A pharmaceutical executive and board-certified endocrinologist, Dr. Maria Rivas is currently the Senior Vice President of Global Medical Affairs at Merck. She formerly spent three years as the Vice President and Head of Global Medical Affairs at AbbVie. Dr. Maria Rivas also possesses a professional interest in leadership and mentoring. Here are a few suggestions for finding the right mentor:
1. You can learn something from almost anyone. Look out for lessons everyday. Mentors can provide advice on personal, professional or both aspects of your life. Find someone with experience in those aspects you are seeking advice on. Firsthand experience is generally more valuable than technical knowledge, and good mentors will share their experiences in order to enable you to leverage their knowledge to your situation.
2. In order to maximize your mentoring experience, try to find someone who has a different perspective than your own, but who is empathetic. A mentor who challenges your thinking can help you approach problems from new angles. You may want to prepare a mentor test question for your potential mentor. Use the opportunity to get an idea of your mentor’s style and the reliability of the advice.
3. Think beyond your acquaintances. While former supervisors and professors can make good mentors, you can also find worthy ones in other people in your life such as community leaders, older family members, or members of trade associations to which you belong. It is best not to leverage supervisors as mentors, however, if you want the freedom to discuss workplace issues and future plans openly.
