Who gets a mentor? A longitudinal assessment of the rising star hypothesis

This study assessed the rising star hypothesis, which proposes that individuals who are on the fast track to career success are more likely to gain mentors than others. The study used a sample of employees who had never been mentored and examined the relationship between rising star attributes measured at Time I and the attainment of a mentor a year later. In support of the hypothesis, individuals who were on the fast-track for promotion, had higher advancement expectations, and engaged in more proactive career behaviors were more likely to gain a mentor than individuals lacking these attributes. implications of these results for the theory, research and practice of mentoring are discussed. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.