By: HAYIM MIZRACHI, CCIM – President | Principal | Broker (2 min read)
The UNLV Lied Institute for Real Estate Studies established a Mentor/Mentee program to guide interested students toward careers in real estate. I have participated as a mentor for several years, and I am currently mentoring a young man who impresses me because he is a good mentee.
Interesting, what does it mean to be a good mentee?
Some mentees that I have experienced over the years have been sheepish, unserious, and held loosely the value a mentor could bring. This lack of interest from candidates caused me to ask myself why I even bother spending my time doing this.
But then I come across someone like my current mentee, and it makes it all worth it. Here are my observations of my current mentee.
Be Serious:
A mentor has a million other ways to spend their time and energy. They choose to mentor because it gives them some sort of value. My mentee is serious in that he takes our relationship seriously, asking advice about a balance of professional and personal topics. This dynamic makes me feel like he takes my time and advice seriously. He has even acted on some of the advice I gave him already, and with him taking this experience seriously, it drives me to be a better mentor.
Be Prepared:
My current mentee came prepared for both meetings we had. This preparedness showed up in 3 ways. He was prepared with specific questions that he comprised after researching me and what I have accomplished. He did some homework that we discussed after our first meeting and reported back before our next meeting. At the end of our second meeting, he seeded the agenda for our third meeting, with items he wanted to discuss. A mentor’s job is to give you their time and attention. The price for that is being prepared.
Drive the Relationship:
I was caught in a particularly busy spot juggling existing commitments. My mentee followed up with me three times after our first meeting to schedule our next one. He was persistent but polite. We did have a second meeting, and it was excellent. I am glad he stayed on me. In addition, my mentee drives the relationship by being clear about what he wanted out of the experience. By doing that heavy lifting I am at ease and can focus on being a good guide and giving the best advice I can.
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