You may have heard quite a number of people stress the importance of having a mentor. Most especially for newbies in any given field. How really important is it to have a mentor?

First things first, who is a mentor?

I will describe a career mentor as someone with (more) relevant expertise in your field, or industry, that provides you with the guidance, support, and feedback you need to succeed in your career. A mentor genuinely wants to see you make it, celebrates your wins, and encourages you to get back on your feet with a better approach when you fail.

I believe having a mentor is very crucial for anyone serious about succeeding in their chosen career because of the below points:

Avoid avoidable mistakes

Since a mentor would have most likely made a number of mistakes on their journey up and would have found a better approach that leads to a more positive outcome, who best to seek advice from for a workaround for the avoidable mistakes? A mentor gives you an edge by ensuring you don't make the same mistakes others have/ they themselves have made.

Gain valuable career advice

A mentor is able to give valuable career advice since they have spent a significant number of years in the field and have seen enough to be able to nudge you towards the right path. Do you need to make a major career decision you are unsure about? Need help navigating a difficult situation at work? Think you are stagnant in your current role and want to try something different? Speak with your mentor, and I can assure you, you'll be making the right decisions in no time.

Speed up the ladder

A mentor is very valuable when it comes to putting you on the quickest possible path to achieving and surpassing your career goals. Again, their experience comes into play seeing that they have been exactly where you are and they have over the years, discovered the fastest way possible to the top. It's more about working smart not just hard, after all, so why not accept the leg up?

Track your growth

Tracking your own growth yourself can be quite tricky. It is recommended someone else reviews your growth and constantly gives you feedback on how to improve. Who is best for this than someone that knows your story, where you started from, where you currently are, and where you're heading to? A mentor has a wider view and is able to effectively judge if the current approach you're taking works for you, what needs to be tweaked, what should be thrown out the door.

In summary, the benefits of having a mentor cannot be over-emphasized. If you don't have one already, I recommend you start reaching out to people you look up to in your field and ask to be mentored. Start building a relationship with them. It will do you a whole lot of good in the long run.