6 Practical Ways You Can Support Your Mentee ... Without Using Up a Lot of Time

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If you’re an experienced professional, then it’s likely you’ll be involved in mentorship so that you can pass on your knowledge and expertise to the next generation.

Of course the issue with this is that mentoring a more junior team member can monopolise your schedule, and take you away from the other responsibilities of your role. That’s why it’s necessary to plan how to support your mentee in a way that’s time-efficient, so here are a few ways to achieve this.

1. Setting Clear Expectations

You can help your mentee reach their goals without taking up too much of your time by setting clear expectations.

Make sure to outline the type of guidance and support you are willing to offer, as well as any boundaries or limits that need to be respected.

Also, explain what successful outcomes will look like at each step along the way so they know exactly what is expected from them, and when it needs to be completed by. This provides clarity on both sides, saving valuable time in the long-run, since there won’t be any misunderstandings or additional questions to field later on.

2. Recommending Useful Tools

One of the most practical ways to support your mentee without taking up too much time is by recommending useful tools and resources that can help them achieve their goals in an efficient manner.

For example, if they are designing a restaurant menu, you could suggest harnessing an online restaurant menu maker, which will make the job easier and quicker than starting from scratch.

By finding shortcuts like this for them, it takes away some of the stress involved with completing certain tasks, while still allowing them to create something professional looking.

3. Sharing Relevant Resources

There are lots of resources you can offer to mentees in order to assist them in their professional growth, and arguably the most valuable of these is access to relevant information.

As a mentor, it’s up to you as an expert in your field to share this knowledge with them, and provide important insights which they would struggle to find on their own. This could include industry-specific articles, books or ebooks packed full of helpful advice and tips, or even introductions into the right networks that will help propel their career forward.

All these things take minimal effort from yourself, but make a huge difference for them in terms of gaining experience and growth opportunities.

4. Offering Constructive Feedback

Another practical way to support your mentee without taking up too much time is by providing constructive feedback. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a long and drawn out process, but it’s important for them to receive valuable guidance from you on their work as they progress through each stage of the journey.

Make sure that you are clear about what areas need improving upon, while also offering advice on how best to go about doing this, in order for them to reach their desired end result more efficiently and effectively.

5. Connecting Mentees with Valuable Networks

Having access to the right networks is key for any aspiring entrepreneur or businessperson. As their mentor, you can help give them a leg-up by introducing them to people who are likely to be of value and offer guidance along their journey.

You don’t have to dedicate hours on end in order for this kind of support, as it could just entail connecting your mentee with individuals via email, or even attending one meeting together so they can get an introduction into a particular industry or field which interests them.

This type of outreach takes minimal effort, but makes all the difference when it comes to advancing career goals.

6. Scheduling Regular Check-ins

Last but not least, if you’re eager to help your mentee get ahead but you’ve got a busy schedule to keep up with, pencilling in regular check-ins should be a priority.

This doesn’t mean you have to be available all the time, but it does allow for both of you to stay on top of progress, and make sure that everything is running smoothly as your relationship moves forward.

You can set aside a certain slice of time every week or month where you can discuss any issues or queries they may have, as well as give them extra guidance when needed. This type of structure helps ensure objectives are being met efficiently and effectively.

Check-ins don’t need to last for hours, as often a 20 minute chat will be more than sufficient to cover all the bases.

The Bottom Line

There’s value in mentoring people in the right way, and efficiency is an often overlooked aspect of this. The strategies we’ve discussed will work wonders in this regard, so they are well worth implementing.

This article was guest written by Jessica Perkins.