-Andrea

Then, however, I remembered my own experience in trying to attain a mentor. I requested to be enrolled in PRSA mentor matching program, only for them to tell me it is not currently functional. It was my responsibility.

Then I reached out to a few industry insiders, that after a significant amount of emails, only delivered an obligatory apology and advised me to search for someone with a little more time.

It does, to some extent, seem that many of the accomplished pro’s out there simply do not have the time to cultivate a mentor/mentee relationship. As a recent graduate, I feel a little let down by it. I do though follow the awesome Twitter of @kmatthews, and a few others, that provide key insights that some might consider an e-mentorship.

I do not think monetary gain should be an incentive, but purely the knowledge that you helped inspire the next generation of industry leaders. Be flattered that you are considered to be someone worth following.

I’m sure my readers appreciate the insights and options that you both offer for developing mentor relationships. Thank you for weighing in.

I believe that Mentory together with other services will make e-mentoring evolve and reshape into mentorship 2.0 – online, open and participatory.

Well this is my truth – not necessary the whole truth – but a tiny perspective that adds colour between black and white.

I am not trying to use your blog as a sales platform, I just feel like readers should be given the real scoop about these virtual networks [namely, that they are as useful as a job posting board in helping your career].

If you represent a company that facilitates mentor-mentee connection, help my readers understand how you fit into that goal.

As the founder of Mentory – a global mentorship community. My goal is making it possible for everyone to experience the gift of giving as a mentor and learning as a protégé.

We all have mentors in different areas of life, some even unconsciously. And the different mentorship relations give different output.

E-mentoring which is primary online, allows you to be more focused on your goal, more honest and more reflective – since you do not have a physical obligation.

On the other hand the traditional physical mentorship can be so giving because we get a close relationship that can last an entire lifetime, based on admiration rather than a goal.

Kellis point is what most protégés/mentees experience, it can be quite difficult finding a mentor, if you want a mentor that you do not know already, or a specific person you admire for their achievements – but they live far away, and then there is the barrier of asking. This is where Mentory can help you as an introduce channel and mentorship facilitator, which also is an advantage for those who haven´t tried having a mentorship before, letting them focus on cultivating potential and achieve their goals.

I think they can be very effective. For a couple of reasons.

The first reason is that if you’re in a relatively small town (like we are in Eugene, Oregon), it can be hard to find any professional connection, much less one that lines up with your career objectives. Obviously it’s important to be smart about which platform you choose, but online platforms can greatly expand your possibilities for connections.

The second is that Millennials are very comfortable in a virtual relationship and, I would guess for most, doing so would be little difference than having someone in the same area geographically.

Thanks for the question!

Kelli