Choosing and Working with a Mentor

Abstract

Identifying a mentor. The purpose of this chapter helps you better understand what makes a good mentor—not only to help find one early in your career but also to help you as your mentoring duties increase over the years. Of course, there are no absolutes or specific recipes for success. To a great extent, finding a good mentor is very much luck of the draw. You can’t guarantee that there will be someone at your institution in your particular field sufficiently skilled to help you along your way. Similarly, it is also very possible to launch a successful career without a mentor being deeply involved in your work. However, I would say that it is pretty much impossible to start a successful research career entirely on your own or just by reading a book (yes, even this one!). However, it is very possible to succeed with just some gentle assistance and direction from senior colleagues. For example, one major challenge is identifying a research niche without any outside direction or guidance, as will be discussed in a later chapter. At the very least, a mentor can help you identify a potential place to “plant your flag” and start your work. At the very most, they can become a lifelong friend and colleague with whom you will work for years or decades to come, whether or not you are still at the same institution or across the country from one another.