As more people work from home amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the need for mentor-led, career-focused partnership is exactly what today's career-changers and job-seekers need, according to the Springboard mentorship survey.

The contemporay transition to remote work, has significantly impacted career growth and development prospect for many in India. From leaders to job seekers, there is a pressing need to rethink how growth and develop is perceived. Virtual men-toring programs can fill the major gaps in the current job market and help people across the world achieve their career goals.

The preliminary results of the survey revealed that not every professional could distinguish between teaching and mentoring. Mentoring and teaching are equally important but when it comes to professional learning and development, the process matters. As per the survey, 62.7% of professionals prefer to take an upskilling program that gives them access to a mentor.

The survey further reveals that a whopping 87.9% respondents think access to a seasoned mentor can profoundly boost their career success and trajectory while 79.4% feel that one of the best ways to transition to a position in a new industry is with the help of a mentor. Having access to an experienced mentor helps professionals identify and bridge their skill gaps and expedite knowledge acquisition to achieve their career goals. On being asked about challenges in one's career growth, 41.9% of professionals chose 'the need of a mentor to guide them'.

The survey also indicated that 46.4 % respondents were unable to find a mentor that suited their needs.

“The survey has brought to the fore many points. Firstly, intentional mentorship programs have a definite impact on filling the opportunity gap that keeps people from advancing within organizations or while changing jobs. Secondly, there is a great potential in every professional looking to upskill – they just need to be directed and guided in the right manner. Our survey has shown us that, while content and certifica-tion are just the tip of the iceberg and can help a professional grow only to a certain extent whereas effective mentoring can do wonders by applying that knowledge at the right place, in the right manner”, said Vivek Kumar, Managing Director, Springboard India.

“To succeed, good mentoring is of utmost importance, it is also one of the strongest areas which people misunderstand as teaching. A mentor is someone you can look up to at any point in your life in terms of profes-sional and personal support. They can facilitate your success in your career and beyond”.

The pandemic has pre-empted heightened need for people to seek mentoring while learning. While 69.4% of respondents feel that re-skilling is closely linked to career growth, 79% are willing to take up a re-skilling program that gives them 1:1 access to the mentors.