You're looking for a mentor in EdTech. How do you know who to choose?

Mentorship is a powerful way to learn and grow in any field, but especially in educational technology (EdTech), where innovation and change are constant. Finding a mentor who can guide you, challenge you, and support you can make a huge difference in your career and personal development. But how do you find the right mentor for you? Here are some tips to help you choose wisely.

1 Know your goals

Before you start looking for a mentor, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and learn in EdTech. Do you want to improve your skills in a specific tool, platform, or pedagogy? Do you want to explore new opportunities or directions in your field? Do you want to develop your leadership, communication, or creativity? Having a specific goal will help you narrow down your search and identify potential mentors who have the expertise and experience you need.

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Cori Frede

EdTech Enthusiast | Project Manager (PMP) | Implementation and Engagement Strategist | Professional Development Facilitator | EdTech Consulting & Coaching | Student Advocate | Wheel of Fortune Champion
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If you're looking to enter the field of customer success, finding a mentor that works in project management won't help you reach your goals. It's important to do a self-assessment first and then reverse engineer your plan to reach that goal.

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2 Do your research

Once you have a goal in mind, you can start looking for mentors who match your criteria. You can use various sources to find potential mentors, such as online platforms, social media, professional networks, events, podcasts, blogs, or publications. You can also ask for recommendations from your colleagues, friends, or other contacts in EdTech. When you find someone who interests you, do some background research on their profile, portfolio, achievements, and values. This will help you determine if they are a good fit for you and your goals.

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3 Reach out and connect

After you have a shortlist of potential mentors, you need to reach out and connect with them. You can send them a polite and personalized message, introducing yourself and explaining why you are interested in learning from them. You can also mention some of their work or projects that impressed you or inspired you. You should also state your goal and what you hope to gain from the mentorship. Be respectful, humble, and enthusiastic, and avoid being too demanding or pushy. You want to build a rapport and trust with your potential mentor, not scare them away.

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John Faig
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An #EdTech mentor should be well-versed in product segments and have experience with #RevOps. Each EdTech company is unique. They create value differently for users and buyers. Their customer behavior is unique to their SaaS platform. Their buyer journey is unique. Instrumenting the company with RevOps tools builds a foundation of automation that will scale. At the end of the day, successful EdTech companies experiment continually. A/B tests for marketing, the product and sales. This automation will free the founders to focus on medium and high-touch sales situations.

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4 Set expectations and boundaries

If you get a positive response from your potential mentor, you should set some expectations and boundaries for the mentorship. You should discuss and agree on the following aspects: the duration and frequency of the mentorship, the mode and format of communication, the topics and objectives of each session, the feedback and evaluation process, and the confidentiality and ethics of the relationship. You should also respect your mentor's time, availability, and preferences, and be flexible and adaptable to their schedule and style.

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5 Be proactive and engaged

Once you start the mentorship, you should be proactive and engaged in the learning process. You should prepare for each session, do your homework, ask relevant and thoughtful questions, listen actively, and apply what you learn. You should also seek and accept feedback, acknowledge your mistakes, and celebrate your progress. You should also show appreciation and gratitude to your mentor, and give them credit and recognition for their help and guidance. You should also seek to add value to your mentor, by sharing your insights, resources, or connections.

Mentorship can be a rewarding and transformative experience in EdTech, if you choose the right mentor for you. By following these tips, you can find a mentor who can help you achieve your goals, expand your horizons, and enrich your career.

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Sim Bot

Simbound Chief Executive Robot | Leading Digital Marketing Simulations for Education and Corporate Events
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Offer to help the mentor achieve his or her own goals. This will open up new learning opportunities as the mentor is likely to share more of what is important in his or her specific area of work. By stepping into your mentor's shoes, you can ask higher-level questions about any situation, which will better equip you with knowledge and experience in your future role.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Tiffany Wycoff

I love transforming ideas into action in support of positive change! WMBE Founder Generation Remix, Yourwai, Swirl | Consultant | Author | #DigitalWellbeing #Blendedlearning
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When we think of mentorship, we often picture a relationship where one person (the mentee) benefits from the wisdom of the other person (the mentor) but that is not the best setup for a thriving mentor relationship. When considering who you want to learn from, also consider what you can offer in the relationship. Additionally, do the work of learning from what your mentor has out there (books, podcasts, blogs) before asking for their time. After you've studied, start with an offer of something of value you can contribute yourself, then engage in the relationship from that place.

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Gerlan Cardoso

Teacher | Google Trainer | Google Developer Leader | Speaker | TechEduc
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Pode levar algum tempo para encontrar o mentor certo, porém a mentoria é um relacionamento de mão dupla, e é importante mostrar sua gratidão pelo tempo e apoio do seu mentor.

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A. Neal Saalih

Assistant Principal (Medically Retired; NJ)
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A mentor chooses you. What do you bring to the table? You must make the life of the mentor better. For example, you may be good with new technology and the person you look up to and respect may not be as good. Give talent and learn talent. Mutual respect!

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You're looking for a mentor in EdTech. How do you know who to choose?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Know your goals

2 Do your research

3 Reach out and connect

4 Set expectations and boundaries

5 Be proactive and engaged

6 Here’s what else to consider

Educational Technology

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You're looking for a mentor in EdTech. How do you know who to choose?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Know your goals

2 Do your research

3 Reach out and connect

4 Set expectations and boundaries

5 Be proactive and engaged

6 Here’s what else to consider

Educational Technology

Rate this article

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