Whether you’re brand new to the mechanic trade or have years of experience in it, getting started in a new role is never easy.
Maybe you’re used to working on class-eight semi trucks and are now transitioning to a job working on heavy construction machinery. Perhaps you’re just finishing school and are starting your first professional job.
Whatever the case is, you want to hit the ground running in this new adventure.
Having a mentor in the shop — someone to observe, ask questions, bounce ideas off of and learn from — can give you a leg up when starting a new position.
At RDO Equipment Co., we encourage the mentorship of all new hires in our shops.
This helps these team members have a successful start to their careers here.
However, we know it can be difficult to find a mentor when joining a new organization. But it doesn’t have to be. In this article, we’ve provided four tips to help you find a great mentor within any service shop — whether you’re working at RDO or somewhere else.
Tip #1) Ask Your Service Manager or Supervisor for Advice
The service manager or supervisor in the shop knows their team members. They know their goals, personalities, how they work best and what their strengths are. Use this to your advantage in your search.
Ask your supervisor who they think would be a good person to spend time with as you learn the business and develop your skills. They will have some ideas. Also, if your company has a formalized mentorship program, take advantage of that.
Tip #2) Be Observant
One of the best things you can do — and the first thing we’d recommend — when looking for a mentor in a new shop is to observe your colleagues. Pay attention to who the other technicians tend to gravitate towards when they have issues or questions.
Are there individuals who are always willing to lend a helping hand to others? Is there someone who has been at the company for a while and knows the ropes?
Start with those people.
Other indicators of a good mentor are:
- Technicians who stay on task and focus on their work
- Technician with a calm demeanor and outgoing personality
- Technicians who like to bounce ideas off of others
- Technicians who keep a clean workspace and don’t leave tools lying around
- Technicians who adhere to safety protocols
- Technicians who offer to help out someone who’s struggling without being asked
- Technicians who are ready to go at the start of their shift.
Tip #3) Spend Time Shadowing Everyone in the Shop
Shadowing as many people as possible over your first 6-12 months in a new job is another excellent way to find the right mentor. There are a ton of talented technicians in any given shop.
Each of them has a unique background and skillset. Technicians often think about problems differently and use different techniques to solve them.
By shadowing multiple techs, you’ll learn more than you would by just working alongside one. This will also help you figure out who you think like and work with the best so you can work with them more in the future.
Tip #4) Look for Technicians Who Like to Teach
Being a good mentor is something of an art. It’s not as simple as fixing a newer technician’s problems or performing a repair for them. Instead, the best mentors will help you figure out the solution on your own, while supporting you when you need it.
This “teacher” mindset is what you should look for in an advisor. Ultimately, this will help you learn the “ropes” faster than you otherwise would.
You’ll also become a better technician by learning to problem-solve (with some help from a good mentor).
Advantages of Having a Mentor in the Service Shop
There are several advantages to having a mentor to lean on as you start a new job.
First, this is a great way to take your learning beyond what you’re taught in onboarding and training. Learning the ins and outs of the business from a service team member gives you valuable insights you wouldn’t otherwise get.
For example, you will learn not only what resources are available but also how to use them. This includes where specialty tooling is located and how to use shop equipment and third-party resources.
Another advantage of having a mentor in the shop is that it will help you be successful.
Technicians who have been at a company for a while know the tricks of the trade and can teach you them.
This will help you get your feet under you — especially if you’re working on unfamiliar equipment and machinery. Having a go-to person when you have questions can help you quickly become a productive member of the shop.
Advance Your Diesel Technician Career: 6 Tips
Your skills are valuable. Over your career, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to change jobs. If you’re in this process, start on solid footing by hunting down a great mentor.
To do so, we recommend you observe others, shadow as many people as you can and ask your supervisor for their recommendations.
Ultimately, having a good mentorship relationship will help you adjust to your new environment faster. Even if you’ve been a technician for decades, it doesn’t hurt to work alongside someone who’s been at the company longer to learn the ropes.
As your career progresses, there are several things you can do to advance within it — having a trusted mentor is certainly one of them.
If you want to take your diesel career to the next level, read 6 Tips for Advancing Your Career as a Diesel Technician.
Build a Career You’re Proud of With RDO Equipment Co.
RDO is proud to employ service technicians in more than 80 U.S. locations. These team members make a real impact on our company and customers as they service machinery from manufacturers like John Deere, Topcon, Vermeer and Wirtgen Group.
Ready to join our growing team? Learn more about our service technician career opportunities and find a position near you today.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our careers team for more information. We’re more than happy to help you build a career you’re proud of.
Nate Peterson
In 2015, Nate joined the RDO Equipment Co. Burnsville team as a service manager. In this role, Nate helped RDO’s Vermeer service technicians develop their skills and grow in their careers. Five years later, in 2020, Nate accepted the position of service operations manager, overseeing all service operations in our Burnsville store. Nate enjoys helping RDO’s technicians grow as people and in their roles. He also likes creating an environment where providing top-of-the-line solutions for customers is the priority.
