Starting a new job can be accompanied by a whirlwind of emotions: anxious, excited, stressed, overwhelmed, nervous, the list goes on. While family and friends do their best to calm your nerves, it can be challenging to appreciate their advice when faced with the reality of beginning a new job. However, the best organizations will make it a top priority to ensure each new hire has a swift, easy transition while settling into their new workplace.
At Advantage, we’ve established a mentorship program where experts in their designated field offer their personal guidance and support to new employees early on when they need it most. Our mentor program for new employees is one of the things that sets Advantage apart from other companies. Our new employees are happier, transition better, and feel more invested in our team. Not only do mentors share their wisdom, they are also ready to help our new employees overcome every obstacle, big or small.
Nevertheless, we’d like to share a #MentorSuccessStory of our own. Occupational Therapist, Samantha Gregorowicz, joined our Advantage Family in July 2019 at The Village at Penn State. Kindly, Alexis Bower, a current OTR with Advantage has offered to be Samantha’s mentor. As a new grad, starting a job in long-term care can be intimidating and confusing. Alexis has done a phenomenal job helping Samantha transition to the Advantage team and the long-term care setting. We thank Alexis for her wonderful guidance on Samantha’s new career with us.
We know that having a mentor will give you the Advantage when starting a new job and we’ve outlined 5 reasons why you should have a mentor:
1.) Mentors help you set and reach your goals: Goals give us direction, help us prioritize, keep us on track, and ultimately, help us succeed. Your mentor will be there to guide you and support you through each action you take to strengthen your job performance and achieve your career goals.
2.) Mentors keep you motivated: We all have those not-so-great days when our only pick-me-up seems to be grabbing the fuzzy blanket and the mint chocolate chip Halo Top® from the freezer. Having a mentor means having your own personal cheerleader. They lift your spirits when you’re feeling low, remind you that you have what it takes, and will point you in the right direction when the going gets tough.
3.) Mentors help us improve: Having a mentor means that someone is invested in your achievements and wants to see you grow. Mentors offer constructive criticism to help identify weaknesses and keep you on a successful path. Always remember that encouraging feedback is completely necessary in order for us to excel in our careers, and not all criticism is negative!
4.) Mentors will grow your network: Most likely, your mentor will have been with the company for a few years now. They’ll be established in their field and will know a lot of people, not just in your department, but throughout other areas of the organization too. Did someone say connections? Building your network and establishing new relationships is essential to helping you reach your career goals and can even lead to new opportunities.
5.) Mentors provide effective insight: As mentioned earlier, your mentor will be established in their given field. This means real-life insight! We all wish we had a do-over button in life, so if you have the chance to learn from someone else’s mistakes to avoid making the same ones, then listen up! As your mentor shares their experiences with you, be sure to take their advice wholeheartedly.
