Vocational and psychosocial mentoring functions: Identifying mentors who serve both

Abstract

AbstractResults of this study help identify those who serve both vocational and psychosocial mentoring functions. Mentoring research has suggested that protégés are drawn to competent mentors (Olian, Carroll, Giannantonio, and Feren, 1988) but has not empirically examined which mentors serve both vocational (career‐related) and psychosocial (personal development) functions. Serving in both capacities indicates the most intense mentoring (Kram, 1983). In this study, older mentors who have greater organization‐based self‐esteem (OBSE), who perceive the protégé as competent, and who are influenced by their protégés reported serving more vocational and psychosocial mentoring functions. Protégés indicated that the matter of who initiates the relationship determines whether vocational and psychosocial functions are both served.