One of the most difficult things about making career choices - or even knowing in what you might be interested - is getting useful information. You can get an internship, but that might not let you explore a variety of careers. And meaningful jobs aren't always easy to come by.
Mentors might be the next best thing. Mentors use their firsthand experience to give you the inside scoop on a particular field or on other job-related topics. And now you can find a mentor on-line.
Mentors are advisers or role models who can help you with everything from questions about job training to salaries and what kind of clothes to wear to work. Mentors often can help you with specific job skills or guide you through your exploration of finding out about different careers.
Shirley Peddy, author of the book, The Art of Mentoring, says that a mentoring relationship can be long term or simply a "mentoring moment." Discussions also can cover a specific narrow question or a wide range of general topics. "Mentoring also is often about more than careers," Peddy says. "Mentors often provide advice about life - many times without knowing it."
Some experts suggest setting up a team of mentors, each one providing information on a different topic. This might be the easiest arrangement on the Internet. Peddy says there are other advantages to such a relationship on-line. It allows rapid-fire contact with an "e-mentor" so that you can get instant answers to your questions. An on-line relationship also puts some distance between you and the mentor, which can help him/her be objective.
How do you go about finding an e-mentor? In just the same way you would with a traditional mentor; you have to be energetic and persistent in your search. "Take action. Explore," says Mark Gilleland, director of netmentors.org, a Web site designed to provide students with a variety of career advice and connect them to mentors. "There are a lot of adults out there interested and capable of helping. You just have to do a little searching."
He says students have to be proactive. "Start out by contacting people you know and telling them what you are after," Peddy says. You also can contact someone you've heard speak or whose writings on a topic of personal interest you've read. Authors often have contacts with people who could help guide you.
It might be worth it to visit a Web site of the company or organization that interests you and see if there is a staff person listed who can help. There are hundreds of professional groups that also might "hook you up" with someone to answer questions on-line. For example, there is the Nut Growers Association, the Association of Women Soil Scientists, and the American Association of Teachers of French. There are also many more, less obscure associations for everyone from lawyers to teachers, most with Web sites and many with e-mentoring programs or other contacts.
General Web sites that offer help in finding a mentor include Gilleland's netmentors.org; where your questions will be routed to a maximum of three mentors. After they respond, you can follow up through an e-mail dialogue with the mentor of your choice. All communication is done through the netmentors.org Web site and is monitored.
Imentors.org is primarily for students in the New York City area, but is looking for participants from outside the City. There are other regional and state Web sites popping up, many of which can be tracked down through state education departments.
Reach4it.com offers a list of mentor profiles, making it easy to find a mentor who will fit your needs. The site, however, notes that it has gone to an "open" e-mail format and warns participants they shouldn't give personal information over the Net. That should, of course, be advice you follow in any on-line relationship. You also should tell someone about any troubling conversations you might have had with a mentor.
Teencoach.com also offers a pretty straightforward way of finding someone who can help you with a wide variety of issues beyond careers.
The National Mentoring Partnership, www.mentoring.org, focuses primarily on traditional face-to-face mentoring but includes an extensive list of links.
The Virtual Volunteering Project is designed to use the Internet to link volunteers with organizations needing on-line help, but its listings often include mentoring groups. There are also a number of programs run through school guidance offices. Generally they are designed to help teachers and guidance counselors by providing on-line expertise for individual students or entire classes.
Hewlett Packard's Telementor Center, www.telementor.org, is praised as a standout site.
The Career Education Network's new Web site, www.CENUSA.com, offers a variety of career assistance, including advice from professionals. CENUSA.com has been well received in its home state of Indiana and is now beginning to work with schools in New York and California. Similar sites include Myroad.com and Careerwebsource.com.
Once you've found a mentor, remember that professionals are busy people. Do your homework to cut down on background information your mentor will otherwise have to provide. It also shows that you're interested. Pay attention to all information - even to the seemingly irrelevant. An experience mentioned to you in passing could be a valuable tip later. And don't forget to show your appreciation by thanking your mentor and keeping in touch.
Here are 10 tips to make the most of your on-line mentoring relationship. Establish how often you'll communicate. * Be prepared. Do some research, and think about what you want to ask. * Be realistic about what you can get from your mentor. Don't expect too much. * Don't be afraid to seem stupid or silly. * If you don't understand something, ask. People talking about their own work sometimes forget that others aren't up to speed. * Contribute your own ideas. Everyone appreciates a fresh opinion. * Welcome all feedback, both positive and negative. You often can learn even more from negative comments. * Don't take up the mentor's time by whining about a job, school, or your home life. * Don't ask a mentor for a job. You can tell a mentor about your interests, but job seeking is not appropriate. * Keep copies of your communications to refer to later. * Pay attention to small talk. Valuable tips are sometimes hidden in what seems like idle chatter.
