We tend to think that mentors must be individuals who are ahead of us in their career trajectory ... and their years on the planet too. But many of the best mentors I've had were people who were younger than me and  had fewer years in the work force. Sometimes they offered me a sense of passion when I was feeling jaded. Or insights into an audience or technology that I lacked. Quite often they were exceptionally good thinkers, who were willing to wrestle a problem to the ground and explore out-of-the-box solutions. The right question to ask when looking for a mentor is "What do I need right now to move myself forward professionally?" The answer is never dictated by age or experience. Wisdom is always bigger than the human limitations we put on it. …see more