Tips & Suggestions
These tips and suggestions can help foster a successful mentor relationship Heading link
- Set up an initial meeting to determine expectations, availability, and methods of communication.
- Maintain regular contact with your mentor or mentee.
- Meet/connect as often as agreed upon.
- Periodically evaluate the relationship.
- There are no set topics for your meetings. The mentor and mentee should decide how best to focus their conversations. However, useful areas for discussion might include the nature of work in a particular position, adequate preparation for a leadership role, professional norms, and networking tips.
For Mentors Heading link
- Be responsive and open to your mentee when they reach out for help or advice.
- Build the relationship.
- Guide and advise. Listen to mentee’s interests and needs.
- Teach about the profession.
- Help your mentee to think broadly about possible careers and explore different paths.
- Affirm mentee’s strengths/talents.
- Demonstrate ethical and moral orientation.
For Mentees Heading link
- Be proactive in reaching out to your mentor and respect their time.
- Question, be curious.
- Prepare for your meetings with your mentor/think ahead about what you will ask and what you hope to get out of the discussion.
- Be open minded and accepting of constructive criticism, suggestions, and feedback.
- Follow through.
- Be flexible about scheduling meeting times and notify your mentor in advance if you are not able to meet at your scheduled date/time.