Daily Buzz: Finding the Right Mentor

A good mentor has the ability to advance your career, provide you with encouragement, and advocate for you. But how do you get the right person to fill that position? If you already have a candidate in mind, the first step is straightforward.

“Schedule a conversation by sending an email asking the person if he or she can meet with you in person or via Zoom,” says Heather Nolan  (opens in a new tab) on Association Success. “Once your potential mentor agrees to a meeting, be prepared to clearly describe what you want to get out of the relationship.”

For example, let potential mentors know if you’re trying to move up at your company or if you’re applying to a new position. This approach does two things: It lets potential members know exactly what you’re looking for, and it respects their time by keeping the meeting short.

If you don’t have a specific candidate in mind, the first place to look is within an organization you’re a part of. If you’re in an association, even better.

“Associations can help younger people in the workforce identify potential mentors by encouraging them to attend peer review groups, or by facilitating volunteer opportunities that match them with more experienced members of the workforce,” Nolan says.

However, it’s OK to look beyond your organization for a mentor. You could find an ideal candidate in a different company, state, or even a completely different field, Nolan says.

Email Ransomware Is Making a Comeback

Ransomware: Attacks that start with phishing emails are suddenly back in fashion again https://t.co/D412ywmgry  (opens in a new tab) by @dannyjpalmer  (opens in a new tab)

— ZDNET (@ZDNET) June 29, 2020  (opens in a new tab)

Though attackers have found other ways to infect users with ransomware in recent years, email attacks are once again on the rise. Organizations need to be prepared for such attacks.

“In many cases, it’s possible to defend against ransomware—and other malware attacks—by ensuring that networks are patched with the latest security updates, preventing attackers from exploiting known software flaws,” says Danny Palmer on ZDNet  (opens in a new tab). “But businesses should also make plans to cater for the fact that at some point, someone will mistakenly click on a malicious link in a phishing email.”

Other Links of Note

Need to process monthly gift payments? Here’s how to find  (opens in a new tab) the right tools to help you, says Erica Waasdorp on NonProfit Pro.

If you need to work with clients remotely, follow these best practices  (opens in a new tab), says Mats Guldbrand on the Ericsson blog.

Do you provide virtual education to members? Here’s how to prepare  (opens in a new tab) for virtual classroom sessions, says Karyn Gleeson on Learning Solutions.

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