Mentors
What am I expected to do?
Mentors are expected to provide their mentee with about one hour of support and interaction per month. Most of this interaction will take place via email and other web-related tools (for example, instant messaging, zoom, phone) or face-to-face, as appropriate. Mentors should work with their mentee to determine what kind of support will be most useful—specific feedback related to finding jobs, general career advice, information on higher studies, technical information, personal encouragement, and so on.
How long will the commitment be?
We ask our mentors to make commitments of at least six months in order to ensure that the mentee is able to fully benefit from the relationship. If a mentor must leave the relationship early, we request at least one month’s notice in order to search for a replacement mentor with similar background.
Are there any potential risks to me or my company?
No. It is not appropriate for mentors to engage in any business transactions with their mentees; instead, the relationship should only involve the flow of general information and advice.
What should I do if my mentoring relationship isn’t going well?
We encourage letting the mentee know about the situation and contacting a program administrator as soon as possible. We will provide our full support to resolve the situation in a positive and satisfactory manner.
Why Become a Mentor?
- DEVELOP feedback and critical thinking skills
- GROW your network within the organization
- ADVANCE your leadership skills
- GAIN better understanding of the organization
Best Practices for Mentors:
Checklist for Success:
- Listen and communicate
- Lead by example
- Assist with career/work-life questions
- Provide positive reinforcement
- Encourage and keep the door open for future assistance
- Commit at least one interaction/hour of support per month.
- Arrange frequent contacts through telephone, email, face-to-face, zoom etc., as appropriate.
- Keep information that your mentee has shared with you confidential. If something concerning the mentee needs to be discussed with others, it should first be discussed within the mentoring relationship.
Topics to Avoid:
- Answer academic questions
- Hover over mentee
- Force mentee down a certain path
- End relationship without warning
- Do work for mentee
