Starting Your Relationship-A Mentor's  Point of View

It is normal to feel a little unsure of things when you are meeting your mentee for the first time. The following are some suggestions for your first meeting, be it face-to-face, on the phone, or online:

• Share your background, including some information on why you made some important life and career choices. Try to share something about a difficult time in your career, so your mentee will be comfortable sharing similar information.
• Explain why you were interested in being a mentor. Ask your mentee what he or she is looking for in a mentor.
• Ask a few questions about your mentee's current experience, such as,
  • Why did you choose this field?
  • What are some short-term goals for you?
  • What skills do you most want to develop in terms of future personal and professional growth?
• Agree on ground rules about how often you will communicate, how quickly you will be able to respond, and what level of confidentiality is expected.
• Complete the  Setting the Ground Rules questions.
• Set up a date for your next meeting or phone call.

Starting the Relationship-A Mentee's Point of View |  Setting the Ground Rules