Park Leaders Show : Park Ranger | National Park | State Park | Leadership

Recently, I was talking to a park manager who told me someone on his team was looking for mentoring opportunities. It got me thinking about mentors and how important a mentor was to my career, especially early when I was new to being a park ranger. I realize not everyone is fortunate enough to get a mentor early in their career, but listen, friend, you do not need to rely on a mentor. Not in the way you think you need a mentor. There are mentor opportunities all around. You don’t need to feel alone because you don’t have a mentor. There are five types of mentors available. Classic Mentors: A classic mentor is what you think of when you think of a mentor. It is a single person who invests in you and your development. I was lucky to have a classic mentor in Jack Hartt, who was the manager at the first park I worked at. Jack took the time to spend lunch breaks with me, go for walks in the park with me, and answer questions nearly whenever I had them. Academic Mentor: An academic mentor is someone who mentors you