In today’s job market, layoffs have become a reality for many professionals, making the role of mentorship more crucial than ever. It’s clear that mentorship is not just about career growth; it’s also about survival. Mentorship can be a practical tool for those trying to secure their careers against the threat of layoffs. By focusing on real strategies that leverage mentorship, we can understand how to make ourselves more resilient and prepared for whatever challenges come our way. Through mentorship, we’re not just looking for a way to survive the storm, but finding the best path forward in an uncertain job landscape.
According to layoff tracker Layoffs.fyi, more than 250,000 tech workers were let go in 2023. This includes from notable tech companies such as TikTok, Airtable, Lyft, and Dell Technologies. In this climate of uncertainty, especially if you’re among the 61% of adults aged 18 to 34 experiencing layoff anxiety, it’s crucial to proactively safeguard your career. As the CEO of your own career path, building resilience and a strong network is essential for navigating periods of organizational turmoil.
When CEOs make tough financial or business decisions, they consider various factors, including the ability to forecast and mitigate risks. This ability differentiates businesses that succeed from those that falter during challenging times. A similar parallel can be drawn in individual careers. The approach and motivations for seeking mentorship have shifted significantly as we enter an election year and face sizable layoffs. Shifting your mentorship focus toward enhancing career resilience can be beneficial. While it’s impossible to guarantee immunity from layoffs (as the reasons can vary across companies and industries and even be affected by what’s going on in the world), it’s evident that those with a stronger network find new opportunities faster than those without.
As you focus on building mentor relationships to forge a fulfilling career, consider mentorship a key strategy in your career planning. Understanding which types of mentors can assist you is crucial. Often, layoffs are not personal, but being prepared and having a supportive network can make a significant difference in your career trajectory.
Enhancing Career Security Through Mentorship
Mentorship has become increasingly important in career security, particularly in navigating the challenges of layoffs in today’s job market.
A significant benefit of mentorship in the context of layoffs is the development of adaptable skills. Through mentorship, professionals can focus on enhancing both technical and interpersonal skills. This skill enhancement ranges from specialized technical abilities to broader competencies, such as leadership, communication, and problem-solving, all of which increase employability in various industries.
Another benefit is gaining industry insights. Mentors, being seasoned professionals, share knowledge about current industry trends, challenges, their experiences through prior layoffs—and opportunities, which becomes vital during layoffs. This perspective helps mentees stay informed, adapt to industry changes, and make strategic career decisions. Understanding the demand for specific skills, recognizing industry challenges, and positioning oneself appropriately in the job market are crucial for resilience during layoffs.
Mentorship also fosters strategic thinking and planning, essential for navigating layoffs. Mentors guide mentees to look beyond their current job roles and to plan for long-term career objectives. This approach involves anticipating industry shifts, identifying future skill needs, and making strategic career moves to maintain relevance and growth, particularly important in the face of potential job instability.
Key Mentor Categories
In my book Mentorship Unlocked, I detail the seven types of mentors that can significantly impact your career over its lifespan. While each type brings unique benefits, balancing too many mentor relationships at once can be overwhelming and not work to your advantage. I recommend focusing on no more than three mentors at any given time. In the context of this article, three specific categories of mentors stand out as particularly beneficial.
The Industry Mentor
This mentor is knowledgeable about your industry’s trends, challenges, and opportunities. They are particularly valuable during layoffs for their insight into in-demand skills, how to adapt to industry changes, and effective job market positioning. Working with an industry mentor involves regular discussions about industry dynamics, seeking advice on skill development, and understanding the broader landscape of your professional field.
The Network Mentor
Something like 85% of jobs are filled through networking. The network mentor assists in expanding your professional network, which can help you expand finding new job opportunities. Engaging with a network mentor should focus on building a diverse and robust network, learning networking strategies, and leveraging their connections for potential job leads or referrals.
The Influential Ally
Holding positions of power and influence, this mentor can advocate for you and provide access to critical career opportunities. In the face of layoffs, their support can be a game changer in opening new doors and enhancing your professional credibility. Collaborating with an influential ally involves seeking their guidance on strategic career moves, utilizing their influence to access unadvertised opportunities, and gaining insights into the decision-making processes within your industry.
Strategies to Find and Engage with Mentors
Online communities: Explore online platforms specific to your industry or field of interest. These can be specialized forums, online communities, or even groups within larger platforms, such as LinkedIn. Engaging in these communities by participating in discussions, asking insightful questions, or sharing your expertise can attract the attention of potential mentors who value your active interest and contributions.
Alumni networks: Tap into your alma mater’s alumni network. Many alumni are willing to mentor graduates from their alma mater, especially if there’s a shared academic or extracurricular interest. Reach out through alumni associations or university career services.
Reverse mentoring: Engaging in reverse mentoring is where you offer your skills (like digital literacy or new technology insights) to more experienced professionals. This can often lead to a mutually beneficial mentoring relationship.
Engage thought leaders: Identify thought leaders in your field and engage with their published work or social media content. Thoughtful comments or discussions on their articles, blogs, or posts can help you get noticed and open the door to a mentoring relationship.
Training sessions: Participating in workshops and training sessions not only enhances your skills, but also puts you in touch with experts who could potentially become mentors. Be proactive in asking questions and seeking advice post-session.
Cold outreach: Don’t shy away from sending a personalized connection request or email. Research the potential mentor’s background and work, and articulate clearly how their guidance can help your specific career goals.
Volunteering: Volunteering at industry events or conferences provides a unique opportunity to connect with professionals in a more organic setting. As a volunteer, you’ll have access to networking opportunities and behind-the-scenes interactions that regular attendees might not experience.
Professional associations: Joining a professional association can be a goldmine for finding mentors. These associations often have mentoring programs or can facilitate connections with seasoned professionals in your field.
The value of mentorship in navigating the uncertainties of today’s job market cannot be overstated. As we have explored in this article, mentorship is not just about career advancement, but it’s also a strategic tool for resilience, especially in the face of layoffs and industry shifts.
Your career is a journey that you are in charge of navigating. By embracing being a proactive CEO of your own career, and seeking out mentors who align with your goals and challenges, you set the stage for not just surviving, but thriving amid the professional challenges of our time.
