleveland also offers scholarship opportunities.” – Kelsey Ott