Role of a mentor

• Be realistic in how much time you can commit and how frequently you maintain contact with your mentee
• Follow through on commitments
• Create a trusting environment

During a meeting with your mentee you should:

• Assess the mentee's existing skills, and help identify skills gaps
• Provide relevant guidance, using personal experience and knowledge
• Offer both positive feedback and constructive criticism
• Listen actively and ask questions
• Allow the mentee to discuss their thoughts and ideas without judgement

Role of a mentee

• Consider what you want from the mentoring relationship, and what your professional goals are. Follow the SMART rule: are your goals Smart, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timebound? Make your goals clear to your mentor.
• Be open-minded: valuable guidance can come from mentors in all areas of expertise, outside of your specific sector
• Do not seek personal or career favours out of the relationship.
• Drive the mentoring relationship: take initiative to find a mentor and arrange meetings.
• Follow through on commitments

During a meeting with your Mentor you should:

• Initiate discussions. Be specific about what advice you are seeking. Come prepared with questions and/or topics.
• Allow space for both you and the mentor to contribute. 
• Be honest: share challenges and concerns with your mentor, and give them feedback 
• Be receptive to positive feedback and constructive criticism from your mentor.

What Mentoring is not

Mentoring is not coaching or training. Mentors are volunteers, with altruistic rewards (instead of monetary). Mentoring is intended to be a relationship that is not constrained to a specific topic or time period. 
 

Mentoring is not therapy or counselling. While a mentor may give advice on tough professional (and sometimes personal) situations, but they are not a therapist. Conversations should be based around professional development and knowledge exchange, not on personal struggles.

If, as a mentor, you are concerned about your mentee's well-being, please contact the IDS Alumni Office.

 

Mentors can't do everything. While mentors can provide support on various topics, they may not have an answer to everything, and they cannot do things for you. Mentees are responsible for their own professional development.