Mentoring 101:(1) How to Find a Mentor(2) How to Be a Mentor

Tracy CampColorado School of Mines

Mentoring 101:(1) How to Find a Mentor(2) How to Be a Mentor

Tracy CampColorado School of Mines

What Is Mentoring?

When someone offers support and professional expertise to a

less experience colleague

What Is a Role Model?

One can be a rolemodel without any

direct contact

What Is Mentoring?

1-to-1 relationshipEncouragesGuides growthHelps you succeed

Nature of relationship is adapted to individuals

What Does a Mentor Do?

Acts as a role modelAdvisesAdvocatesCoachesMakes connectionsProtectsProvides lettersSupports

Formal vs. Informal Mentors

Formal: someone asks you to be a mentor

Informal: someone asks you for advice/help

Research on Mentoring

Research shows that those who are mentored achieve greater

career advancement and higher work satisfaction than those

who are not mentored.

What Does a Mentor Do?

Acts as a role modelAdvisesAdvocatesCoachesMakes connectionsProtectsProvides lettersSupports

What Does a Mentor Do?

Acts as a role modelAdvisesAdvocatesCoachesMakes connectionsProtectsProvides lettersSupports

NEEDMANY

MENTORS

Mentoring Tip #1

Build a TEAM of mentors with varying expertise/experience

Mentoring Tip #1

Build a TEAM of mentors with varying expertise/experience

at every stage of your career

Mentoring Tip #1

Build a TEAM of mentors with varying expertise/experience

good investment in yourself and your career

A Few of My Mentors

My Early Mentors

Mentoring Tip #2

YOU need to be in the driver’s seat.

(1) decide your goals(2) find mentors

How to Find Mentors?

Academic Mentoring Ladder

Chairs FullFull AssociateFull/Associate AssistantFaculty M.S./Ph.D.

studentsFaculty

UndergraduatesPh.D. students M.S. studentsM.S. students UndergraduatesUndergraduates High school students

Where to find a mentor?

Look everywhere!

- In your department at your institution- Outside your department at your institution- In your field outside your institution- Outside your field outside your institution

Mentoring Tip #3

Find GOOD mentors

Attributes of a Good Mentor

InterestSupportive PatientKnowledgeableCompetentAccessible

Helps you figure out how to use your strengthsHelps you figure out how to overcome your weaknesses

Attributes of a Good Mentor

Listens, listens, and then listens some moreAsks powerful/probing questionsIs NOT a ‘know it all’ Shares ALL possibilities, w/o judgmentRespects privacy

Has positive personality characteristics humor, honesty, empathy, compassion, …

Mentoring Tip #4

Meet frequently, especially early on.

In a New Mentor Relationship

Build trustExpress commitmentSet expectations (e.g., # times to meet/month)Set limitsCreate goals (in writing)

Every mentoring relationship has phases, … including an end to formal mentoring

Goal: Mentor Relationship Ends

Mentoring Tip #5

Terminate a relationship that isn’t working

Discussion Topics

Mentoring Tip #6

Discussion Topics

Departmental & Institutional

Culture

Discussion Topics

NegotiationSkills

Cost of NOT Negotiation

Discussion Topics

ImposterSyndrome

Who’s Most at Risk?

• Students• People working in jobs considered

atypical for their sex• First generational professionals• … and five others

Questions to Ask

• Do you attribute your success to being a fluke, or “no big deal”?

• Do you secretly worry that others will find out you are not as bright/capable as they think you are?

Imposter Syndrome

www.impostersyndrome.com

Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.

Woodrow Wilson

Discussion Topics

Hone Elevator Pitch

3 minutes7 minutes

15 minutes

Discussion Topics

Share CVs

Discussion Topics

Remember When?

what did you want (need) to know then?

Tip #7: Be a Mentor

Benefits of Being a Mentor

Facilitate another’s accomplishmentsRenewed enthusiasm for jobConfidenceGive Back

What Do Students Need?

Academic adviceCareer informationGraduate school info.Personal assistanceEncouragementMoral support

Mentoring Tip #8

Be friendly and helpful. But don’t be a friend.

Discussion Topics

Discussion Topics

Pitches

Imposter Syndrome

NegotiationSkills

Discussion Topics

Resume Review

Remember When?

Career Planning

Ask: how do you want to spend your day?

Ask: what gets you out of bed in the morning?

Discussion Topics

Discussion Topics

MentorNet

1-to-1 e-mentoring> 90% would recommend

Discussion Topics

SummerOpportunities

Research Opportunities

REU: Research Experience for Undergraduates

CREU: Collaborative REUDREU: Distributed REU

Discussion Topics

GraduateSchool

Should your mentee go to graduate school?

Yikes!

Learn what

student services

offers

Recommended Reading

Recommended Reading

Recommended Reading

Ms. Mentor's Impeccable Advice for Women in Academia

By Emily Toth

Recommended Reading

ADVISER, TEACHER, ROLE MODEL, FRIEND

On Being a Mentor to Students in Science and Engineering

National Academy of SciencesNational Academy of Engineering

Institute of MedicineNational Academy PressWashington, D.C.1997

Questions?