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Meeting your Mentor

What happens when I meet my mentor?

Each partnership will differ depending on your needs and the background of your mentor, so you are encouraged to take a lead in deciding what support you require.  Your initial training, and the resources pack, will help you to set personal goals and consider how you might achieve them.          

Below are some example activities that you may wish to suggest to your mentor, but be aware that these will be dependent on your mentors workplace limitations, time and working regulations.      

• Discussion of mentor’s career progression – Background information on how they got to where they are now.  How did they develop, progress and make career decisions?  
• Discussion and reflection on your career choice(s) – to discuss ideas of how you might research your ideas further and in a wider context 
• Help with CV enhancement – advice and tips on how to improve the overall presentation and impact of your CV.  Extremely useful to get an employer perspective on this! 
• Mock interview - a practice session is a useful tool for enhancing your abilities at interview.  This might be with your mentor or one of their colleagues.   
• E-mail advice and information – useful when unable to meet on a one-to-one basis
• Tour of organisation / premises – can increase understanding of the politics of the organisation and how departments work in collaboration
• Work shadowing of mentor / colleagues – in order to expand knowledge of associated roles
• Work experience placement – aids your understanding of the reality of your chosen career choice(s)
• Meetings with mentors colleagues - potential networking opportunities, sharing of ideas, develop understanding of good working practice and new perspectives
• Meetings with external clients – to develop business awareness and networking skills  
• Involvement in presentations to colleagues – enhances professional presentation techniques and experience
• Business lunches / networking events – chance to further develop business awareness
• Involvement in selection process / assessment centres - enhances understanding of recruitment process
• Working on developing confidence and assertiveness

Please note that the above is intended to provide a guide to help you consider how you might work together and is NOT intended to form a prescriptive list of ‘things to do’!    

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