How to find a mentor?
Title says it all - it would be good to hear how everyone, if they did, find a 'mentor' or an older 'buddy' to help navigate the industry (IB/PE/HF)
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1) you could find one on WSO
2) look through your network and see who you get along with. chemistry is the first item on the tick list, IMO. then see how much they are ahead of you (30 years might be too much, 2 years might be too little)
3) make a plan what you are trying to achieve with this entire scenario, i.e. which questions, what area in your professional life would you like to cover, what were/are the major roadblocks, etc - maybe there are nuances which will show the perfect mentor to you.
4) ask for referrals within your family, network, among friends
(tip: send nice Christmas emails this year and mention that one of your intentions in 2021 is to find a mentor, ask whether they know someone)
Do you ask them to be your “mentor” or is it kind of an informal thing where you catch up with them once in a while?
Whatever works for both of you. I have previously mentored people I met on WSO, we just hit if off via Skype (today: Zoom).
Or you go to a chat room and ask. asking never hurts, in the worst case you won't find anyone.
it would be best if you find someone you "click" with, so maybe you share a common language, culture, hobby, or something similar. it doesn't matter as long as the other person isn't too tied up. I would say a brief call every other week is useful.
there are people who prefer this f2f, so make sure you have checked your personal network as well.
I feel that I've built a strong network although, it just seems like things have to fall in place in a certain way - as alot of bankers/investment professionals are so short of time it's hard for that mentor-mentee relationship to properly blossom. For context - in final year of studies with limited family connections in finance
this could be true, but I have always had a lot of time, never married or had kids so far. I have helped people I have never met in my life. it all depends on how many people you ask, I guess?
why don't you guys build a networking thread where mentors and mentees can exchange contact details or find each other? here on wso?
or does that exist already?
if they did that no one would pay for the WSO matching service
oh wow - thanks. I didn't know there was a matching service!
Didn't realize there was a matching service either, will check it out!
Found mine on hinge.
And how did that work out lmao
details plz
I have three people I would call my mentors:
1) One was formally assigned me two (two were actually, but the other one fizzled out). This is a guy who I would go to for informal advice related to finance and some basic questions. He's 3 years older than me
2) This guy was someone I had approached for a mock initially and we became close pretty quick. He's the one I go to for most of my mocks and general formal advice but different paths (he's doing what I want to do in 7 years). He's 7 years older than me
3) This is guy is a borderline mentor but I expect this to strengthen as I move along the path. He's an alum whom I first met during initial periods of networking and have kept in touch over the duration of the past year with general updates and stuff. He's the one I go to when I need upper-level advice and maybe an in into some companies. He's also shown an interest in helping me develop as a professional, and that's why I list him as a mentor instead of someone I network with. He's 12 years older than me.
Great insight thank u for this - great to get different age perspectives too!
Personally I found mine through school clubs and the leadership in there
Good pointer actually, we have a fund at our business school so will defo try there. Although most the leadership team and fund advisors are in AM and research
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