Mentor Starter Pack

Owned by Kaitlin Pollock
Last updated: Jun 05, 2024
3 min read

Mentorship Goals

  • Allow the learners to foster relationships within the industry

  • Provide learners with encouragement and feedback

  • Provide the learners with someone to check on progress and encourage accountability to their goals 

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    • Given the somewhat unstructured system, this is something we have seen many learners struggle with in previous summers

  • Give the learners a dedicated space to explore topics like

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    • Career Path

    • Personal and Professional Development

    • Networking

    • Imposter Syndrome

    • Interviews and Job Applications

    • Navigating Transitions (from school to the workforce or between industries)

    • Workplace Relationships

    • Industry Knowledge

  • Help your mentee find resources for questions you may not have the answer to (or research an answer yourself)

Timeline

  • 8 Weeks

  • 16 June 2024 – 9 August 2024 (about 8 weeks)

Expectations

  • 30 min weekly check-ins (roughly 9-10 meetings over a 12 week period)

  • Keep in contact with your mentee & communicate if you will be absent for a time

  • Optionally but encouraged

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    • Engage with your mentee & other learners in the program slack channel

    • Attend the final showcase for all participants on the 21st of August

    • Set your mentee up with a Guest Mentor in another area of the industry (list of Guest Mentor contacts coming soon)

Initial Meeting Suggestions

  • Get to know each other

  • Discuss each others current roles and responsibilities

  • Talk over your mentees goals for the program or help them set them

  • Discuss key challenges facing your mentee at this time

  • Set goals for the mentorship

  • Choose an action item for your mentee to complete for the next meeting

  • Set a schedule for your following meetings

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    • We would strongly encourage you to set up a recurring calendar event. It can always be rescheduled if needed but serves as a consistent reminder.

Suggested Meeting Topics

These suggestions are offered as a starting point. Please feel free to tailor your mentoring sessions according to what works best for you and your mentee.

  1. Introduction: Past & Future Goals

    • Mentor shares their background and career journey leading to their current role.

    • Mentee discusses their background and outlines their future goals.

  2. Exploring Interests & Resources

    • Delve into the mentee's interests, clarifying any uncertainties.

    • Mentor offers information and suggests relevant resources tailored to the mentee's interests. For instance, discussing distinctions between roles like Technical Director (TD) and Software Engineer (SWE), or recommending conferences like Grace Hopper or Lightbox based on the mentee's preferences.

  3. Developing Hard Skills

    • Mentor describes a typical day in their professional life and the tasks they undertake.

    • Identify and prioritize practical skills necessary for the mentee's desired career path.

  4. Cultivating Soft Skills & Addressing Hurdles

    • Discuss crucial communication skills and strategies for building effective interpersonal relationships in the workplace.

    • Address common challenges such as imposter syndrome and offer coping mechanisms.

  5. Resume Review

    • Mentee shares their resume for feedback and suggestions from the Mentor.

    • Optionally, the Mentor can provide their own resume as a reference or example.

  6. Wrap-Up and Additional Support

    • Summarize key takeaways from the session and outline any action items for the mentee.

  7. Optional Bonus Session 

    • Conduct a mock interview to simulate real-world scenarios and refine interview skills.

Additional Resources

Program Links

External Links

Community Specific