Oaks for Acorns mentoring

The St Paul’s Collegians Oaks for Acorns mentoring programme connects our community with Collegians to foster professional growth. Being a mentor is a rewarding experience to help another Collegian grow while building networks along the way. If you want to take part, sign up, and we will pair you up with a mentor or mentee who aligns with your goals and expertise.

Whether you're a mentor or being mentored, we provide guidelines and a code of conduct to ensure that every partnership is productive, respectful, and rewarding.

Role of a Mentor

The mentor’s role is to assist the mentee by offering feedback and support. Below are ways mentors can offer support to mentees, divided into three categories of help:

One-off advice

This option involves providing brief, focused assistance through a single phone call or email exchange. Below are some ideas where you can provide quick and effective support:

CV and job applications: Share your experience of tailoring CVs to specific industries and roles.
Interview Preparation: Provide insights into common interview formats, questions, and strategies for calming nerves.
Industry Discussion: Chat with a Collegian about your area of knowledge giving insight into pathways or job satisfaction.
Applying for Study: If the mentee is in tertiary study, provide insights into what further papers or direction might benefit their career.

Vocational mentoring

If you’re able to offer more than one session, in-person or online, you can provide guidance across two or three meetings.

Industry advice: Guide the mentee on what to expect when starting in your industry
Setting Development Goals: Help the mentee establish short- and long-term career goals.

Employment Opportunities

If you’re in a position to offer internships, work experience, or employment pathways, here are ways to guide the mentee:

Workplace invite: Invite the mentee to visit your workplace, either physically or virtually, to get a feel for the working environment and company culture.
Internship opportunities: Offer the mentee short-term internships or work experience opportunities within your organisation, helping them gain valuable hands-on experience.

Role of a Mentee

As a mentee, you should work collaboratively with the mentor to set clear goals and create an action plan to achieve them. You might ask for help in one of the following ways:

One-off advice

If you’re seeking a one-off piece of advice, like help with your CV, interview prep, or career research, the interaction will likely be brief and focused. Here's how to make the most of it. Be prepared with a specific question or task in mind before you contact your mentor. For example, if you need help with your CV, send a draft beforehand so that your mentor can review it and provide feedback during your conversation.

Vocational mentoring

This type of mentoring allows for more in-depth conversations over two or three meetings. It’s great for career development or industry insights, but it’s still a time-limited commitment. Define what you want to achieve across all your sessions and focus on specific areas where your mentor can provide the most value, e.g. confidence building, career strategy, or industry knowledge. Plan ahead so that you have your questions ready.

Employment opportunities

In some cases, your mentor may be able to help you find internships, work experience, or even employment. These opportunities require both patience and professionalism. Approach employment opportunities with the same level of professionalism you would use in a formal job application. Always follow up promptly and be respectful of your mentor’s role within their organisation. Be patient, while your mentor may help open doors, it’s important not to assume that they will provide you with a job.

Code of Conduct

These guidelines are here to help you maintain a professional approach during the Oaks for Acorns Mentoring Programme. To maintain a productive and respectful mentoring relationship, it’s essential to manage expectations right from the start: Please read the mentoring programme guidelines.

Read the guidelines here