A Guide for Mentors

Who is a Mentor?

 

A mentor is a guide, role model, and resource. By taking this opportunity to share AUA education and professional experience, mentors have a chance to advise, influence, and support mentees on their journey from the university to the world. By dedicating their time, talents, and energy, mentors help mentees to achieve their personal, academic, and career goals.

Program Goals

 

  • Motivate the mentee to express belief and confidence in their abilities, and to encourage them to try new things;
  • Assist mentees with establishing and accomplishing short-term and long-term goals, both personal and professional;
  • Teach and advise the mentee how to make professional contacts, and introduce them to new people, places or ideas;
  • Explore and discuss different career paths, potential workplaces, and industries with the mentee;
  • Improve the mentee’s leadership, teamwork, creative thinking, decision-making, and interpersonal skills;
  • Help the mentee to develop in order to achieve realistic and meaningful goals.

The Mentoring Relationship

 

For mentoring to be successful, there must be a mutual relationship between a mentor and a mentee. As with any important relationship, both parties should work to make it successful by being open-minded and respectful, and fulfilling the expectations that they have set for the relationship.

How to Build a Mentoring Relationship?

Every mentoring relationship is unique. Here are some guidelines to help you in creating a successful relationship with your mentee.

Get to know your mentee!

  • Ask questions about your mentee’s interests, experiences, and background.
  • Follow up on any important steps that your mentee has taken, such as a job interview or a leadership experience.
  • Be an active listener by giving feedback to your mentee. Avoid interrupting and show interest through your voice and posture.

Set goals with your mentee!

  • Setting goals with your mentee at the very beginning is critical because it gives direction to your relationship and guides you both throughout the mentorship process.
  • If your mentee does not know their goals, ask questions such as, “What made you sign up for the mentoring program?” or “What are your specific concerns and questions right now?” or simply “How can I help you?”
  • Remember, goal-setting can be a process, so make a point to check in and ask your mentee if their priorities are changing or evolving.

Set expectations with your mentee!

  • Determine the forms of communication with your mentee.
  • Schedule time for your next meeting – if only tentatively – at the end of each meeting.
  • Encourage your mentee to be proactive and initiate communication.
  • Keep the relationship a priority and ask your mentee to do the same.

Share and relate!

  • Tell your mentee about yourself and your experiences. Share the lessons learned as a student at AUA, as well as any others that you have learned after graduation.
  • Think about how you have learned from your mistakes and how your mentee might be able to learn from theirs too.
  • Ask about your mentee’s current AUA experience.
  • Avoid offering quick solutions. Ask your mentee what they are thinking and help them process their own ideas.
  • Suggest things that your mentee might try. For example, “Have you looked into …?” or “Something that I found helpful when I was at AUA was …,” not “You should …” or “You need to …”
  • Remember, advice is valuable and is usually appreciated, but even when the “advisee” does not take action in the way suggested, do not be discouraged. Making one’s own decisions is an important part of maturing.

Be a coach!

  • Encourage your mentee to take reasonable risks, if proper circumstances present themselves. They might need a little push, but it will help them in the long run.
  • Remember, students have much to learn from a professional like you – even things as simple as how to dress and how to be on time.
  • Don’t hesitate to give your mentee helpful feedback if they are not acting in a professional manner – it could make a positive difference in a first interview, a job, or other life experience.
  • Don’t be discouraged when your mentee is not as proactive as you expected. Please bear in mind that your mentee is an AUA student with an extensive workload from her classes. Try to incorporate the importance of initiating communication in your mentoring strategy. Some of the mentees need to hear from their mentors how helpful this would be in their future careers, and achieving this mindset would be a great achievement of the mentorship program.

Benefits and Expectations 

 

Mentoring will be a positive and enriching experience for mentors in terms of:

  • Developing meaningful, purposeful connections with students;
  • Refining their coaching and mentoring skills;
  • Gaining insights into the experiences and habits of other generations;
  • Learning more about AUA and the next generation of professionals;
  • Experiencing a reconnection with AUA;
  • Having an opportunity to give back to AUA; 
  • Expanding their professional network through contact with their mentee and other mentors.

What is Expected from a Mentor?

  • Being patient – allow the mentee to be the driver of the relationship through initiating contact and leading discussions.
  • Being consistent – communicate (via email, phone, face-to-face, video calls, etc.) at least two times per month.
  • Being supportive – help to set, track, and adjust the mentee’s realistic goals.
  • Being responsive – try to respond to all communications in a timely manner.
  • Being professional – approach the mentoring relationship with an open mind, professionalism, and respect.

What is NOT Expected from a Mentor?

  • Offering jobs.
  • Initiating all contacts.
  • Having all of the answers

Suggested Mentoring Activities

 

Need some ideas about what to do with your mentee? The following list is a great place to start:

Career conversations

  • Discuss your educational background and the role of educational preparation in your field.
  • Share information about a current event or issue in your field.
  • Schedule a shadow visit, if appropriate.
  • Attend a professional meeting or program together.
  • Do a job search.
  • Critique your mentee’s résumé and/or cover letter.
  • Review your mentee’s LinkedIn profile.
  • Lead your mentee through a mock interview.
  • Offer guidance on where it is best to look for jobs/internships in your field.

Telling your story

  • Tell your mentee how you prepared for your transition from university to the professional world. Share how you have balanced your personal and professional life obligations.
  • If you could do it over, discuss what you would have done differently and what you would have done again at AUA.
  • Talk about how you have dealt with personal or professional challenges.
  • Share your networking pursuits.
  • Introduce your mentee to colleagues or other contacts.
  • Guide your mentee in how to conduct an informational interview.
  • Attend an AUA networking event.

As a mentor, you are expected to give feedback to the program coordinator consistently. Communicating your progress and questions to the program coordinator would help to ensure successful mentoring relationships.

If you have any problems or concerns about the mentoring relationship or your mentee remains unresponsive for a prolonged period of time, initiate contact. If he/she doesn’t respond after multiple attempts, please contact us at alumnirelations@aua.am.