When it comes to mentors, one size doesn't fit all.

A few generations back, employees typically spent their entire careers at one company. Now, most people switch jobs at least four or five times, not to mention one or two complete career switches.

That's why one mentor can't possibly fulfill all of our professional needs. Instead, think of yourself as the chairman and form a professional advisory board of counselors to lend a hand when you need career or professional advice.

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This isn't a Wall Street board meeting, so there's no need for formal nominations. This is an informal group of counselors you can go to when a professional question arises. Your board should be comprised of three or four people in your field, all at varying levels of experience, whom you casually cultivate over time.

"It's like creating your team of mentors," says Dale Winston, CEO of the executive search firm Battalia Winston International.

The first adviser is someone at your company who is one to three levels above you. It can even be your direct supervisor. Since the idea is to learn from this person, select someone who is good at answering day-to-day challenges. Start the relationship by going to your mentor with small issues such as advice on bettering a presentation. Pop into his or her office and ask for about 10 minutes of time. If you feel nervous about this, remember that "people like to have their brains picked," says Winston.

When Amanda Deveaux, an account executive at the boutique PR firm PJ Inc, started cultivating her mentor about a year and a half ago, she did it by asking for a critique of her ideas. Deveaux's mentor, the second in command at the firm, has years of experience in the industry, so Deveaux would bring her a client campaign from time to time to have it assessed.

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Deveaux solidified that mentor-mentee relationship by walking home with the woman after work. "It helps to get out of the office," she says. "It's just a 10- to 15-minute walk, but since we're out of the office environment, we're comfortable and don't feel that tension of the office."

Don't forget to follow-up with an e-mail thanking the person for their insight.

The next person on your council should be a high-performing peer. This person is on the fast-track at the office because of the quality of his or her work. It shouldn't be someone who works in your department; you don't want to be in competition. Talk about the moves he or she is making and how they achieved them. Try to emulate those moves.

This is also a good person to discuss office culture and etiquette questions with.

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The final member of your board is a peer in the industry who doesn't work at your company. For Deveaux, this person serves to answer many of her career trajectory questions. For instance, when she was considering the job offer from her current firm, this colleague gave her a sense of what she should be making at her experience level. "I rely on her to guide me on what's happening in the industry and what's the norm at other firms," she says.