Mentors
Professors
make for good mentors, especially if you
plan to pursue a Master's or Ph.D. Overconfident
individuals seem to think that they do not
need a mentor but even the most successful
business leaders have one person or numerous
people that they turn to for advice. Corporate
Board of Director members often adopt a
mentoring role to many CEOs.
Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett is one
such example. As you can imagine, other
directors are thorns in their side –
as they should be to varying degrees.
Counselor
Or Advisor
Depending
on the size of your academic institution,
some advisors go on to befriend you and
serve as good sources of information over
the years. These are especially powerful
to have since they can help you with registration,
class schedules and even grades.
Your
Partner In Crime
At
other times, you may be working on a particular
project with a professor. It could be research,
a book or a study for a company or class.
Keep in mind that even though you may end
up doing much of the nitty-gritty work,
it is still their work. A word of advice:
be grateful for the opportunity, but be
firm about what you should get in return.
Proper credit, fair compensation (if applicable)
and references are only fair if you have
helped them with their work.
Father
Figure
Some
of your professors may display a paternal
touch. Whether he has accomplished what
you seek to do in your future or has something
else to offer you, it will be detrimental
for you to ignore their input. While it
is good to have a nurturing individual by
your side, what you need is someone tough.
The
Critic
The
best mentor is one that is not afraid to
let you know you are wrong (even if you
are not). Some are too busy patting you
on the back as this reflects their own good
job. The better ones know that tough love
is the most effective tool.
Contacts
A
main advantage of having good relationship
with professors is that they are connected
at your school as well as across the nation.
If you ever need to get in touch with someone
at a different school, they may be able
to help. When it comes to finding a job,
professors are a great source of reference
and recommendation.
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