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What is the time commitment?
Being a mentor can work around your schedule because you schedule the time of your meetings with your mentee. The time commitment expected of Mentors is about 3-4 hours for one 12-week period. The bulk of the time will be spent in the (at least) 3, 30-minute meetings with your mentee (via phone, video call, or in-person), with the rest of your time spent on preparing for your conversations with your mentee (we hold a live 30-minute online orientation for mentors as well as 3, 30-minute live workshops covering varying topics you may run across with your mentee. All workshops and orientations are recorded so you can watch them at a later date if you are unable to attend the live sessions). -
Will my mentee be prepared to participate in this program?
Having a mentor may be new to some mentees, and it may be their first time participating in our program. We have created an environment, though, where they are poised to be invested and feel confident in having a mentor. First, mentees invest in themselves and their experience in the program to participate, increasing their accountability and preparation for a successful working relationship with you. Second, we require that mentees attend 4 live workshops that help them clarify their goals and prepare them for how their relationship with you can grow and form. -
What if I’m paired with a mentee with career goals that don’t exactly match my work?
You can still be a big help! The best mentors ask the best questions and we can are here to help you if you feel like you are struggling to come up with the best questions to ask. Your experience as a professional and with a differing perspective is more than enough to provide amazing insights to your mentee (even if you are in a different field or are younger than your mentee). You might serve as a sounding board, provide stories about how you have faced something similar, or just provide an open ear to learn about what your mentee is going through. You might also be able to facilitate introductions to key people your mentee may benefit from knowing. Of course, sharing general guidance and advice is always helpful as well. -
My mentee shows up late and/or is unprepared for our meetings. What should I do?
We encourage mentors to speak to their mentee about their concerns. After all, being on time and prepared for commitments is a professional skill. Share that the mentee’s inconsistency is affecting the ability to build rapport, or causing scheduling issues for you. Convey that you are genuinely interested in supporting them and ask what can be improved to move forward. Don’t overlook the fact that your mentee may be struggling with something--ask if there’s anything they would like you to know that may be impacting their participation in the program. Demonstrate patience and caring but do share how the behavior is negatively impacting the work and seek commitment for change. If you would like additional support on this issue, please reach out to [email protected]. -
I’ve had a significant work/life change. What if I’m unable to keep my mentor commitment and finish the semester?
Even if your career changes, we hope that you can make being a mentor a priority. We understand career changes things happen and if they do, please email [email protected] to let us know as well as your mentee to let them know what happened (so then they don’t blame themselves). Advanced notice allows us time to find a replacement mentor for your mentee without disruption to their experience, so please let us know as soon as you might know you have to step down. We will check in with you each period about your interest in serving again the following 12-week period (one period starts in September and the other starts in February), should you wish to rejoin the program. You will be able to opt-out of these messages if you wish.
Mentors
Everything you need to know
