Before your first session
- Send your resume and a few brief paragraphs that describe your work and personal history to your Mentor, along with a word of thanks for volunteering to be your mentor.
- Request your Mentor’s contact information. Ask for their preferred method of contact (phone, Skype, Google Hangout, etc).
- Read up on your Mentor. Google your Mentor to read any news, published work, or announcements that are publicly available.
- Consider your answers to the following questions:
- What are you expecting from your mentor and this process?
- Do you like someone who will push you or someone who is just prepared to listen and offer advice from time to time?
- Do you want someone to use as a resource (i.e. to help with introductions and networking)?
- Do you want someone whom you can look to as a role model?
- What are three mayor takeaways you hope to gain from this process?
For your first (and subsequent) sessions
- Get a journal or notebook which can be used exclusively for taking notes during your mentoring sessions.
- Follow up immediately after the first session with a note of thanks.
- Follow up immediately after the mentoring session with any actions to which you have agreed. Don’t delay, as it is more likely to slip your mind as days pass.
- Confirm the date and time of your next mentoring session.
- Send an email one to two days prior to confirm that the Mentor is still “on” for the next session.
- Give advance notice to the Mentor if you are running late or must cancel or postpone a session.