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STUDENTS:
Need a Mentor?
ALUMNI: Click Here for
more information on how to become a Mentor
Steps
to choosing a mentor:
-
Log
on to the
Career Center Online Posting System. All active students have access to the system.
You will find instructions to log in are posted on the Career
Center Online Posting System Home Page.
-
Once
you are logged into the Career Center Online Posting System and have completed your profile,
you will be able to search for mentors. Click on the Mentors
link on the top toolbar. The best way to search for
mentors is through an Industry or Academic Major search.
We are always working to expand our mentor network, so please check
back if you do not find a match to your interests. We also
recommend to just choose "search" at the bottom of the search
page with no criteria selected in order to view all mentors.
How to
get started now that you have a mentor:
What do we start
talking about?
The easiest way to break the ice is
to share a little of your background – where you were born, grew
up, any significant experiences, why you made certain choices, how
you got to where you are now. You can ask your mentor about their
background too. Additional questions might include:
- Why did you choose your current
career?
- Is your career what you expected
it would be?
- How did you get to where you are
today?
- What would you recommend a student
do while in school to help them be more marketable/ successful
in your career field?
- What do you like doing in your
spare time?
- What are you most proud of
achieving (personally and/or professionally)?
- What do you consider the most
important values in your career?
- What sort of people irritate you?
- Who are the 5 people you most
admire?
- Can you remember what you wanted
to do when you were five years old?
- What makes your day a successful
one? A frustrating one?
- What would you most like to change
about your life?
CLICK HERE
for additional Networking & Informational Interview Questions.
What should I
expect?
Your expectations need to be
stated at the beginning to ensure you are in agreement. The
following questions must be considered:
What are your goals for having a
mentor? Effective mentoring requires that you agree to work together
on a set of common goals. Vocational mentoring usually focuses on
one or more of the following:
- Insights into industry and/or
industry experience.
- Networking.
- Support of personal career
development.
- Exploration of career options.
If you have more than one goal, make
a priority list and start with the most important. Goals need to be
specific and achievable – negotiate openly together to make sure
the plan suits you both.
How often shall we communicate and
who should initiate contact? (Usually mentors expect the students to
drive the program. Students are often reluctant to ‘bother’
their busy mentor. Subsequently, the communication breaks down.
Avoid this by planning a regular monthly contact.)
What is your preferred style for the
meetings/discussions? (Do you prefer to be formal or informal?
Organize your meetings based on pre-prepared topics or ad hoc
discussions? Are you action oriented, or reflective? Do you want
your meetings to be about Doing or Discussing? Do you find it easy
to talk or do you prefer to listen? Do you prefer to communicate
verbally or by writing?)
How do I make it
work?
The success of your mentoring relies
on your level of commitment and interest. Your mentor does not have
to be your friend – they are often more comfortable with a
professional rather than personal role. You can still gain the
benefits of their experience and/or networks. Make sure your goals
are achievable and, if they don’t fit with your mentor, readjust
them.
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