Mentoring: the priceless relationship that can transform your IP career
You don’t have to go it alone as you build your career as a trade mark attorney. Finding a mentor can unlock your potential in ways you never imagined.
Over the years CITMA has hosted webinars for numerous different groups in the IP profession and one theme has come up again and again: the value of long-term mentoring.
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In our International Women’s Day webinar in 2021, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney Carol Nyahasha memorably described her experiences as both mentor and mentee as: “a priceless relationship”.
Mentees often credit their mentoring relationship for opening their eyes to new opportunities and helping them to see past barriers in their career journey.
In research conducted by the Harvard Business Review, 84% of participating CEOs credited their mentors for lack of mistakes when building their business and 69% said mentors helped them make better decisions.
Mentors are usually senior members of your profession who have experienced the challenges you are facing.
That said, there is no such thing as a “typical” mentor; mentoring relationships are as varied as the people taking part in them.
There is a wealth of advantages to having an independent personal ally to advise you and act as a sounding board as you navigate your career.
The benefits of having a mentor
‘Been there; done that’: the value of experience:
The most obvious benefit of mentoring is being able to ask the advice of someone who has been through the process you are undertaking.
Whether it is tips on taking professional exams, or how to negotiate a new position or pay rise, being able to consult someone who has the benefit of hindsight is invaluable.
It is also helpful to have someone to “ask the right questions” that enable you to come up with your own answers to the challenges you face.
Goal setting and prioritisation:
It can be hard, especially early in your career, to manage priorities and clearly identify your goals.
Discussing these with an ‘old hand’ can help to sift the wood from the trees and allow you to set career and personal development goals together with a roadmap and realistic time frame for achieving them.
Skills identification:
Your career is not built on professional qualifications alone.
A mentor can help to identify where your strengths lie in terms of wider skills, and where you may benefit from further coaching.
For those seeking leadership roles, or wishing to pursue a particular specialism, developing a good understanding of your personal strengths and weaknesses with help from your mentor can be invaluable.
A ‘critical friend’ and objective viewpoint:
A career in IP is a demanding undertaking and things don’t always run smoothly.
When you experience setbacks or cannot see the way around a problem, a mentor provides much-needed objectivity and a neutral perspective.
They are removed from the emotions and personalities of a situation and can often see solutions that are not immediately obvious when you are close to the issue.
They will also be able to point you toward resources that can help overcome challenges.
Building connections:
Creating a personal network is an important part of developing your career, providing you with a diverse range of peers and colleagues to consult with.
However, these networks don’t just spring into existence the minute you qualify.
Having a generous mentor allows you to tap into those knowledge pools and make connections with a broader range of contacts than those immediately around you in the workplace.
Reflecting back:
Mentoring is valuable at all stages of your career, especially during times of change.
This might be when you start a new job or earn a promotion, or it might be when your life, family or health circumstances change.
A mentor can help you to reflect back on your journey and help you marshall the resources you have developed to meet the next challenge on the pathway.
While these can all seem like serious, in-depth topics, perhaps one of the most commonly appreciated benefits of having a mentor is “someone to bounce ideas off” as you travel through life and work.
What to look for in a mentor
Mentoring is, by definition, a very personal relationship and, consequently, it is unique to each pairing.
Before you embark on a search for a mentor, you should have some idea of what you are looking for, and much of this comes from knowing your own personality and preferences.
Ask yourself:
- Whether you are looking for coaching or challenge; do you prefer guidance or direction?
- Are you happier with in-person mentoring or are you more suited to virtual/remote interactions?
- Is it important to you that your mentor has followed the same career path and/or has the same professional qualifications as you do?
- Would you be happier working with someone of the same sex/race/background/orientation as yourself?
- How do you see a mentoring relationship unfolding in terms of time commitment/frequency of interactions?
It's important to note that there are no “right” answers to these questions.
Some people are looking for a mentor who has a similar approach and characteristics to themselves; others thrive on working with someone who has a contrasting personality and experience.
Nor should you let the answers to those questions restrict your search for a mentor. Sometimes it is the most unlikely partnership that finds mentoring success.
Nevertheless, having an idea of what you are seeking in a mentoring relationship is useful groundwork to undertake.
It also helps to have these answers in mind when you are approaching potential mentors, so you can explain what you are seeking.
How to find a mentor
Research has shown that 61% of mentoring relationships are formed naturally, but being proactive will help you get started on your search. There are a number of resources you can tap into:
In-house mentoring programmes: If you work for a larger firm, you may find that there is already a formal mentoring scheme in place.
There are several benefits of establishing mentoring schemes including strong employee retention among both mentors and mentees, and faster career progression.
Informal workplace mentoring: If your workplace does not have a formal scheme in place, you could ask your line manager or HR department if there are senior personnel that are open to becoming mentors.
However, former CITMA Chair Kate O’Rourke advised attendees of the International Women’s Day webinar that it can be most helpful to have a mentor who is outside the firm you work in.
This means you need to look further afield:
IP Inclusive: The Careers in Ideas mentoring hub can put you in touch with individuals who are happy to become mentors.
IP Inclusive also runs a range of webinars and events for the many groups it supports; these can be a good opportunity to build your network and identify potential mentors
Attending industry events and making connections: The trade mark profession is generally supportive, and it is well worth attending events such as CITMA conferences and webinars that allow you to connect with others in the business.
Mention that you are seeking a mentor and are open to introductions; you never know where it might lead.
Join social network groups: IP Futures, the group for early careers IP professionals, can advise you on mentoring opportunities.
Explore third-party mentoring schemes: There are a number of mentor schemes that include a legal focus, including Legalgeek; and the Law Society’s MOSAIC mentoring scheme.
Mentoring is not just for early career professionals. You will face challenges and changing circumstances throughout your working life and a trusted advisor is always of value.
James St Ville, IP barrister at 8, New Square, knows it is a long-term commitment, telling our Black History Month webinar attendees: “I was involved in a mentor programme at City of Islington college and one of my longest-standing mentees chose me in 1996.
“Whenever I introduced him as his career progressed, I would say, ‘I used to be his mentor’, to which he invariably responded, ‘No, you ARE my mentor’.”
More resources:
The Law Society published an excellent blog on mentoring targeted at both mentees and mentors