Latest / The Career Mentor Podcast with Fexingo: Finding Mentors, Sponsors, and Career Advisors / How to Find a Mentor When You Are a Career Changer
Transcript
- Lucas: You have spent eight years in the classroom. You are a middle school science teacher. You know how to manage a room of thirty twelve-year-olds, how to explain complex things simply, how to give feedback that doesn't crush a kid. And now you want to move into tech sales. Luna: That is a big jump. And one of the first things people in that situation tell me is: I don't know anyone in tech sales. Where do I even start looking for a mentor? Lucas: Right. That is the classic career-changer trap. You think your past experience is irrelevant, so you don't know how to position yourself. But actually, the teacher has something really valuable: the ability to build rapport quickly and handle rejection — both core sales skills. Luna: So the mentor search starts with identifying what you already bring? Not just what you lack? Lucas: Exactly. And this is where a framework from organizational psychologist David Bradford is really helpful. He says there are three types of value a mentor can provide: insider knowledge, skill-building, and emotional support. When you are a career changer, you need all three. But you cannot ask for all three from one person, especially early on. Luna: So you need to find different people for different purposes? Lucas: Exactly. For insider knowledge, you want someone who works in the industry you are trying to enter. They can tell you things like: what is the real sales cycle like at a company like Salesforce? What does a typical quarter look like? What are the unspoken rules? That person might be a peer, not a senior leader. Luna: And for skill-building, you might need someone who can actually teach you the mechanics. Cold calling, CRM management, discovery calls. That could be a sales enablement person or a manager. Lucas: Right. And emotional support is the one career changers underrate the most. Because the first six months in a new field can be brutal. You are the rookie again. You need someone who has been through a similar transition and can say: yeah, I felt like an imposter too. That is often another former teacher who made the switch. Luna: So you are building a personal board of advisors, not hunting for one perfect Yoda. Lucas: Exactly. And the way you find these people is actually easier than most people think. Because you are not asking for a huge time commitment upfront. You are asking for a fifteen-minute informational interview. And you are coming in with a very specific ask based on that person's type. Luna: Give me an example. Say I am that teacher. I find a sales development rep at a SaaS company on LinkedIn. We have no connection. What do I write? Lucas: You write something like: I am a former teacher exploring a move into tech sales. I see you made a similar transition three years ago. I would love to ask you two specific questions about how you learned the cold call process. Could we do a quick fifteen-minute call next week? That is specific, shows you did your homework, and respects their time. Luna: And if they say yes, you prepare like crazy. You don't ask them to repeat what you could Google. You ask about their experience. Lucas: Right. And here is a nuance that career changers often miss: you also have something to offer in return. It is not a one-way street. You have skills from your previous career that might be valuable to them. The teacher can offer public speaking tips or how to handle difficult conversations. That is reverse mentoring. Luna: I love that. So the ask becomes: I can help you with X, and I would love your guidance on Y. That makes it a real exchange. Lucas: Yes. And I think this is why so many career changers struggle. They approach mentorship from a place of lack. I have nothing to offer. But you do. The teacher has classroom management skills that translate to managing a pipeline. The former nurse has empathy and crisis management. The former journalist has research and writing skills. Luna: So the first step is actually inventorying your transferable skills. And that changes the whole tone of the outreach. Lucas: Exactly. And then you start building those relationships. But there is another layer: if you are changing industries, you also need to consider the timing. You don't want to ask for a mentor the same week you start a new job. You want to start building those connections three to six months before you make the move. Luna: That makes sense. Because then you have a guide during the application process, and later during the onboarding. Lucas: Right. And one thing I want to flag: a lot of career changers get stuck because they think they need a formal mentor. Someone who agrees to meet monthly for a year. But that is a huge ask from a stranger. Start with one conversation. See how it goes. If there is chemistry, ask for another. Let the relationship grow organically. Luna: So the bar for the first contact is really low. A single fifteen-minute chat. Lucas: Yes. And I would also say: look for people who are one or two steps ahead of you, not ten. A senior VP at a Fortune 500 company might be too far removed from your immediate needs. But a senior individual contributor who made the switch two years ago? That person remembers exactly what it was like. Luna: That is a great point. And it also makes the ask feel less intimidating. Lucas: Exactly. Now, one thing I have seen work really well for career changers is to join industry-specific communities. If you are moving into tech sales, there are Slack groups, Reddit communities, local meetups. You start participating in conversations. You ask thoughtful questions. People notice you. And then you can reach out to someone directly with a warmer connection. Luna: So you are building a reputation before you even make the ask. Lucas: Exactly. And here is a specific tactic: find a conference or a webinar in the new industry. Attend it. Then reach out to one of the speakers with a specific question about their talk. That is a very natural entry point. Luna: I have done that. It works because you are not asking for mentorship. You are asking for a clarification on an idea they already care about. Lucas: Right. And then from that conversation, you can build. One more thing: be patient. Career change is a marathon. You might talk to ten people before you find one who really clicks. That is normal. Don't get discouraged. Luna: And if you are listening and thinking: I don't even know what industry I want to move into yet. Where do I start? I think the mentor search can actually help you figure that out. Talk to people in different fields, and see what excites you. Lucas: That is a whole other episode. But you are right. The informational interview is a discovery tool as much as a networking tool. Luna: Honestly, if this episode helped you think through your career change, it might be worth the price of a coffee to support the show. If it was useful, you can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just if you felt it added value. Lucas: Yeah, we keep the podcast ad-free, and listener support is what makes that possible. So if today's episode helped you take one step forward in your career change, that link is there. And we appreciate it. Luna: Alright, back to the topic. So we talked about finding mentors before the move. But what about once you actually land the job? How do you keep those mentorship relationships going? Lucas: That is a great question. Once you are in the new role, your needs shift. You might need less emotional support and more skill-building. So you revisit your board of advisors. Maybe the insider knowledge person becomes less critical, and you lean more on the skill-building mentor. And you also start thinking about sponsorship — someone who will advocate for you when you are not in the room. Luna: So the mentor search is not a one-time thing. It evolves as your career evolves. Lucas: Exactly. And that is the final takeaway. The career changer who succeeds is not the one who finds one perfect mentor. It is the one who builds a network of guides, each offering a different type of value, and who is generous enough to offer their own expertise in return. Luna: That is a good place to leave it. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: Thanks, Luna. And to everyone listening, good luck with your career change. It is worth it.