If you are a mentor to one or more, you probably understand how challenging it can be to offer the right advice to young professionals who need direction. Mentoring is a serious business that encompasses a lot of soul searching for both parties. If you choose to assist an employee who is applying for student loans, there are several options you can choose from. One is cosigning.
Likewise, offering constructive criticism is difficult for new mentors, and it certainly takes practice to get the hang of speaking in the right tone and using the proper vocabulary. But, the majority of mentors are very adept at teaching their charges how to network. Other tactics for discharging your duties in this regard are to model ethical behavior and write letters of recommendation. Here are details about some of the most common ways mentoring can create positive change.
Helping Employees Get Approved for College Loans
Cosigning for someone’s college loan can be a game changer for their career trajectory. Not only do you give the applicant a chance to get a lower interest rate, but you also help increase their chances for approval. Those two factors can make a huge difference for other reasons. Once your protégé graduates from college, they won’t be saddled with a high-interest rate, which means they’ll pay much less over the course of the loan. If there’s a single action you can take that has the potential to transform a person’s future in a positive way, it’s to be a cosigner.
Teaching Networking & Ethics
Teaching someone how to build a professional network can play a major role in their long-term career success. It’s not about giving a person your contact list but supplying them with the tools to build their own. Be sure to explain some of your secrets that helped you build an extensive network. You can use social media to market a growing business and connect with those that are both in, and not within, your target customer base. Keep in mind that many young people don’t have a clear appreciation for how useful networking will be to them in the long run. Finally, every mentor, whether they know it or not, is modeling ethical behavior as they go about their instructional tasks.
Writing Effective Letters of Recommendation
For former employees who are searching for work, there’s no better tool than a well written letter of recommendation. Unfortunately, those who supply these all-important documents tend to fall short most of the time. It’s not enough to throw together a few generic sentences that basically say, “X was a wonderful employee, and I highly recommend him/her.” LORs should be detailed and descriptive.
Take time and make a genuine effort to assist your former employee with their job search. Craft a specific, unique letter that highlights at least two of the person’s achievements. Then, be sure to mention how well they get along with others in the workplace, how diligent they are with their duties, and why they would be an asset to any organization for which they work. Hiring agents pay attention to LORs, resumes, references, and work experience. The element you, as a mentor, have the most control over is the letter of recommendation.
