Roeth: How finding and being a mentor can boost your trucking career

We are a month into the new year, and I want to offer some advice to people who are new to our industry and those who don’t have a long tenure in it: Find a mentor.

A mentor can help you evaluate your strengths and weaknesses in the job you currently hold and identify the gaps in your skills for the jobs you want to have in the future.

But finding the right mentor can take some time and effort, so start looking for the person who will be the best mentor for you. The mentoring relationship is not a transactional one; it is about building a relationship. You need to find someone you like and respect because a good mentoring relationship can last for years.

It is important to find someone with whom you are comfortable and with whom you can build rapport. This person is not just going to be your advisor; they will also be an advocate and a confidant. In some cases, you may even become friends. That is why it is important to find the right person.

Before you start your search for a mentor, you should determine what you want out of the relationship, and you also need to have an understanding of what kind of career path trajectory you hope to attain. You need to be able to clearly articulate your goals to your potential mentor. Find a mentor whose values are aligned with your own and who is willing to share their expertise with you. Not everyone is willing to do this.

When selecting a mentor, look at their career trajectory and determine if they have the proper expertise to guide you on your career path, and make sure they have time for you. For a mentoring relationship to be successful, you need to formalize it. That means setting up recurring sessions during which you share what is going on in your career and the progress you have made toward achieving the goals you and your mentor set. Be prepared to ask questions and listen to their advice.

Those of us who have been in this industry for a long time should think about becoming mentors. If someone asks you to mentor them, say yes, and then define what that relationship will look like. If you see an individual who has potential, offer to be their mentor, and define the parameters of the relationship. However, make sure you understand what your responsibilities are as a mentor. Being a mentor does not necessarily mean you have all the answers. It does mean you will help your mentee find the answers.

Often, people think that the person being mentored is the only one who benefits from the mentee-mentor relationship. That is not true; being a mentor can be very rewarding, and it can help you develop your leadership and communication skills. I can tell you from personal experience as a mentor that it is very rewarding to mentor someone, and I take some pride in seeing the achievements and growth of the people I have mentored.

No one has achieved success on their own. Think about the people who have helped you along the way, and then reach out to a promising young person or someone who is new to our industry and offer to become their mentor. I promise that both of you will be richer for the shared experience.

So, my advice to everyone in trucking is find a mentor, be a mentor.