Melissa Dittman gives guidance about how to find and form a mentorship:
- Find a match—consider what it is you want to achieve and look for somebody who has already accomplished such goals. Keep in mind that a good match does not imply a direct match of interests.
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Initiate the mentorship—seek opportunities to bring yourself to the attention of the prospective mentor:
- Request a meeting with the person and tell the individual what you want to achieve.
- Explain that you need guidance and enquire if the person would be willing to answer some questions about her/his accomplishments that may help steer you.
- Volunteer to work on a project with the person of choice as mentor.
- Ask the individual directly if s/he would be willing to serve as your mentor with regard to a particular area of development.
Dittmann, M. 2005. Building mentorships for success. gradPsych, January 2005, 40-44.
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