She’s so well put-together, has climbed to the top in her industry and is on the career-advancement fast track. He’s an awesome speaker, great with people and commands respect among the innovators and power players of his company.
We all have that one person we look to as a major source of inspiration because they have the career of our dreams. Getting to know them may seem impossible, but it doesn’t always have to be. Below are some methods that will put you one step closer to making your career idol your mentor:
Attend speaking engagements/workshops: Make it your business to be front and center at their speaking engagements, workshops and any other community-related programs. Introduce yourself to them every time you see them in public letting them know how much you enjoyed their event or insights. Eventually, your name and face will start to ring a bell and they will be willing to offer you career tips.
Reach out via social media: Never underestimate the power of social networking. A simple tweet, LinkedIn message or Facebook comment can put you steps closer to getting in good graces with your career idol. You will be surprised how well someone will recognize your social media name when you finally meet them in person.
Ask them out to lunch: If your career idol lives in your area, there’s absolutely no reason you two haven’t met face-to-face. Shoot them an e-mail asking if they are available to meet for coffee, lunch, or an informational meeting at their office. They will likely be impressed that you follow their career and more than willing to meet with you to offer advice.
Intern or work at their company: What better way to get the inside track to the career success of your idol than actually working with or for them? Take on an internship or apply for a position, and see where it goes.