Entertainment industry coach question 378:Am I too old for a mentor?

His question went into a little more detail that may be helpful to many of you:

I'm 43 years old. I know a few directors whom I think would welcome a protege. Am I too old to ask them to mentor me? I don't want to make a fool of myself!

The answer is: No, as long as you have more to learn, you're never too old. The question is, what are you asking for. You want to be really clear:

1. What does the mentorship entail? (business advice & guidance? Craft advice? Shadowing?)

2. You want to set a time frame, so the mentor is clear that this isn't endless ( 3 conversations, 3 set visits, etc)

3. Explain why you've chosen him/her over all other directors. It's prestigious to be asked to be a mentor. Let the people whom you're asking know, where you are, where you want to be, and what you want to learn from them in order to reach your goals.

Preparation + Professionalism never = fool

Last tip, when seeking mentors, go after at least 5 at a time. The reasoning behind this is: if the first 4 say no, but the 5th one says YES, screw the rest! (was that harsh?) To heck with the rest! But you never would have gotten to the yes, if you started with the 1st, got a no, and got discouraged.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

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entertainment industry coach question 357:I have a relative in the biz who I don't know. Can I call him up for help?

You have an inherent relationship because he is family, and therefore, yes, you can just call him up. The key is what you say when you call. DO NOT say that you are his cousin/nephew/half-sister who wants to break into the industry and can he give you work.

Instead, introduce yourself. Bond on the family level for the first minute or two (or longer if he steers the conversation that way). Then tell him you are breaking into the industry and wanted to know if he'd be open to giving you advice. Because he's family you can offer to take him to lunch or dinner (if he's local).

Treat him professionally by being respectful of his time and make sure you follow up. My first roommate in LA had a powerful Hollywood cousin. He met with him once, got some great advice, and then never called him again. Not only is that not cool for his "business," but he missed out on the opportunity to have a relationship with family when he was across the country from his own. Bad move.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

entertainment industry coach question 324: What do I make of someone who says he wants to meet with me but keeps rescheduling?

You "make" another appointment. If he says he wants to meet with you, take him at his word. I don't know what position he holds, but if he's working, he's probably very busy. Things come up all of the time, pushing you down on the priority list.

What kind of urgency did you create, if any? Do you have to meet with him because you have a deadline of some sort coming up that you want advice on? If not, there is no urgency, and that's okay. It just means that you have to be understanding about his priorities.

Until someone says NO, and tells you to leave them alone, you keep rescheduling. Also, don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Set up meetings with many people so you're not waiting on this one guy.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

Question 49: How do I choose a mentor?

This came to me in the comment section of question 47.  The answer: Not as carefully as you may think.

Remember, when I'm suggesting you pursue mentors, I'm referring to "business advice and guidance" mentors. Everyone who has reached some level of success can give you new information. You can even learn from unsuccessful people (though it's not the most strategic way to go). I love to watch the crowd swarm the guest who spoke at a Q&A and see all the mistakes people make. 

Therefore, if you can learn form the good and the bad, anyone can be a potential mentor.  That said, you'll get to where you want to be faster, if you're strategic in who you choose.  The mistake that most people make, is getting too caught up with choosing the perfect mentors. This is a waste of time. Set a goal to choose a specific number of mentors by a specific date and if by that date you're 2 people short, close your eyes, open a directory, and point out 2 names.

Helpful tips for choosing mentors (yes, I suggest you get MANY):

1. Choose people who have taken a path you'd like to emulate 

2. Choose people who know the types of people who hire you

3. Choose people who hire people who do what you do

4. Choose people you've seen do Q&As or volunteer somewhere (that means they like to give back)

5. It's okay to go after A-listers AND have some "safe-schools" (people who will likely say yes)

For more tips and articles by entertainment industry coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.thegreenlightcoachblog.com