When you just start your career, you require a mentor—to teach you, guide you and polish you. And when it comes to selection of such mentors, freshers will be of opinion that professionals with grey beard with decades of work experience tag would help them cope up with the work environment and solve their problems. But, this is not true. In fact, a person who has been in your shoes just a couple of years ago would be more efficient in solving your problems.

Even the Harvard Business Review states the same. A person who has touched the peak of career graph will presumably be a bad mentor.  The activities and work that he/she did at your age and level were completely different and your work would be challenging when compared to their work when they begun their career. Therefore, they would only end up giving some routine and readymade advices that applies to every person. But, regarding your career advancement, you should always choose someone who has two to five years of experience and who is very aggressive at work.

(Inputs from Guide to Getting the Mentoring You need by Harvard Business Review)
(Phani)