How to Find Your Next Mentor in a Virtual World

Editor’s note: This piece is part of our Columnist Network series, which explores the tactical thoughts and actions from Adweek’s community of high-level experts. Today, Intersection’s Esther Raphael shares experiences of mentorship throughout her career. Below, in her own words, she suggests ways to foster these connections over the hurdle of remote work. Personal and professional development is important for everyone. More than that, if you find the right mentor, you will find your greatest champion—someone who will push you and support your success. But working from home has limited the development of relationships outside of your immediate team and slowed our ability to network. So, how do we find the right mentor in a virtual world? Mentorship dates back to Greek mythology with the character of Mentor in Homer's Odyssey: Odysseus leaves his young son, Telemachus, in the care of Mentor when he goes to fight in the Trojan War. The concept is now viewed as vital to the development of corporate leaders and executives, and it has been increasingly brought into the workplace since the 1970s. Personally, I have followed in Odysseus’ footsteps and relied on mentors (yes, plural!) at different stages of my career to help me learn and shape my path. My first gig out of college was as a sales assistant at a magazine. The marketing manager took me under her wing, teaching me the basics on how to review and respond to client RFPs, allowing me to tag along on events to see what it took to bring them to life. I watched her, listened and asked questions. This was a very early mentorship-like experience that taught me the importance of finding a role model and being proactive. She gave me a piece of advice I will never forget: When looking for a new job, always look for a boss who demands A players on an A team. The hiring manager for my next role ended up shaping my trajectory (all roads lead back to picking a good boss!) This was my first experience in a true mentorship relationship. She was so honest with me about my strengths but also my shortfalls; she helped me draft my long-term career vision, held me accountable and pushed me to achieve goals. She made it clear that I would have to conquer my fear of public speaking to advance in my career, and she insisted I practice in front of her first. I realized presenting to one person you admire was a hell of a lot scarier than presenting to a group of 300. Even today, I practice before a presentation until I know every line almost by heart. An important part of mentorship is identifying what you want to accomplish and working together to get to the finish line. She was my biggest champion and remains that way today. It sometimes takes a team of mentors—an entourage of sorts—to build your dream. I arrived at Intersection and immediately gravitated to a new mentor. As a newbie in the organization, I leaned on him to learn how to navigate building relationships in a new industry. He challenged me to think bigger and never let me coast. One of the many things I learned from him is the importance of paying it forward as you go through your career. He had no vested interest in my success or failure, but he wanted to help me. I share all of this because it’s important to know that it sometimes takes a team of mentors—an entourage of sorts—to build your dream. These relationships take work to develop and even more work when building them from behind a screen. Here’s how I would start: Join formal mentorship programs, where you can be connected with awesome people who want to lift others up. For example, She Runs It manages the industry’s largest mentoring program with more than 1,000 people participating in one-to-one or group programs. Also, sign up for any in-house programs within your company.Find two or three people that inspire you, and ask to meet with them. Use the first meeting to see if you click, and then make sure to use the time wisely. Share your goals and ask for their help.Live events seem to be returning. When it’s safe and you’re ready, add in-person networking to your list of to-dos.Remember, mentorship is for anyone, at any stage of your career. Make it a priority to build your dream team! To paraphrase Sheryl Sandberg, don't think: "Get a mentor and you will excel." Think: "Excel and you will get a mentor." While the idea of finding the right mentor can be overwhelming, it's a marathon, not a sprint. It can take time to find the right mentor(s), but by being your authentic self and working hard, you'll get there naturally. Our needs and goals can change over the course of our career, so it's important to stay open to finding mentors and champions in places you might not expect to.

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How to Find Your Next Mentor in a Virtual World

CMO Esther Raphael shares tips for getting started

Esther Raphael

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Esther Raphael