Latest / The Career Mentor Podcast with Fexingo: Finding Mentors, Sponsors, and Career Advisors / How to Find a Mentor When You Are Changing Industries
Transcript
- Lucas: You know, Luna, I was looking at some LinkedIn data the other day that stopped me cold. Professionals who change industries and connect with at least five new people per week in their target field are three times more likely to land a role within six months. Luna: That's a huge multiplier. But it also feels daunting if you're starting from zero. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what we're digging into today — how to find a mentor when you're changing industries. Not just any mentor, but someone who can actually open doors in a field where you have no network. Luna: So the classic advice is 'go to industry events' or 'cold email people on LinkedIn.' But does that actually work at scale? Lucas: It can, but most people do it wrong. They send a generic connection request with no context, and then wonder why nobody responds. I want to walk through a really specific blueprint that a former retail manager used to pivot into fintech at Stripe. Luna: Retail to fintech — that's a pretty dramatic leap. What was her approach? Lucas: She called it the 'informational interview sprint.' The goal was to have fifteen informational interviews in thirty days. Not cold applications, not mass-recruiter messages — just conversations. Luna: Fifteen in thirty days is a conversation every two days. That's intense. Lucas: It is. But she treated it like her full-time job for that month. She started by listing every company in fintech she was remotely interested in, then found people in roles she thought she could grow into. Product managers, operations leads, even a few engineers. Luna: And how did she get them to say yes? Lucas: She didn't ask for a job. She asked for advice. Her standard email was something like: 'I'm exploring a move into fintech from retail. I admire the work your team is doing on X. Would you be open to a fifteen-minute call to share your perspective on how someone from outside the industry can break in?' Luna: That's a smart frame — it's low pressure and flattering. And fifteen minutes is easy to say yes to. Lucas: Exactly. Of the forty people she reached out to, twenty-two said yes. Fifteen ended up happening. And in those conversations, she didn't just listen — she took notes on the specific skills and projects that kept coming up. Luna: I imagine one of those conversations turned into a mentor relationship. Lucas: It did. One of the product managers she spoke with, a woman named Priya, really took an interest. She offered to review her resume and gave her a list of three projects to build to demonstrate fintech knowledge. That's a mentor. Luna: And then what about the sponsor element? Because moving industries, you often need someone to vouch for you internally. Lucas: That came later. Priya eventually became a sponsor when a junior product role opened up on her team. She said, 'I've been working with this candidate for two months. She doesn't have fintech on her resume, but she's done the work.' That's sponsorship — someone putting their reputation on the line for you. Luna: So the informational interview sprint didn't just get her a mentor; it built the foundation for sponsorship. Lucas: Right. And here's the key: she didn't wait until she had a finished resume or perfect skills. She started the conversations early, when she was still learning. That vulnerability actually made people more willing to help. Luna: That resonates. I think a lot of people delay reaching out because they feel underqualified. They want to have all the answers first. Lucas: Which is exactly backwards. The best time to ask for advice is when you're genuinely curious and open. Once you've already made the switch, you don't need a mentor in the same way. Luna: So what about finding a mentor who is outside your target industry altogether? Is that useful during a career change? Lucas: Absolutely. In fact, I'd argue it's essential. A mentor from your old industry can help you translate your experience. They can say, 'Look, the project management skills you developed in retail are directly applicable to fintech operations.' Luna: That's a good point. Sometimes you're so deep in your own field that you don't see the transferable skills. Lucas: Right. And an outside mentor can also keep you grounded when the job search gets discouraging. They know you, not just your resume. Luna: So you're saying have at least two mentors during an industry change: one inside the target field and one from your current or past field. Lucas: That's the ideal setup. The inside mentor gives you industry-specific guidance and potential sponsorship. The outside mentor gives you context and emotional support. Luna: You know, this episode is exactly the kind of practical advice we try to bring every week. And if it's helped you think through a career move or decision, we'd love for you to consider supporting the show. We keep it ad-free and listener-supported, and contributions from people like you make that possible. You can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah, it's a small way to keep this resource going for everyone. And honestly, it means a lot that people find value in what we do here. Luna: Totally. Now, back to the industry change blueprint. One thing I want to dig into is how to maintain those mentor relationships once you've made the switch. Lucas: That's a great question because many people treat mentorship as transactional — they get the job and then stop reaching out. But the best career changers keep the relationship alive. Luna: What does that look like in practice? Lucas: A simple update every three to six months. 'Hey, I implemented that advice you gave me about X, and here's what happened.' Or, 'I'm facing a new challenge in my role, and I'd love your perspective.' Luna: So it's about showing progress and staying curious. Lucas: Exactly. And that's how a mentor can evolve into a long-term sponsor or even a collaborator. The woman I mentioned earlier — she and Priya still have coffee every quarter, years later. Luna: That's the kind of relationship that pays dividends over a whole career. Lucas: It does. And it starts with that first awkward email. So if you're listening and you're thinking about a move into a new industry, I'd challenge you to send one informational interview request this week. Just one. Luna: And if you do, let us know how it goes. We'd love to hear your stories.