What sort of duties do you have at work? · Do you have any mentors in your professional life? · What was your first

I've really benefitted from having a mentor who can give me honest feedback and career advice. Usually the best mentors are people that you click with naturally. One was a woman I worked with on a project (and had a professional lady crush on her because she was so good at what she did), one was a former boss, and one was a colleague who had been my guide when I first started with the company.

These mentorships all just started with conversation, sort of like when you first start dating. We agreed to meet for lunch, talked, really enjoyed the talks, and kept them going, either regularly scheduled or unscheduled. It felt easy because I already knew and liked all of them. I've changed companies and am still in touch with them, although not as regularly. Former Boss mentor gave some a pep talk recently when I called him about a potential growth opportunity I was struggling with--the kind of talk that you only get from someone who knows you well and is thinking of your best interest.

I'm a mentor now since I'm a bit more senior, and I love talking with my mentees. I get as much from them as I get from my mentors--their perspectives and their enthusiasm are refreshing, and I love to see them grow in their own careers