Mentoring tips for success

TIP 1

Attend the induction to fully inform yourself of the process

The induction is your chance to learn more about mentoring, how to make the most of it and gives you a forum in which to air any concerns or ideas that you have about being a mentor or mentee, as well as a chance to meet other participants.

TIP 3

Aim for a minimum of six meetings

We suggest you aim to meet every month, but this is down to the agreement between mentor and mentee. Every mentoring partnership is different so meet as regularly as suits you, as long as this enables the mentee to access the full benefits of the process.

TIP 2 TIP 4

Agree together on location and times for meetings

A location should be a safe and comfortable place for both of you and as your working relationship progresses, the location may change. If possible, meet online via a professional meeting platform such as Microsoft Teams or at the mentor’s place of work. Alternatively you may meet at campus if it is convenient for both of you.

Include workplace settings where possible, appropriate and manageable by both parties

Meeting at the mentor’s workplace means the mentee experiences a professional working environment. Where possible, the mentor will use this opportunity to show the mentee around, introduce them to colleagues and explain what they do in the context of the wider organisation.

Have an agenda to discuss when you meet

Aim to agree an initial agenda in advance of or at the start of each of your meetings. New discussion points may come up but it’s good to have a plan of what you would like to cover. Reflect together as the mentoring relationship progresses to ensure the plan of what to discuss is evolving each time to address the most relevant areas for the mentee’s development.