what is mentoring

Mentoring is a process of social learning where someone with more experience, knowledge, and skills (a mentor) helps guide the learning and growth of someone with less experience (a mentee) . Mentoring can be formal or informal, and it is a reciprocal and collaborative relationship that most often occurs between a senior and junior employee for the purpose of the mentees growth, learning, and career development. A mentor is someone who teaches, advises, and gives help and feedback to a less experienced person. Mentoring is not coaching or counseling, and it is based on advice giving and direction. The mentoring relationship is flexible and can vary tremendously in its form and function. Successful mentorships often involve a developmental network of mentoring, where mentees identify several mentors who can address a variety of career-related needs. Mentoring has significant behavioral, attitudinal, health-related, relational, motivational, and career benefits.