Mentorship and sponsorship are both professional relationships in which each person has a clearly defined role and has to be committed to being present and performing their role. Both are also proven to be more helpful with advancement than pursuing career goals all on your own is.

• The main difference between the two is that mentorship is mostly about someone providing you with advice and feedback whereas sponsorship involves someone directly advocating for your because they believe in your ability and potential.
• Mentorship is usually needed to build a foundation of trust before your relationship can evolve into a sponsorship.
• For that reason, sponsorship is more effective at promoting career advancement, though having the support of both a mentor and a sponsor is equally valuable.