The Benefits of Mentoring

By Linda Bicho-Vachon

When people think about mentorships, the benefits are often attributed to the person being mentored and how the relationship contributes to their career growth. But being a mentor can be just as beneficial.

Mentorships offer seasoned professionals the opportunity to pass down their career experiences and insights to someone just starting out in their career. Mentors can help guide and support a junior team member as they navigate their own professional journey. A recent survey by the Environics Institute, found 38 per cent of working Canadians were mentors.

Most mentors enjoy the feeling of giving back to their professional communities and get satisfaction seeing the success of those whom they’ve mentored.

Felicia Empey, a communications strategist was motivated to become a mentor after a positive experience with her mentor in her first job.  She credits her mentor for being her sounding board to bounce off ideas, answer questions and work through the struggles she encountered early in her career.

“Because I experienced that, I preferred to pay it forward, so someone doesn’t have to feel like they’re hitting their head against a wall,” says Empey.

However, other benefits to becoming a mentor can go beyond these altruistic intentions.

Sharpen your skills

In a survey of mentors, over 33 per cent of respondents said mentoring a junior person helped them strengthen their professional skillset. Another study within the medical field found that the high level of mentors’ satisfaction in the mentoring relationship was due to their own personal and professional development.

As a mentor, Empey also found she was able to deepen her consulting skills as a communications professional who offers advice to her clients.

“They (mentees) bring forward questions that make you think,” she says. “They are looking for your wise counsel, so it makes you think and bring your own element of consulting to the role.”

Grow your career

Being a mentor can help you develop valuable skills such as leadership, coaching or consulting skills that can help you move into a management role at a later date. As a mentor, you can put into practice tactics to help a junior employee work through a problem or take the next step in their own career.

Expand your Network

Finally, being a mentor is a great way to expand your network and deepen your professional relationships. Even after a formal mentorship relationship has ended, the informal relationship can continue. As Empey says, “you could find yourself facing your mentee who is in a position of authority looking to fill a role on their team.”

If you’re looking to take your career to the next level and would like to explore becoming a mentor, IABC Toronto Chapter offers members access to a mentorship program that matches seasoned communicators with those who are new to the field.