A friend of mine wants to a mentor to help him transition into a consulting position.  There are a few people he has in mind, but he hasn’t approached them yet.

“What are you waiting for?” I asked him.

“I don’t know how to approach them about it,” he replied.

“Just ask. ‘Would you be willing to be my mentor?’ ”

He told me, “I knew you’d say that.”

Finding a mentor really is as easy as just asking.  Find someone who’s work and experience you admire - who’s successfully done what you want to do.  Tell them you admire their work and career and ask if they would be willing to mentor you.  Really, it is that easy - it’s a 2 sentence request.

Here are two ways you can find mentors to help guide you:

First, attend events in your industry (or desired industry).  In August, I attended the Creative Freelancer Conference and met an amazing group of experts in the creative field.  I was able to find out what they did to succeed and was even lucky enough to receive invaluable feedback about my work from Jeff Fisher and Peleg Top.  Although I hadn’t attended the conference with the find-a-mentor goal in mind, I took the opportunity to find one.

My mentor has been designing and directing other designers for nearly 20 years, so he knows a thing or two!  I’ve already benefited tremendously by asking him about his experiences (including both failures and successes), and he gives me pointers for pushing forward in my design career. And all it took was me asking.

Second, tap into your friend network.  You probably already know someone who’s doing what you want to do.  My other mentor is my sorority sister and friend who is also in the design field.  She’s been in the industry longer, has a wealth of knowledge, and is always happy to talk shop or answer any questions I have.

Another friend asked how much my mentors cost.  My reply?  “Zero dollars, plus my sincere appreciation.”

Moral of the story, kids?  Even if you don’t listen to your own mother, listen to mine: She always says, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” So get out there and ask for the mentor you want.  You’ll be glad you did.