HYDERABAD: As more people work from home because of the ongoing pandemic, the need for mentor-led, career-focused partnership is exactly what today’s career-changers and job-seekers need, reveals India’s first mentorship survey from Springboard, an online platform for workforce upskilling.
The preliminary results of the survey revealed that not every professional could distinguish between teaching and mentoring. Mentoring and teaching are equally important but when it comes to professional learning and development, the process matters.
So, should they go for a teacher, a mentor, or both? As per the survey, 62.7% of professionals prefer to take an upskilling program that gives them access to a mentor. The survey reveals that a whopping 87.9% respondents think access to a seasoned mentor can profoundly boost their career success and trajectory while 79.4% feel that one of the best ways to transition to a position in a new industry is with the help of a mentor. Having access to an experienced mentor helps professionals identify and bridge their skill gaps and expedite knowledge acquisition to achieve their career goals.
On being asked about challenges in one’s career growth, 41.9% of professionals chose ‘the need of a mentor to guide them’. The survey also revealed that 46.4 % respondents were unable to find a mentor that suited their needs.
“Firstly, intentional mentorship programmes have a definite impact on filling the opportunity gap that keeps people from advancing within organisations or while changing jobs. Secondly, there is a great potential in every professional looking to upskill – they just need to be directed and guided in the right manner.
Our survey has shown us that while content and certification are just the tip of the iceberg and can help a professional grow only to a certain extent whereas effective mentoring can do wonders by applying that knowledge at the right place, in the right manner. Good mentoring is important as many confuse it with teaching. A mentor is someone you can look up to at any point in your life in terms of profes-sional and personal support,” said Vivek Kumar, Managing Director, Springboard India, about the survey.