Sometimes, mentoring is not the best solution, depending on the situation and what’s needed. Some attributes of mentoring are simple to distinguish, for instance it’s a one-on-one relationship focused on the development needs of a less-experienced person. You’ll also notice that other principles are less clear-cut, e.g. ‘What does ‘help’ mean in the context of a mentor relationship?’ or ‘How involved should I be in a mentee’s situations?’

A mentor should consider these questions when deciding what type of help is appropriate. For example, in some situations, help like offering a book on how to do well at job interviews may be appropriate, whereas offering to help write their resume is not. The mentor’s role should be unattached to a specific agenda, as responsibility for progress remains with the mentee.