Mentee Guidelines - Nottingham



Mentee GuidelinesStudents are currently facing a difficult graduate job market, and many are investing their time in seeking experience and gaining greater insight into job functions, in order to enhance their chances. Graduate recruiters are also pointing to the need for greater business awareness and rigorous research into company and job requirements which has prompted the Centre for Career Development to look at ways to facilitate student access to experienced professionals whose advice will be invaluable. The e-mentoring scheme will run from September 2014 to July 2015 and will give you access to experienced alumni professionals. The scheme will give you the opportunity to be matched with a mentor based on either your degree and/or career aspirations. The aim of the project is for you to build on the experiences and knowledge of your mentor as well as getting hints and tips on how to plan your career path. You will be communicating with your mentor by email. The Careers and Advisory Service will provide support and training on being a mentee and work with you to ensure your e-mentoring relationship is successful.What is mentoring?‘A one-to-one, non-judgemental relationship in which an individual mentor voluntarily gives his/her time to support and encourage another’ (ACU, Home Office 2001)Mentoring is a mechanism for sharing experience between two parties - a two-way street- with benefits for both partiesIt is an organised relationship: partners are selected, rather than meeting by chanceThere is a co-ordinator who takes the lead role in matching partners and providing support servicesIt is governed by an explicit agreement-although the content of this may change over the course of the relationshipIt is time limitedIt is voluntaryIt is confidential between the partiesEach partner must agree to the choice of the other and both must have the option to withdraw if either party believes the relationship is failingWhat is a mentor?A Mentor is an experienced adult who can provide mentees with support, counsel, friendship, reinforcement, and a constructive example. Mentors are good listeners, who want to help their mentees realize their potential and capitalize on their strengths. A mentoring relationship can take many forms. In the best relationships, the mentor helps the mentee to achieve his or her goals.As a Mentor, one might help a Mentee:Plan a project Explore a topic of mutual interest Set career goals and start taking steps to realize them Strengthen communication skills and the ability to relate well to all kinds of people What can a mentor do for me?Mentoring can provide a wealth of benefits. The research shows that mentoring helps people in many ways, from improved grades to enhanced self-image. In this case, the benefits are:Having access to experienced professionals in your field of studyGaining career related information, encouragement and support Enhancing interpersonal skillsGaining an insight into a relevant occupational fieldBuilding on your mentor’s experiences and knowledgeGetting hints and tips on how to plan your career pathImproving your employability skills Widening social and professional contactsMatching processAs part of the profiling and matching process, mentees (students/recent graduates) are asked to provide us with details of their course, their career aspirations and how they might expect to benefit from this scheme. At the same time, mentors are asked to register their own career profiles (brief career history, current role and responsibilities). The information given is then used to match mentee to mentor. Student and mentor will be passed background information on each other, excluding names and contact details. Both parties will then be asked if they are happy to be paired and ready to proceed. If so, contact details (i.e. email address and name) will be exchanged and a Mentor/Mentee Agreement signed. A copy of the agreement will need to be signed and sent back to the following address: Alumni & Donor Relations Office (ADRO)University of NottinghamMalaysia Campus43500 Jalan Broga, SemenyihSelangorThe project co-ordinator will then hold the originals. Should you request a copy of the agreement signed by your mentor, the Alumni & Donor Relations Office will provide you with one.Making contactAfter a match has been made, you should contact your mentor within one week. This might be anything from a short greeting to a summary of what you would really like to get out of this scheme. If any problems arise, please let the project co-ordinator know.E-mentoringAdvantages of an e-mail-based schemeE-mentoring can address distance, time or schedule constraintsPreconceptions based on physical appearance can be eliminatedThere is the opportunity to record, save and return to communications Reliable and regular contact between mentee and mentor is more important than frequency, which can vary at different stages of each relationship. Mentors have been advised that it is recommended to communicate with their mentees by email twice a month unless mutually agreed otherwise.If for any reason, you have difficulty sending/receiving emails, you must let the project co-ordinator know as soon as possible so that this can be followed up with your mentor. If your mentor is experiencing technical difficulties, you will be notified. If you change the email address you are using, it is important that you tell the project co-ordinator as well as your mentor. Roles and responsibilitiesMentees and mentors share the responsibility for the progress and maintenance of their relationship. There are a few instances, however, where you or your mentor, are more directly responsible. The following guidelines may prove helpful.MentorThe following are expectations of a mentor:Enthusiastic participation in and commitment to the mentoring processCreation and maintenance of a good atmosphere in which the mentor/mentee relationship can be cultivatedAssistance to establish a framework of goals to be achieved by the mentee and approval of this frameworkEstablishment and communication of mentor’s own expectations/goalsCommitment to encourage as far as possible the full potential of the menteeProvision of information (or resolution to investigate other sources of information) and supportEncouragement of mentee to act independently, they must not rely upon their mentor to do everything for themMaintenance of regular email correspondence with the menteeProvision of required feedback to the project co-ordinatorMentee With your mentor you share responsibility for the creation and maintenance of a positive atmosphere in the overall relationship.You should let your mentor know as soon as possible how you expect to benefit and what you expect to achieve from this process. It is up to you to ‘set the agenda’ (with assistance or approval from your mentor) as your needs are those which have to be addressed.You must respect the other commitments that your mentor has. Therefore you should limit communication to the recommended level or that agreed by you both. Show your appreciation for the efforts made by your mentor. This means that you should always consider thoughtfully any opinions or suggestions that they offer.Whether or not the relationship is