• Home
  • Services
    • Resume Writing & Coaching
    • Courses and E-Books
    • Corporate & Group Services
    • Free Resources
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • FAQ
    • Contact
  • Blog
Hollywood Resumes
  • Home
  • Services
    • Resume Writing & Coaching
    • Courses and E-Books
    • Corporate & Group Services
    • Free Resources
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • FAQ
    • Contact
  • Blog

Do you need a mentor for your Hollywood career?

3/2/2018

 
Picture
A lot of people believe that the one true path to success is finding a mentor who, like Dumbledore or Obi-Wan, can guide you through the long, winding, and confusing journey of your career. If only you had a mentor, you’d have someone who would call up your dream company and say, “Hire her! She’s my mentee, and she deserves it!” and you’d live happily ever after with all your dreams coming true. But while there is something to be said about having someone in your corner to give you advice, having a mentor isn’t the secret to career success.

At the beginning of your career, your goal should be to get an entry-level job. Maybe you have a really great internship supervisor who can guide you through the process, but most likely, you’re on your own. Your strategy shouldn’t be centered on finding that one mentor, but rather, on making as many connections as you can to secure a great entry-level position.

Once you’re working, you may find a natural mentor in your boss or someone else in your department/company. There’s no need to make this official -- we’re often asked the question, “How do I ask my boss to be my mentor?” and our rule of thumb is that if they want to be your mentor, it’ll be obvious from the way they allow you to grow in the company or encourage you to apply for outside jobs that meet your long-term career goals. (It should go without saying that this will only happen if you excel at your job).

If you can’t find a natural mentor at your current job, don’t fret -- you’re actually in the majority. But don’t try to inorganically rope someone in. Instead, have informational interviews with people at companies you want to work for or in roles you aspire to fill. Learn from them. Follow up with them to maintain the relationship. Again, don’t ask directly for mentorship -- you’ll know it when it’s happening. And if it’s not, that’s okay, too. Mentoring someone can be a huge time and brain-power commitment, so just because your great contact at your dream company doesn’t fall into that role doesn’t mean they’re not going to help you otherwise. Your contacts will likely be open to passing your resume along for jobs, even if they aren’t up for frequent emails asking for advice.

In fact, it's not smart to put all of your eggs in one mentor’s basket. Everyone’s career path is different, so your would-be mentor’s advice can only go so far. The more people you learn from, the more likely you are to see alternative paths to your dream. Plus, one phone call advocating for you for a position is never as good as three -- you may be better off building multiple relationships than one really intense one. 

As your career grows, you will eventually find your most trusted allies. Maybe it’s one mentor, maybe it’s a peer who came up with you, maybe it’s both or multiples thereof. Remember that Harry had Dumbledore, Hermione, Ron, Sirius, Lupin, and the whole Order, and he still had to face Voldemort alone in the end.
​

--Angela Silak & Cindy Kaplan


Comments are closed.

    Hollywood Resumes

    ​Welcome to our career tips blog!  To receive our updates via email, sign up for our weekly newsletter.  You'll also get access to exclusive discounts, offers, and resources! 

    Sign up now!

    Categories

    All
    ASK HR
    Assistant Life
    Bios
    Career Coaching
    Cover Letters
    Industry Spotlight
    Internships
    Job Applications
    Job Interviews
    Job Search Tips
    LinkedIn
    Networking
    Personal Statement
    Professional Development
    References
    Resume Help
    Salary
    Script Coverage
    Social Media
    Thank You Notes
    Work Life

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    RSS Feed

Sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter to receive career tips, discounts, and access to our resource library!
SUBSCRIBE
Photos used under Creative Commons from Jimmy Benson, 401(K) 2013, christiaan_008, televisione, Dai Lygad, MarkMoz12, Krists Luhaers, Nguyen Vu Hung (vuhung), Hollywood_PR, State Farm, Joe The Goat Farmer, HandsLive, Glyn Lowe Photoworks., thedailyenglishshow, dno1967b, flazingo_photos, jmrodri, cliff1066™, Joe The Goat Farmer, flazingo_photos, starmanseries, anitakhart, jimmiehomeschoolmom, Glyn Lowe Photoworks., hfb, gminguzzi, thedailyenglishshow, Visual Content, mkhmarketing, Peat Bakke, Visual Content, vlauria, flazingo_photos, flazingo_photos, cafecredit, StockMonkeys.com
  • Home
  • Services
    • Resume Writing & Coaching
    • Courses and E-Books
    • Corporate & Group Services
    • Free Resources
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • FAQ
    • Contact
  • Blog