84 percent of employees say mentors have helped them avoid costly mistakes, and the same number admit they became more proficient in their roles faster with the guiding hand of a mentor. Notice there isn’t an age set to either of these roles. A young professional just starting out in his or her career can learn just as much as an older worker whose job has recently transitioned from print to online. That’s not to say our older workforce is inherently worse at technology than any other employee; I’m simply saying that someone who has worked in one medium their entire career would, say, benefit from someone younger who grew up with the internet.   

This is all to say: you should have a mentor. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what stage in your career, everyone can benefit from someone who has more knowledge about and experience in a certain area. Finding a good mentorship that is mutually beneficial can be challenging, though. Especially now that more and more people are branching out into entrepreneurship and working remotely. The good news is that technology is changing with us, which means there are a ton of resources you can use to find the right mentor.

Online

There are countless websites dedicated to matching mentees with mentors. If you don’t have anyone at your job that you’d like to ask, try branching out. You can get as narrow or as broad as your needs require. Even popular social networking sites like LinkedIn are expanding into this area as well, setting up a mentor matching program. Basically, you can search for how to get a mentor in Google and go from there. You all know how the internet works.

Email

Emailing goes along with the online section. If you stumble across someone on the internet who really inspires you–say you want to be a food blogger and you have one blog you adore–try emailing that person. This one is the longest shot on the list because you’re essentially cold-calling people. With the time commitment involved in mentoring someone, you will most likely not get a response. Or you will, but it’ll be a rejection. Don’t let that stop you, though! After all, you might hit them at the exact right time. Nothing ventured nothing gained and all that.  

Apps

Do you remember that old commercial There’s an app for that? Mac was on to something. There are general apps like Find a Mentor, or very specific apps like Glassbreakers (focusing on matching women with female mentors in the tech industry). Even the dating app Bumble is getting in on the action, recently launching Bumble Bizz. It keeps its dating app approach of swiping left or right on a person, but instead of a date you get to expand your professional network.

Cloud-based Services

Even ~the cloud~ is tossing its proverbial hat in the ring. Sites like MentorCity allow mentees to sign up, enter information, and pair up with a valuable mentor. The online format allows you to get more in depth than the apps from the get go, which means you have a better chance of being matched with the right person right away. The only downside is MentorCity–and likely any other service of its kind–costs money. Since this article is already rife with adages and clichés, I’ll just say it: you get what you pay for. Hey, they’re common sayings for a reason.

If you’re struggling to find a mentor through your current network, try expanding your reach. The average person spends an entire day a week online. Chances are, you’ll find someone worthy (and someone who’s worthy of you) out there.