The mentor advantage: Perceived career/job experiences of proteges versus non-proteges

Do proteges report having more positive job/career experiences than non-proteges? Do male proteges report having more favorable job/career experiences than female proteges? Do high-level proteges report having more favourable work experiences than low-level proteges? To answer these questions, mentored and non-mentored men and women in high- and low-level positions were asked to evaluate, on a survey questionnaire, their level of satisfaction, career mobility/opportunity, recognition, security and promotion rate. The extent to which these career/job experiences varied as a function of their mentored status, sex and organizational level was examined. The results of the study revealed that mentored individuals reported having more satisfaction, career mobility/opportunity, recognition and a higher promotion rate than non-mentored individuals. However, proteges' perceptions of their job/career situations were not affected by their sex or level. Whether systematic differences exist in the experience of being mentored has yet to be examined.