Selecting a mentor requires some careful consideration of what you hope to achieve from the relationship. Consider these questions when interviewing a potential mentor.
To choose the interview questions to ask a potential mentor, first determine what you want to gain from the guidance. Once you know your intentions, choose interview questions from the list below.
Move into a More Senior Role
- How long have you been in a leadership role?
- What is the largest team that you have lead?
- What are some of the challenges you have faced as a leader?
- How would you describe your leadership style?
Change Industries
- How long have you worked in this industry?
- Have you worked in other industries? If yes, how did you make the transition?
- Can you review my resume and let me know areas I can highlight to be more attractive to hiring managers in this industry?
- Are you a member of any professional associations that you’d suggest I join?
- Are you aware of any networking opportunities coming up?
Improve your Interpersonal Relationships
- What strategies do you use to work with difficult people?
- Can you give me an example of a difficult situation you’ve been in with a colleague and how you resolved it? What did you learn from the experience?
- How do you deliver bad news to your team?
- What have you found works in [insert specific situation]?
Learn New Skills
- How did you learn to [insert skill]?
- How many years have you [used this skill]?
- Have you completed training on [insert skill]? If yes, where did you take your training?
Improving Job Satisfaction
- Do you love your job?
- What keeps you motivated?
- What discourages you?
It is incredibly important to choose the right mentor by ensuring they have the background, experience and talents that you will need to guide your career. Asking tough questions will help you determine if your potential mentor has the know how to help you.
