Before pursuing a mentor relationship, you need to take a 'self-inventory,' says Keita Williams, the founder of career coaching company Success Bully. Where do I see my career developing? Then, you can pinpoint who you want to approach. Thema Bryant was the fourth black woman to be president of the American Psychological Association. Her mentor was the first. 'You want to look at if their success is in doing what you would like to do or something similar,' she says.
'Because it's hard for people to mentor you if they don't know the world or track that you're trying to be on.' Along with professional trajectory, you also want to consider whether the two of you generally will get along, says Bryant, who is a professor of psychology at Pepperdine University and did her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical Center. 'You're looking for similar interests or goals, but you're also looking at personality or temperament,' she say