For Mentors
The University places a high value on our relationships with industry, and a particular importance on those special people who participate in our Industry Mentoring Program. For over twenty eight years, the Industry Mentoring Program (IMP) has matched Griffith students with industry professionals based in Australia and beyond for career development learning and industry exposure. We support hundreds of mentoring relationships throughout the year, in a wide range of backgrounds and industries.
We are honoured by your desire to be part of our students’ lives, your interest in their hopes and dreams, their passions and their struggles. We appreciate your belief in the potential of our students and your efforts to make their way through life a little smoother by sharing some of the lessons that you've learned along the way.
The Mentoring Process
The process that mentors and mentees participate in has been broken down into these five steps. Select each bubble to see a detailed explanation of what is involved.
Students register with IMP at the beginning of each trimester, and attend a mandatory orientation. After the orientation, students can at any time request a mentor based on search criteria they select using our search engine. We do not match you with students. If you receive a request, you have the option to accept or decline.
Remember, students are basing their decision to request you based on the online profile you create when you register. More than 50% of mentors who have a complete profile are requested. Check out our Sample Mentor Profile that includes the suggestions we received from students on what they like to see in a profile.
Close If student(s) request(s) you as a mentor, an email will be sent to your primary email account with Subject: “Griffith Industry Mentoring: Mentee Request”.
- Students can only request one mentor at a time. Please respond within three days. Students may cancel the request at any time, and we recommend they cancel if they do not hear back within one week.
- You can either accept or decline a request. If you choose to decline, please send a message to the student with your reason when prompted.
- If you accept, contact information is emailed to both parties.
Close Students are expected to initiate contact with you once the match is made. We encourage the students to send an introductory email to you. Sometimes students are nervous, or intimidated to reach out, however, so if you don’t hear from your mentee, please send them an email.
If the student does not respond to your message(s), please contact the IMP program staff.
The Next Step
Once you have officially accepted your mentee, you can begin collaborating as soon as you would like! We suggest getting together as soon after the match as feasible, and don't forget to make plans with your mentee to attend the annual Mentoring Celebration events!
What Should I expect of the First Conversation?
We strongly suggest that you have a conversation early on in the relationship, either in-person, over the phone or online. This personal interaction will go far in creating a connection and setting up a good foundation for your relationship. Here are some guidelines for the conversation:
- Tell the mentee that you are excited about being their mentor! Sharing your enthusiasm will help reassure them that you are committed to making the relationship succeed.
- Build rapport with your mentee by asking questions about their background and experiences.
- It is important at the beginning of the relationship to talk about expectations and goals for the mentoring experience. Make sure to either start this dialogue in this first conversation or set up another time to do so. You can use our IMP Mentoring Agreement which helps guide this process.
Close Every mentoring relationship is unique. In fact, there is so much to learn that there are entire books devoted to how to build a mentoring relationship. Below are just a few guidelines on what to do in the beginning stages of your relationship.
Set Goals with Your Mentee
- Setting goals with your mentee at the beginning of the relationship is critical because it gives direction to the relationship and informs you in how to help the mentee. Use our Mentoring Agreement as a reference.
- If your mentee doesn’t know his/her goals, this can be your first mentoring moment. You can ask questions such as “What made you sign up for the mentoring program?” or “What about my profile stood out to you?” or “What are your specific concerns and questions right now?” or simply “How can I help you?” Use our Goal Setting Worksheet, if needed.
- Remember, goal setting is a process, so make a point to check in and ask the mentee if their priorities are changing or evolving.
Set Expectations with Your Mentee
- Discuss when and how often you will meet. Decide how you will meet, whether it will it be over the phone or over Skype.
- If the mentee is unresponsive at any point in the relationship initiate contact. Some students will be overwhelmed by how much they are doing and forget to contact you.
- If your mentee doesn’t respond to you after multiple attempts, please contact the IMP program staff.
Coordinating Schedules
- It may be difficult to find the time to talk or meet with your mentee, so confirm your next meeting at the end of each conversation.
- As you are overseas, you may be able to take advantage of student late-night routines and schedule a Skype or phone conversation.
- Make sure to keep the relationship a priority.
Close Below are some suggestions on how to build and nurture your ongoing relationship with your mentee.
Get to Know your Mentee
- Ask thoughtful questions about the mentee’s interests, experiences and background.
- Follow up on any important steps the student has taken, such as a job interview or a leadership experience, and ask what he/she learned.
- Be an active listener by feeding back what the mentee says, avoid interrupting and show interest in your voice and posture.
Share your Story
- Tell your mentee about yourself and your experiences to build trust and rapport.
- Think about how you have learned from your mistakes and how your mentee can learn from them.
- Share your lessons learned during your studies and beyond with your mentee.
Offer Options versus Solutions
- Avoid giving quick solutions. Ask the mentee what they are thinking of and help them process their own ideas.
- Make suggestions of things the student might try, for example, “Have you looked into…” or “Something I found helpful when I was at uni…” versus “You should…” or “You need to…”.
- Remember, often times people will not do what we say, so don’t get discouraged if your mentee does not heed your advice.
Be a Coach!
- Encourage your mentee to take risks. They may need a little push, but it will help them in the long run.
- Remember, students have much to learn from a professional like you – everything from how to dress to being on time.
- Don’t hesitate to give your mentee feedback if they are not acting in a professional manner – it could make a huge difference for their first interview, job and other life experiences.
Close Mentoring Sessions
The mentoring sessions officially run for 3.5 months (March - June, July - October. At the end of each session, we formally release you from the relationship so that you are able to work with another mentee(s), and your mentee can work with another mentor. IMP’s goal, however, is to develop on-going relationships, so we encourage you to continue your relationship on an informal basis.
You are in Control!
By logging into the IMP website, you can change and set a number of things, including:
- Choose the maximum number of mentees you would like to work with during any given session
- Update your profile and mentee preferences at any time
- Take yourself in or out of the searchable mentor pool at any time
Flexible communication
At IMP, we believe that mentoring doesn’t have to be face-to-face in order to be effective. You can communicate with your mentee online, via email or phone, or in-person - whatever works best for you both.
