5 Best Places To Find A Mentor

Mentors are indispensable when you are launching your career or learning the ropes in a new industry. They will help you understand the field, guide you through what you need to do personally and professionally in order to succeed and often just lend you an ear when you need to talk about problems, issues and successes.

Mentors are valuable role models with a wealth of knowledge and advice you need to move forward. Now where do you find one that will truly help you?

Start by looking in these 5 places.

1. Mentoring Organizations

There are organizations that devote themselves to helping connect you with potential mentors. SCORE, which is supported by the U.S Small Business Administration, is one of the largest  and most respected mentoring organizations out there. They provide services at low or no cost.

Other mentoring organizations to check out include The Mentoring Women’s Network, American Corporate Partners’ Veteran Mentoring Program, Micromentor and America’s Small Business Development Center Network.

2. Friends of Friends of Friends

Finding a  mentor is an exercise in effective networking; And that means you are going to have to talk with your friends, meet their friends and so on. Expanding your social network through cocktail parties, dinners, social hours or book signings is key to finding a mentor, particularly one with whom you click.

You will meet a lot of people, some of whom might be good mentors now, some later. You never know how they will be able to help you, or vice versa, and this give-and-take is all part of finding and offering help when needed.

While you are networking, make no secret of the fact that you are looking for a mentor.

3. Conferences

Conferences are useful for a variety of reasons; staying abreast in your field, learning about new technologies and thinking of potential business opportunities. They are also a ripe ground for your mentor search. Workshop and seminars leaders, in particular, are usually well-experienced in their field and approaching them after a session, trading business cards and arranging for coffee or a drink later is a great way to get a sense of their interest in mentoring and your overall compatibility.

4.  Yoga Class

This might seem a strange place to look for a mentor, but think about it for a minute. Many stressed-out business professionals—read, those at the top of their game—tend to gravitate toward the relaxing and rejuvenating practice of yoga. Granted, the last thing they might want to hear while in Downward-Facing Dog pose is, “Would you be interested in being my business mentor?” However,  it’s worth getting to know your fellow yoga classmates, perhaps in the locker room afterward. You never know where those relationships might lead. And what’s the worst that can happen? You’ll get some much-needed relaxation and rejuvenation yourself.

5. Colleges, Universities And Online Courses

Taking courses can help to strengthen your skills, and they can also introduce you to a host of potential mentors. From the professors and instructors to your fellow classmates, these courses are filled with people who have all kinds of business expertise. Take advantage of this chance to meet experts, learn new things and find someone who might be able to help you in the future.

Finding a mentor doesn’t have to be a mysterious process. You’re already good at making friends and advancing your career—now you just need to take deliberate steps to find a person who will see the mutual benefit in forming a mentoring, and collegial, relationship with you.

Originally from openforum.

What To Do When You’re Overqualified For A Job?

You’ve been fervidly searching for a job; but after you are called in for an interview, the hiring manager told you that you are overqualified. If you still want this position, here is what you can to do.

Be Honest

It is obvious to your interviewer that you are overqualified for the position you are applying for. Get ready and be straightforward about why you want that position. It may be that its close to your house or they give you the option to telecommute or   maybe it’s your dream company. In any case, be honest about your intentions.

Focus On How You Can Help

All your past workplace experience can either help or harm you during a job interview. It is up to you to show your potential employer how valuable you will be and the contributions you will bring. Do your homework by researching the present needs of your potential employer and be ready to show how your expertise can help meet those needs.

Modify Your Resume

Most people “embellish”  some parts of their resumes to make themselves look more qualified and skilled than they actually are. But when you are already overqualified for a job, you should do the exact opposite.  Look for areas in which you can trim down some past experiences so that you are still qualified for the position but not over-qualify.

Offer A Commitment

The biggest fear that a company faces when hiring an overqualified candidate is that he or she will get bored after a while and quit, leaving the company to start the time-consuming and expensive process of hiring all over again.

Convince your potential employer that you are serious about working for them by signing at least a 12 to 18 months contract; That is if you are truly wiling to dedicate your time to the company.

Take Salary Off The Table

With your past experience and expertise, a hiring manager might assume you’ll want a higher starting salary than another candidate. Make it clear that your previous positions and earnings will not inflate your salary requirements and that you are open for negotiation.

Post originally from Mashable

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