Helping someone realize their own potential is incredibly fulfilling. We all have valuable lived experience and we can all offer guidance to help each other along the winding path we call a career.

Who can be a mentor?

A mentor is anyone who has knowledge to share. You don’t have to be a CEO, or even in leadership. A mentor is like a guide: someone who already knows where all of the tricky sections of the trail exist and how to navigate them. 

Why become a mentor?

Mentoring doesn’t just benefit the mentee. As a mentor you build a multitude of skills, grow your network, and give back to the community.

Through mentoring you will hone interpersonal skills, strengthen leadership skills, and build confidence. You will learn to listen deeply, and to build trusting relationships. Your guidance can help make a career transition successful, and maybe even a bit less scary. 

Becoming a mentor will grow your professional network through your mentees and other mentors. The Climate Career Portal is developing a mentor network, where you can meet other mentors who might have navigated completely different terrain. 

Rarely does anyone make it through a career transition alone. Mentors are there to talk you through challenges, to give you advice, and to help you weigh the pros and cons. If you’ve ever had someone who helped you through a critical decision or challenge in your career journey - consider giving back to the community by helping others navigate their own path. 

Who needs a mentor?

Everyone!

A mentor can remove some of the uncertainty in your career journey and help you avoid pitfalls along the way. Some mentors will only guide you through a career transition; others may become lifelong resources. A good mentor helps you stretch to meet exciting goals, helps you evaluate missteps and helps you see the possibilities in the future. 

How to find a mentor?

Since you’re here, start with the mentors available through the Climate Career Portal. It is entirely free - fast and easy to book time - and no commitment; you can reach out to different mentors until you find the right fit. These folks have a wealth of knowledge about transitioning to careers in the net-zero economy. And they have put their names forward so you already know they want to be a mentor! 

You can also reach out to people in a role you find interesting to seek their advice on how to land that type of role. Or there may be someone in your community who gives excellent advice and has supported others in career or life changes. A trusted ally at your current job could help you make decisions on the road ahead. Mentors have helped me pursue a new adventure, not because it was best for the company - but because it was best for me. That’s a good mentor. 

There are many ways to find a mentor, the key is to find the right mentor for the current path you’re navigating. Like in friendship, mentorship blossoms when there are deep connections and shared life experience, but can also be exceptionally beneficial when you bring together a diversity of experience and create two-way learning.

Find a Mentor: Be a Mentor

“Thank you for providing the [mentorship] service, it was extremely helpful for being able to move forward more strategically and confidently.” – One of our Climate Career Portal Mentees.

Mentorship can be a powerful experience for the mentor and mentee. It brings opportunity for growth and learning to both parties and can forge a strong bond. If you have experience that you want to share - apply to become a mentor. If you’re searching for mentorship, check out the mentors available through the Climate Career Portal; you can book time with them directly from the site!

Post by freelance writer Anna Kobb

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This blog is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program.