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Q: My wife joined a mentor program that was suggested to her by a very senior company official. The same official recommended a mentor who is only one level above her while everyone else has a mentor three levels higher. She feels very slighted and is not sure what to say -- or if she should say anything at all. I know in this current uneasy environment workers probably don't want any added responsibilities, which would make it difficult to find quality mentors.

A: While your wife might be disappointed about the choice for her mentor, she shouldn't let those feelings get in the way of the relationship since it could very well turn out to be a valuable one, say experts.

"The position a mentor holds in the company is much less important than their ability to provide leadership advice and guidance," says Roberta Chinsky Matuson, president of Northampton, Mass.-based Human Resource Solutions. "Also, this person may have much more influence than people who are two levels

For example, being paired with a mentor who is the manager of new-product development at a consumer-products company could prove much more fruitful than being assigned the director of HR, says Ms. Chinsky Matuson. "That person (the new products manager) could very well have much greater influence with the company's CEO," she says.

It's also important that your wife take into account who suggested the match -- and that there was probably a good reason for it, says F. Mark Gumz, president and chief executive of the Americas unit of Olympus Corp. "Considering that this person was specifically recommended by a senior leader within her company, I'd encourage her to set aside perceptions of level and seniority and instead explore if this new mentor has the skills and life experiences that could benefit her own career growth," he says. "Often, it is helpful to talk to someone who is at the next level rather than two or three levels above. The individual will probably be able to answer real questions and provide a contemporary view of what to expect."

If it ends up that the relationship doesn't turn out to be the best fit -- and even if it does -- she would be smart to explore outside official mentor channels for career guidance. Mr. Gumz says that he has found that the most helpful mentors don't necessarily come from "formal" programs. "Some of the best mentors I've had throughout my career were people who befriended me or whom I befriended," he says. "Having the opportunity to speak with them periodically, asking specific questions and seeking advice, has been invaluable."

Your wife also needs to realize that in-house mentoring programs have specific goals in mind, and they often don't mesh with what the person being mentored might hope to achieve. "A mentoring program is not meant to be a medium to fast track someone's career, but instead offer one-on-one personal coaching to grow and nurture promising employees," says Sherri Thomas, president of Career Coaching 360.

Rather than wait for someone else to dictate a mentor program to her, your wife should manage its path herself and expand its scope beyond the company doors. She'll want to make it one "that brings together the best individuals from within her company and industry and that will allow her to assess what opportunities there are at her company as well as to gain knowledge for her future career," says Mr. Gumz. By doing this, she will gain a broader base of mentors who can help her now and later when she's ready to move on.