One of the most exciting parts of working on this Freelance Parent blog is the feedback and support we get from our readers and our community. Throughout this process, we have been fortunate enough to find invaluable resources for jobs, professional services, and plain good friends.

So of course, it is incredibly thrilling to find that not only do we rely on others to get us through the rough patches, but other people are beginning to look to us for advice and support.

Now, Lorna and I are by no means experts at what we do; we are relative freelance newbies and goodness knows, we make mistakes. However, we have learned some incredible things along they way, and it feels great to be able to assist others as they begin their freelancing careers.

We always hear about freelancers who become successful due to the support and mentorship of others. Yet, equally important is the ability to become a mentor yourself. Whether you adopt a zen-like Mr. Miyagi persona or simply offer a shoulder for another writer hitting a brick wall, the benefits are boundless.

• Being a mentor forces you to take a step back and question your own techniques and assumptions.

• What goes around comes around – when you help a freelancer with finding work or simply gaining confidence, he or she is likely to return the favor someday.

• People like to give jobs to people who know what they’re doing. Would you rather hire a newbie right out of college or someone who’s been in the field long enough to become someone others look up to?

• It feels good to know that someone else might flourish because you took the time to care.

• When things go bad, someone will care about you. Mentors are a little like parents, teachers, and friends all rolled into one package. Few people want to see their mentor trapped somewhere unpleasant.

• Being a mentor builds confidence. Knowing that others respect your work and want to emulate you is a great way to confirm that yes, indeed, you are good at what you do.

• Networking is an inevitable outcome of both formal and informal mentorships. You will meet people and make contacts you might otherwise miss.

Take the time to listen to others who come to you for support. Answer emails and pay attention to the comments left on your blog. Offer advice when you can and simply listen when you can’t. You will be surprised at how much opening the mentorship door will do to advance your freelancing career.

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