Industry Mentors' Expectations
Our program has extremely dedicated industry mentors, many who have been involved with the program for multiple years and who are very experienced professionals. They have a great desire to help students and make a positive difference for them. They are also busy people with numerous professional and personal obligations.
They are committed to being your mentor. What they expect from students is that you honor the commitment that you have made with them.
This means that:
- you take responsibility for setting up meetings and showing up on time
- this includes remembering to get your mentor’s contact information at the kickoff, asking him or her politely about what meeting times and places are most convenient for them, writing messages to them that are professional, and arriving a few minutes early at the places you’ve agreed to meet at.
- you set learning objectives for yourself that require you to actively learn and try new things
- you proactively figure out what you want to accomplish at your meetings with your mentor–you don’t just sit there and wait for them to ask you questions or to tell you their career story
- this includes making lists of questions or discussion topics in advance of your meeting, and sending these out to your mentor in advance
- you listen carefully to your mentor’s advice to you, you reflect on it, and you follow through on suggestions that are made to you
- you make sure to report back to your mentor about positive things that happen for you as a result of following their advice, and you thank them for this.
- you stay in contact regularlywith your mentor
- even if you are extremely busy with course work or other commitments, you still remember to email or call them to let them know how you are doing.
Our mentors are also very interested in finding out more about what you’re currently learning, and about what students are looking for in careers and in companies. Sharing your opinions about this is one specific way that you can be of help back to your mentor.
