These tips are useful for all one-off mentoring, advice, or knowledge sharing sessions, whether they are have been facilitated via Ask-An-Alum or not.

Ask-An-Alum allows mentees to gain skills and infomation and expand their networks, contributing to their professional development. It can also be considered a trial for a new longer term, 1-on-1 mentoring relationship, if both mentee and mentor wish to establish one.

Tips for Mentors

• Be respectful of your mentee's time commitment, and be prepared. Ensure you understand the mentee's request in advance of the session. It is recommended to plan some questions to help elicit information.
• Keep an eye on the time, and help draw the conversation to a close. If you’d like to stay in touch, make these arrangements.
• Send on any links or contacts that you have promised to send.
• If you need to cancel a meeting, please do so in a professional and courteous manner.

[The rest of these tips are for mentees, who drive the interactions. However, mentors may also find some of the below tips useful].

Tips for Mentees

Mentees drive the mentoring relationship. Once you have initiated contact and arranged a meeting, ensure that you are proactive and prepared. Be respectful of your mentor's time commitment.

Preparing for the meeting

• Select a mode of communication (e.g. video call, phone call, email) that suits both mentee and mentor best. Video calls are recommended for more meaningful interactions.
• Set a start and end time for your meeting. Be respectful of the other person's time, and ensure punctuality. A typical meeting time is between 30 minutes-1 hour.
• If you need to cancel a meeting, inform the other person in a professional manner.
• Prepare to tell your mentor about yourself. It is recommended to rehearse your introduction beforehand. It is good practice to have an up to date LinkedIn and Alumni Network profile.
• Prepare what you would like to discuss. Researching your mentor beforehand will help in shaping your questions. Open-ended questions are recommended, to better facilitate conversation.
• Before a (video) call, test your microphone and camera work. Find a quiet place with minimal distractions for your meeting.

During the call

• Start with introductions and casual conversation. Use icebreakers to get to know one another.
• Explain what kind of advice you are looking for and what topics you might like to discuss. Make sure to allow enough time for both mentee and mentor to speak. 
• Listen actively, and ask follow-up questions. Don't be afraid to ask for clarification, if you do not understand something.
• Approach sessions with an open mind - don't get too stuck on your planned questions. 
• Be polite and professional, and remember to smile!
• Be mindful of time.
• If you would like to stay in touch, make arrangements for a future call.

After the call

• Make sure you deliver on any promises
• Send a follow-up email or message thanking your mentor and reiterating your main takeaways from the conversation. This is an opportunity to remind them of any links or contacts they promised to share
• Share any other contact details or ways to connect with you
• Check in from time to time, to maintain the relationship

Discover Ask-an-Alum

Ask-an-Alum: A practical guide for online mentors

Ask-an-Alum: How to find an online mentor