Many majority professionals come to the workplace with advantages and contacts. Their dad, aunt or uncle worked at GE, IBM, or Citigroup, plays golf at the local country club, and can make some introductions. Their dad may also have attended an Ivy League or premiere college, joined the Yale Club or alumni organization, and knows the marketing director at Johnson & Johnson or 3M. Many Hispanics enter the corporate workforce as the first college graduate in their family. Their working class parents played basketball in the schoolyard and never visited an college or university or dined at the Harvard Club. Identifying the right mentor takes forethought and a plan.

Below are some tips on how to make the most out of a mentor:

• Ultimately finding the right mentor revolves around your personality and values. Some minority executives suggest that a black, Latino, female mentor will understand you better and know what it's like to be an outsider in corporate life. But many minorities interviewed in Minority Rules.
• If you've identified a mentor and developed a strong rapport with them, don't stop there. Choosing multiple mentors can boost a career. One mentor might be in your department and assist with internal strategies. But another mentor might be in HR who can help plan your career outside of the department. Another mentor might be from your alumni organization and help you network outside of your company. Each mentor can play a different role in building your career success plan.
• Minority professionals can outgrow mentors. If you've been with a mentor for several years and the relationship is getting stale or the mentor is diverted by his or her own corporate responsibilities, thank them for their invaluable time and consider moving on.
• In most companies mentors are referred to as your "godfather" or "rabbi" since they oversee your career and help you advance. Be strategic. Choosing a mentor who is a senior vice president and clued in to the company's leadership will benefit you more than a middle manager that's on the periphery of the corporate influencers.
• Mentors and mentees can learn from each other. Without breaking any confidential relationships, you can serve as a source and sounding board for your more senior level mentor. For example, you can help the more experienced mentor learn what Generation X and Y are thinking about the company. Don't only view issues in a selfish and narcissistic way but also see matters from the mentor's viewpoint. The mentor/mentee relationship is reciprocal, and each can gain in different ways.