Find Yourself a Mentor

When it comes to your job search, don't think for one minute that you have to have all the answers. As matter of fact, half of the fun is learning the answers from others. Like the old saying goes "When you're green you grow; when you're ripe you rot."

One of the best ways to help you make the best of your job search is to find a mentor. A mentor is someone who you can go to and share your thoughts about your career transition. This is someone who has experience and can offer some solid advice and suggestions.

Don’t wait for a mentor to just happen. Keep your eyes and ears open to other people with whom you may interact. A good mentor is someone you can bounce ideas off of, and in return may be able to give you some good ideas or advice. When you think of a person who fits this description, invite them to have coffee. (Even if you don’t drink it.)

Encourage your temporary mentor to tell their story. Ask them what road they took to get to the stage in life they are at. What lessons did they learn along the way? What would they have done differently? When the time is right in the conversation share with them some of your thoughts and concerns with your job search and ask for their input.

When someone has earned the right to offer advice, LISTEN! Never be too smug to learn from others who are wiser than you. When you do this you will stay green by staying on a learning curve.

By: Tom Borg

Tom Borg is president of Tom Borg Consulting, LLC. He is a business consultant, trainer, coach and author. He works with small and mid-size businesses and helps them develop their most valuable resource - their managers and employees.