The Apprentice

How to complete The Apprentice

This is about deliberately securing a mentor, an experienced professional who agrees to guide your career over time, not a one-off coffee chat. A real mentor relationship accelerates promotions, exposes blind spots, and opens doors you can't reach alone.

1. Identify two or three people a few steps ahead of you whose path you'd actually want to follow.
2. Make a specific small ask first (a 20-minute call about one decision) instead of a vague 'will you mentor me'.
3. Show up prepared with questions, act on their advice, and report back what happened.
4. After a few useful exchanges, propose a regular cadence, such as a monthly check-in.
5. Keep giving back: share relevant articles, intros, or help so it isn't one-directional.

Tips

• The best mentors are won by being coachable and following through, not by flattery.
• Don't restrict the search to your own company; industry peers and former bosses often give franker advice.
• If someone declines or goes quiet, move on graciously rather than chasing.

What counts as done

You have a named person who has agreed to an ongoing advisory relationship and a recurring time you actually meet or talk.