Personal Coaching: Beginning A New Job
May 3rd, 2008 by george purdy
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A mentor can provide valuable assistance to anyone who is just starting a career. This is especially true for someone who knows little about corporate bureaucracy. A mentor can help a person master the red tape which is found in many career fields and can ease one’s assimilation into the work force. A good mentor will enhance your career experience.
You will find that most of the companies provide comprehensive training programs for new employees, however, they are not sufficient to build an informal network. For achieving success in your business, experts suggest that informal networks are the key. Young and hardworking managers who are busy in their own work all the time generally find themselves left out during promotions. The reason is that achievements are not recognized because of lack of visibility in the company. It is definitely difficult to shout for yourself as a new employee. However, this informal network can help you get the much deserved recognition and promotions for all your hard work.
So how does one build this informal network? The first step belongs to your mentor. Look for a mentor who has been with the company a long time and knows their way within the company. Some people aren’t comfortable speaking to those in upper management. If you find someone at that level, then that’s great! If the company has a hierarchical structure, then speaking to your peers may be the better choice. Be sure to choose a mentor that is one level above you in the company structure for they will be your liaison to the upper management employees.
At times it becomes difficult for some people to find a mentor and it takes a lot of time. It helps to attend company organized events like social events or philanthropic events etc and take small breaks in between your work schedule. Although it is not mandatory to be social animal if you want to succeed, but it always helps if you are able to initiate a conversation with people around you. Social networking always helps to make best business connections with people otherwise you do not generally meet.
After some networking in your organization, you would be able to understand your compatibility with the other people as well as identify the best person who can provide you the best personal coaching. It always helps to understand the kind of rapport people already share with each other in the company. And if you are able to identify a person who is a connector, like who is popular in the organization and constantly connect a lot of people with similar interests.,then you can be rest assured that you have found the best mentor for yourself who will help in your career progression.
It is important to maintain consistant contact with the mentor you choose. Check in at least once a month. Keep your mentor up to date on your current work projects and also keep him informed about what is happening in your personal life. Build a friendly relationship. This will help establish and maintain the relationship needed to provide you the personal coaching you require and will help you attain your personal goals.
Most companies have comprehensive training for new employees, but this would not assist you in building an informal network. Experts agree that informal networks are the key to excelling in the business world. Young managers may find themselves shut out when it comes to promotion times if they do not connect to others and simply do their assigned tasks. How do you build a network? Find a mentor, someone who can provide you with personal coaching. Be sure that your mentor has been working with the company for quite some time now and knows who is who and what is what.
