Finding the Right Mentor: How to Build Career-Changing Relationships

Sa totoo lang may limit ang self-help videos, productivity apps, at motivational quotes sa Instagram. Pwedeng makatulong, oo… pero iba pa rin ang lakas ng isang totoong tao na gagabay sa’yo. Kaya nga ang pagkakaroon ng mentor ay parang real-life cheat code. Hindi siya shortcut, pero siya yung compass na nagpapabilis ng pag-abot sa goals mo—minus the unnecessary drama at sablay decisions.

In fact, ayon sa Forbes at sa isang study ng Sun Microsystems (2019) na nag-track ng 1,000 employees for five years, mentees are promoted five times more than employees without mentors. Samantalang mentors themselves? Six times more likely to be promoted din. Hindi lang pala mentee ang umaangat—pati mentor. Kaya naman win-win situation ito para sa mentor at mentee!

Pero paano nga ba malalaman kung tama ang mentor na pipiliin mo? At ano ba ang hinahanap sa isang tunay na career-changing mentor-mentee relationship?

Huminga ka muna. Isa-isahin natin 'to!

1. Hanapin ang Mentor na May Malinaw na Values at Track Record

Sabi nga ni Simon Sinek,

“A mentor is not someone who walks ahead of you to show you how they did it. A mentor walks beside you to show you what you can do.”

Hindi sapat na magaling lang ang isang tao. Dapat aligned kayo sa values at meron siyang actual experience na makakatulong sa direction na gusto mong puntahan.

A study from the Journal of Vocational Behavior (2020) shows that mentees grow faster when the mentor has value congruence. Ibig sabihin, mabilis na natututo at lumalawak ang skill ng isang employee kapag tugma ang prinsipyo at working style nila sa kanilang mentor.

Tip: Kung gusto mong maging excellent project manager, hanap ka ng mentor na hindi lang magaling sa Gantt charts—pero magaling din sa communication, leadership, at crisis handling. Hindi yung idol mo lang sa aesthetics ng Notion templates.

2. Dapat Marunong Makinig (Not Just Lecture)

Alam mo yung mga mentors na mas mahaba pa ang speech kaysa sa weekly meeting ng buong kumpanya? Red flag 'yon! Ang magandang mentor ay nakikinig muna bago magbigay ng advice—hindi yung may template answers siya for life.

According to Harvard Business Review (HBR), ang effective nakasalalay sa aktibong pakikinig, and mentees report higher satisfaction and performance when they feel heard.

Tip: Kung ang mentor mo ay parang Google Calendar puro lang reminders at walang context—baka hindi ‘yan ang para sa’yo.

3. Hindi Ka Nilalait, Pero Hindi Ka Rin Pina-plastic

The best mentors give constructive honesty. Hindi brutal. Hindi sugar-coated. Yung sakto lang para magising ka sa katotohanan pero hindi ka iiyak sa CR.

Sabi nga ni Sheryl Sandberg, “Feedback is a gift. ”Totoo naman—pero minsan mas mukha siyang surprise gift na ayaw mong buksan. Gano’n pa man, kailangan mo.

Studies from Gallup show that employees who receive clear, developmental feedback are 3.6x more likely to be engaged and improve performance.

Tip: If your mentor only praises you kahit na hindi ka nag eexert ng effort, that’s not mentorship—that’s fan behavior.

4. They Help You Build Networks—Hindi Sila Gatekeeper

The right mentor will open doors, not guard them.

A 2021 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report shows that mentees with strong mentor networks grow 45% faster in career mobility.

Tip: Kung ang mentor mo ay ayaw kang ipakilala sa ibang taong makakatulong sa career mo, baka hindi mentorship ang gusto niya—baka audience.

5. Gumagawa ng Safe Space for Your Growth (Mental at Emotional Safety)

Hindi requirement sa mentor ang maging therapist, but good mentors understand psychological safety.

Sabi nga ni Google’s Project Aristotle, the #1 factor of high-performing teams is psychological safety. Same thing applies to mentoring: kailangan mong maging komportable magtanong, magkamali, at mag-open up.

A study by the American Psychological Association (APA) confirms that having psychologically safe relationships increases learning and resilience.

Tip: If you feel judged, belittled, or pressured— hindi siya mentor. Nakakatakot lang siya.

6. You Also Need to Be a Good Mentee (Yes, May Trabaho Ka Rin!)

Hindi puwedeng lahat ibigay ni mentor. Mentoring is a two-way street. Ang role mo? Be curious, respectful, prepared, and accountable.

Sabi ni Oprah,

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.”

Pero dagdag ko na rin—kung ayaw mo makita ang hope, kahit si Oprah pa ang mentor mo, wala rin.

The Journal of Career Development found that mentees who prepare questions and follow through on commitments experience double the improvement in skill growth.

CONCLUSION

Finding the right mentor isn’t about choosing the most famous, the most senior, or the most “influential.” It’s about choosing someone who helps you grow with clarity, honesty, direction, and humanity at hindi ka ginagawang photocopy ng career path nila.

Ang tamang mentor ay hindi lang nagtuturo. Nagbubukas sila ng pananaw, pintuan, at pagkakataon. At ang tamang mentee? Handang matuto, magtanong, at magtrabaho nang may humility at drive.

Sa dulo, mentorship is not just a relationship—It’s a partnership that builds careers, character, and confidence. At kapag nahanap mo na ang mentor na tugma sa’yo, para ka nang nagkaroon ng personal advisory board na ayaw bumagsak ang stocks mo sa buhay.

Hanap ka na. Your future mentor is probably one conversation away.

START YOUR CAREER JOURNEY WITH SFI

Ready ka ng sumakses? Baka ang tamang mentor mo ay naghihintay na sa Servicio Filipino!

Mag-apply na at simulan ang next chapter ng career mo! Send your resume to recruitment@serviciofilipino.com and call us at (02) 8892-5253

Be mentored. Be empowered. Be part of SFI.

ENDNOTES / REFERENCES

[1] Sun Microsystems Mentoring Study (Wharton/Business Insider summary):https://www.businessinsider.com/study-shows-why-you-should-get-a-mentor-2011-6

[2] Journal of Vocational Behavior (2020):https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2020.103414

[3] Harvard Business Review – Mentorship & Active Listening:https://hbr.org/2021/02/what-great-mentorship-looks-like-in-a-hybrid-workplace

[4] Gallup Workplace Research – Feedback & Engagement:https://www.gallup.com/workplace/277558/state-american-workplace-report-2017.aspx

[5] LinkedIn Learning Workplace Learning Report 2021:https://learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-learning-report

[6] Google Project Aristotle – Psychological Safety Research:https://rework.withgoogle.com/print/guides/5721312655835136/

[7] American Psychological Association (APA) Study on Psychological Safety:https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-19738-001

[8] Journal of Career Development – Mentee Preparedness Study:https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845316670998