HBR Guide to Getting the Mentoring You Need (HBR Guide Series)

Chapter 13

Mentoring for Gen Xers

by Tamara Erickson

If you’re a member of Generation X (born between the early 1960s and the late 1970s), you may worry that Gen Ys (born after 1980) will get all the mentoring love at work, but don’t: You’re actually in a pretty good position.

For starters, you’re armed with more experience, which you can use to attract good mentors. Think of all that experience as a stack of poker chips acquired for being an effective, valuable contributor over the years—chips that you can now cash in to get the specific career advice and support you need.

Your Gen Y colleagues, no matter how “golden,” often receive indiscriminant, same-for-all counsel. Like college freshmen, they have to study the core curriculum before they ...