Our goals for the mentoring program include:
- Explore and discuss different career paths, companies and industries;
- Facilitate community building, character development and career advancement for both
- Help equip the mentee with skills and tools needed to make sound career decisions;
- Assist the mentee with establishing and accomplishing short and long-term goals, both personal and professional;
- Improve the mentee’s leadership, teamwork, creative thinking, decision making, and interpersonal skills; mentors and mentees.
Mentor Responsibilities
One aspect of the mentoring relationship is to help prepare your mentee for their eventual careers. How you go about doing this will depend on the individual personality, skills and interests of your mentee, but here are a few places to start:
- Be responsive to your mentee when they reach out for advice
- Be open in sharing your ideas and experiences
- Encourage your mentee to take risks and seize opportunities
- If possible, invite your mentee to meet your colleagues and peers
The other side of the mentoring relationship is to help foster character development in the mentee:
- Help your mentee to maintain a positive attitude and an open mind
- Acknowledge achievements and offer positive reinforcement
- Be a positive role model
Adapted from the USF mentoring handbook.