Mentee's Guide - Haile/US Bank College of Business - Northern ...

2012
Mentee’s Guide
Mentorship Program
Northern Kentucky University

Mentee’s Guide 2012
NKU Haile/U.S. Bank College of Business MBA
MENTORSHIP Program:
Mentee’s Guide
To our Mentees: Why have a Mentor:
The NKU MBA Mentorship Program is designed to provide you
with resources to:
Receive guidance, advice, and encouragement from a business
professional in issues like career planning, conducting a job
search, balancing work and family, etc.
Increase your awareness of the variety and scope of economic
activities through increased exposure to the business
environment.
Help you develop a better sense of career options and career
strategies and gain insight into the day-to-day work of a
professional in a field of interest.
Help you develop personal traits that are important for success
through interaction with mentor.
Obtain knowledge that helps you to define internship
opportunities and career goals.
Give you a confidant to whom you can talk about your concerns
or ideas.
Expand your professional network
Further develop communication and networking skills
Provide a practical forum where academic concepts can be
discussed and tested
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Mentee’s Guide 2012
Increase knowledge of a specific industry and profession
Mentees’/Students’ Responsibilities:
The responsibility is on the mentee to initiate and maintain
communication with their mentor.
Mentees are expected to act in a responsible, ethical and
professional manner at all times.
Mentees must keep in periodic communication with the
Mentor Program Coordinator and submit report on the
mentorship experience at the end of the year.
Mentees should understand the mentor’s expectations of him /
her and of the mentor/mentee relationship.
Preparing for your role in the mentoring relationship
Your mentor will be giving his/her time to share experiences,
perspectives and approaches to developing personally and
professionally. He/she will assist you in achieving your goals by
answering questions, providing insight into particular roles,
organizations and / or industries, assessing your strengths and
weaknesses. You should actively seek feedback from your mentor
and be receptive to the feedback you are offered. Be as specific as
possible when asking for information, ideas and suggestions.
Managing the mentor relationship
You should take the responsibility for setting up meetings with your
mentor.
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Mentee’s Guide 2012
While face-to-face meetings are suggested, you can also use e-mail,
letters, phone or instant messaging as methods to maintain
communication with your mentor. Be sure to show up for scheduled
meetings on time. For each meeting, be prepared with a prioritized
list of topics or questions that you want to discuss.
If necessary, offer to reschedule a meeting, shorten it, or handle your
questions over e-mail. Be flexible as your mentor is volunteering his
or her own time, but remain committed to achieving your goals from
the relationship.
Tips
These practical strategies can help you build a relationship with
your mentors:
Remember that you own your development, your mentor
doesn’t. It’s up to you to identify objectives as well as keep the
relationship focused and moving forward.
Use active listening skills in discussions with your mentor.
Be prepared to ask for specific advice on your skill set, ideas,
plans, and goals. The more specific you are, the easier it will be
for your mentor to respond.
Be complete yet succinct in your comments and explanations.
Make it easy for your mentor to give you honest, specific
feedback. Ask for it early in your relationship.
If you get some corrective feedback, don’t defend yourself.
Thank your mentor for being honest with you. Then ask for
suggestions on how you can improve.
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Mentee’s Guide 2012
Self-Evaluation: Clarify Your Interests and Needs
Before meeting your mentor, you should start by first undertaking a
critical self-evaluation.
For example:
What are the personal and professional goals I have for this
mentoring relationship?
What would I like to learn from this experience?
What are questions I have about this industry?
What are questions or concerns I have about career?
What are my strengths?
What skills do I need to develop?
VALUES/LIMITATIONS of the Relationship:
Like any relationship, this match involves an active process in which
the uniqueness, individuality and expertise of each member of the
pair needs to be respected. Your mentor will offer you lessons from
his / her experience, information, and suggestions on how to
approach and solve various issues. Be open to the information you
are offered. Recognize that some advice may seem irrelevant to you
at this time, but you may find it useful later on. Other suggestions
may not fit your particular personality style or approach. It will
ultimately be your choice as to how you will weave the insights
gained into your own evolving style.
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