Even professional women can find themselves in a stagnant place in their careers. Whether it be the state of your chosen field, a less-than-inspiring work environment, or economic factors, there are things you can do to shake up the status quo to move you forward

Here are a few tips that will help you achieve career success and move up the ranks in your professional life.

If your career is in its infancy and you would like to receive good advice, or if you are an expert positioned in your company, mentoring could help you learn and grow you both professionally and personally. Studies show that those with a mentor are promoted up to five times more than those without one.

25% of employees participating in a mentoring program had a salary increase, compared with 5% of those who did not have a mentor.

The benefits of mentoring are extolled by everyone far and wide but the actual process to find a suitable mentor is as important as the mentoring itself. If you are looking to access a mentoring program, here is what is important for you to keep in mind.

Define your goals and expectations

Before attempting contact with potential mentors, it is important that you have clarified what you would like to receive from your mentor. He / she will be there to help you with advice and to guide you, but this will only take effect if you are first very precise in sharing what you need - plus this will help you define your expectations when you first approach potential mentors.

Ask yourself questions like:

What goals would you like to achieve professionally and how can your mentor help you achieve them? Do you need a good listener or are you looking for someone who has a more active approach? What would you like to learn from your mentor? How much effort do you expect? Would you like to fix regular updates or would you prefer a more informal relationship? How long should mentoring officially last - do you think a few months or a longer term?

Pampering yourself doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Even if frequent trips to a nail salon are beyond your budget, you can still treat yourself by taking long showers or giving yourself manicures at home. Setting a timer every hour so you have an opportunity to stretch your legs and move around is another effective way of pampering yourself during a drawn-out workday.

Make a list of potential mentors

Once you have clearly defined your expectations and the results that you think mentoring will lead you to achieve, it is time to think about who you believe can accompany you to that goal. Not everyone has the time to make a commitment as a mentor, which means that even if you already have someone in mind, it may help to already have a list of potential people you believe can lend themselves to the task

Here are two ways to find your mentor: you can take into consideration the people within your network who have the skills you are looking for, or you can find someone who does the job you aspire to or whom you would be professionally inspired by. Remember that your mentor doesn't have to be in the same industry as you.

If you don't know where to start, consider:

• Your LinkedIn connections


• Any professional group you are a part of


• People who work in the same company or in the previous one (always keep in mind that they may also work in sectors other than yours)


• External partners you have worked with over the course of your career


• Websites like NZ Youth Mentoring Network


• Bloggers or writers whose publications you follow in the professional field

Another way is to use dedicated mentoring programs that offer greater structure. Find out within the company you work for, perhaps it already offers a mentoring program. Those who organize programs of this kind usually have many years of experience in coaching and mentoring and have the ability to get in touch, in turn within their network.

Get to know your shortlist

Rather than asking someone to be your mentor without thinking too much about it, take your time to figure out who you are dealing with. Take a look at the projects they have worked on, the blogs they write and what roles they have held over the course of their careers. This can help you better understand who they are professionally speaking and what they did to get there. Also, when you get in touch with them they will understand that you are not at all unprepared but that you have done all the necessary research so you can impress them and create a great solid start for your partnership!