successful, you should remain courteous and keep all information confidential at all times.You must provide feedback to the project co-ordinator and inform your mentor of the progress of any actions which have resulted from, or been discussed within, the pairing. Joint responsibilitiesBoth the mentee and mentor are responsible for keeping the information exchanged confidential. Neither party should discuss details of the relationship with a third party without the express permission of the other party.Both must make known to the project co-ordinator and to each other any difficulties with the pairing or its progress so that these can be resolved or the relationship can be ended in the proper way. The project cannot take responsibility in the case that mentee and mentor decide to meet during the course of their pairing. Expectations and goal-settingIt is a good idea to begin to decide upon your goals and an action plan as soon as you can. This is a good way of beginning to get to know each other, even if the final outcome is that a slightly different set of goals is achieved. As a pair, it is important that you get to know a little about each other in order that a bound of mutual respect and trust can form. It is not advised that your emails become very personal but sharing some of your likes or dislikes and finding some common ground is recommended. Helping you to set realistic goals is one of the most important tasks that your mentor will have to perform and it comes right at the start. The following is one example of a basic action plan you could use or you may develop another.Mentee/mentor can:Identify strengths and weaknesses of the mentee and find out what their needs are so that the mentor can give assistance in the areas needed.Set realistic goals and reasonable timeframes within which they can be achieved.Plan how best to achieve these goals (what does what and when).Monitor and evaluate progress.By the end of the process the mentee should:Be more confident about their career search techniquesHave a better understanding of their mentor’s knowledge and experience within their work industry.Have an insight into the day to day challenges met and duties fulfilled by an employed professional.The aim of the e-mentoring scheme is to support your career planning, develop networking opportunities and skills development.?However, it is important to acknowledge the fact that this scheme is not to be used to enhance your employment perspectives with your mentor’s organisation.BoundariesIt is important to know that unlike other activities such as counselling or coaching, the aim of this e-mentoring scheme is for you to receive invaluable support whilst considering your career aspirations as well as hints and tips on how to plan your career path. This is a careers focused activity aimed at developing and improving your employability skills. You will be an ambassador for the University in your capacity as a mentee and therefore you are expected to behave in a professional manner at all times when dealing with your mentor and only ask for career related advice.In addition, as part of the pilot scheme, you must agree to provide feedback enabling CCD to develop and improve the e-mentoring scheme via the evaluation forms which you will be sent. Ground rulesIt is expected that together with your mentor, you will both establish ground rules as a basis of your relationship. These will include confidentiality, all communication, acceptable behaviour and attitude. For example, should you both agree on communicating twice a month (every fortnight) it is recommended that you first ask your mentor whether he/she would prefer receiving 2 compiled emails from you where you will touch upon career related aspects that you would like more information on, or multiple emails that he/she will only reply to twice a month.Evaluation and monitoringAt times during the process, it will be necessary for the project co-ordinator to gather information about how the pairings have been getting along, to be of assistance where necessary and to evaluate the project as a whole.As the process is gradual and it can take a while to make progress, when you are asked for your feedback, it should be thought of as an opportunity to look back on what has been achieved so far.There will be a two-week gap from the date you begin the mentoring process to when the first feedback is requested from both mentee and mentor. This will be done via email. Thereafter, contact will be made every 2 months.If there comes a point at which you do not wish to wait until the next feedback session to raise an issue, you have our contact details and can email us at any point. Support Support will primarily be provided by the project co-ordinator. You or your mentor can ask for advice concerning any aspect of the process, even before mentoring has begun. The project cannot accept responsibility for the conduct of individual mentees and mentors but it will provide support in terms of guidelines, workbook*, feedback mechanisms, monitoring and advice. If the project co-ordinator needs to give your details to another party in order to be of assistance to you, your permission will be requested. If you have any problems with the progress you are making with your mentor, it is best to approach him/her first so that you can both work on a solution. Indeed, this kind of problem-solving can be very useful and should strengthen your bond. However, if you really feel that there is something you cannot deal with together and if for any reason you need outside assistance, the project co-ordinator is here to provide you with any help you require. The co-ordinator will attempt to achieve reconciliation; otherwise the relationship will be terminated if this is desired.Although every effort is made to ensure confidentiality, it must be accepted that in the case of emailed information, it is not absolute. * The workbook you are provided with is only for your personal use. It should help you keep a record of your e-mentoring relationship and create your own planning worksheet should you feel one is necessary. At no time, should you be asked to fill it in or return it to either the project co-ordinator or the mentor.However, it must be emphasized that you are responsible for keeping the information exchanged confidential during the e-mentoring scheme and after the e-mentoring relationship will have finished. ClosureWhen it is time for the mentoring process to close, one of the most important things to think about is how to thank your mentor. Perhaps you could mention all you have achieved together and let them know how much you have appreciated their help, also how much you enjoyed having him or her as a mentor. Even if you encountered problems or your association did not last for long, be positive in your final analysis and look at all that has been accomplished. If you wish to continue with your pairing at closure, this should be done outside the scheme and agreed independently.Your project co-ordinator is:Salinee GanesonEvents and Alumni OfficerAlumni & Donor Relations Office (ADRO)University of NottinghamMalaysia Campus43500 Jalan Broga, SemenyihSelangorTel ???????? : +6(03) 8924 8305 ................
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