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Thank you for volunteering to be a mentor. Your experience and insights are invaluable to those seeking guidance. Below are ways you can offer support to mentees, divided into three categories of help: One-off advice, Meeting-based mentoring, and Employment opportunities.
One-off Advice
This option involves providing brief, focused assistance through a single phone call or email exchange. Here are areas where you can provide quick and effective support:
CV Improvement
What You Can Do: Share your experience of tailoring CVs to specific industries and roles. Offer tips on structure, language, and highlighting the right skills.
Outcome: Help the mentee create a CV that stands out in their desired field.
Job Applications
What You Can Do: Offer advice on navigating modern job applications, including handling automated tests, online forms, and highlighting key skills.
Outcome: Equip the mentee with the knowledge to complete applications confidently.
Interview Preparation
What You Can Do: Provide insights into common interview formats, questions, and strategies for calming nerves. Share tips on how to make a great impression.
Outcome: Increase the mentee's confidence and preparedness for interviews.
Researching Careers
What You Can Do: Share information about career paths within your industry, typical progression rates, and day-to-day responsibilities in different roles.
Outcome: Help the mentee make informed decisions about their career trajectory.
Meeting-Based Mentoring
If you’re able to offer more than one session, in-person or online, you can provide deeper, more strategic guidance across two or three meetings.
Settling into an Industry
What You Can Do: Guide the mentee on what to expect when starting in your industry, share your personal experiences, and offer advice on how to navigate the early stages of a career.
Outcome: Provide reassurance and a clearer understanding of workplace culture and expectations.
Confidence Building
What You Can Do: Offer encouragement and strategies for overcoming challenges in the workplace. Share your own experiences with impostor syndrome, self-doubt, or new roles.
Outcome: Boost the mentee’s self-confidence, helping them navigate difficult situations.
Setting Development Goals
What You Can Do: Help the mentee establish short- and long-term career goals. Share practical tips on how to stay focused and plan for the future without feeling overwhelmed.
Outcome: Enable the mentee to set achievable goals and create a roadmap for their career development.
Time Management
What You Can Do: Share techniques for managing multiple workstreams, prioritising tasks, and avoiding burnout.
Outcome: Equip the mentee with essential time management skills for workplace success.
Applying for Further Study
What You Can Do: If the mentee is considering postgraduate study, provide insights into what further qualifications might benefit their career. Share your experience with continued education, if applicable.
Outcome: Help the mentee make informed decisions about further education based on their career goals.
Employment Opportunities
If you’re in a position to offer internships, work experience, or future employment pathways, here are ways to guide the mentee:
Workplace Visits
What You Can Do: Invite the mentee to visit your workplace, either physically or virtually, to get a feel for the working environment and company culture.
Outcome: Help the mentee understand different organisational cultures and make informed career choices.
Internships and Work Experience
What You Can Do: Offer the mentee short-term internships or work experience opportunities within your organisation, helping them gain valuable hands-on experience.
Outcome: Provide practical insights into your industry and increase the mentee’s employability.
Potential Employment
What You Can Do: If a long-term opportunity arises, consider offering the mentee a role within your organisation, either as a formal hire or through networking opportunities.
Outcome: Open potential employment pathways, allowing the mentee to progress within their chosen career.