Smart Risk Magazine Spring 2018 | Seite 11

SPRING 2 0 1 8 THE PEER MENTOR This is a person that you can identify with because you both share the same professional level. Not only are they good as a support system, a peer mentor is also particularly valuable when you’re trying to break into a new field or job role that they currently work in. As you move up in your career there’s a good chance your peer mentor will change. CAREER MENTORS Having more than one mentor not only ensures that you will cover all of your bases, it also gives you multiple points of view to pull from, and it doesn’t put all the mentoring on the shoulders of a single person. By splitting up mentor responsibilities, the pool of candidates will increase and you’ll be in a better position to find people who can help you hit both your short-term and long-term career goals. THE EDUCATION MENTOR What do you need to learn, or what type of education do you need to obtain, to land your ideal job? An educational mentor is one that can provide guidance on gaining understanding in a subject. Co-workers that have previously served as professors or teachers are a wonderful resource, but people that actively participate in seminars, conferences and job training can be even more helpful. THE NETWORKING MENTOR Networking is a part of professionalism that comes naturally to some and is a source of anxiety for others. You can’t get to where you want to be professionally on your own. A networking mentor is a person that’s great at making and cultivating relationships. They’ll have a huge network of their own that you can tap into, and they’ll help you build your personal contact list. The social butterfly of your office that always seems to have a connection is usually a good candidate for this mentoring role, especially if they are successful in your industry. However, they should have a good reputation of not a gossiping, creating drama or taking advantage of the people they know. THE WORK-LIFE BALANCE MENTOR Your job is important, but it should never overshadow your life. People that can provide guidance on juggling the two are usually easy to spot. They aren’t workaholics that never leave the office. They usually have mementos of family and friends at their desk. They take vacations and have a healthy social life while being a standout employee. A work-life balance mentor helps you find ways to prioritize and focus on your occupational ONE Thing in the office so you don’t take your work home with you. THE EXPERTISE MENTOR Do you know someone that has or had the job you want? There’s no better person to turn to than someone who’s actually done the work you want to do. An expertise mentor can give insider advice on how they got to where they are, what to expect when you get there and the skills you need to master to excel. It’s best to make sure they’re not someone in direct competition for the job you want or that already holds the position you’d love to have. Instead, look for someone in a similar position in another department, or look for someone that’s held the position in the past who has moved up the ladder. 11 Gary Keller is the founder and chairman of the board for Keller Williams Realty, the world's largest real estate franchise by agent count. A finalist for Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year award, Keller is recognized as one of the most influential leaders in the real estate industry, leading his company to 30 consecutive years of growth and profitability. Keller has written three nationally best-selling books: The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, The Millionaire Real Estate Investor, and SHIFT: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times. As a coach and keynote speaker, he has helped countless others find success narrowing down their ONE thing. Unsurprising to those who know him, his greatest achievement is the life he’s built with wife Mary and their son John. Before Jay Papasan co-authored the best- selling Millionaire Real Estate series with Gary Keller, he worked as an editor at Harper Collins Publishers. There he worked on such best- selling books as Body-for-Life by Bill Phillips and Go for the Goal by Mia Hamm. Jay also co-owns a successful real estate team affiliated with Keller Williams Realty with his wife Wendy in Austin, TX.