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5 tips for preparing your first mentoring meeting
Estimated reading time: 2min.
5 tips for preparing your first mentoring session
That’s it, you’ve found yourself a mentor! Congratulations! How are you feeling? Nervous, excited? Or all of the above? It’s perfectly normal: these are valid feelings for your first mentoring session with your mentor. Good preparation will allow you to begin this new mentoring relationship with confidence and purpose.
Tips for preparing for your first mentoring session with your mentor
- Send a LinkedIn invitation to your mentor Before your first mentoring session, send a LinkedIn invitation to your mentor. Use this opportunity to explore their LinkedIn profile (or Elo profile) to find things you have in common. Whether it’s a passion, a hobby, a college program in common, or even the high school you attended, anything is valid to make a connection between the two of you.
- Communicate your mentoring goals to your mentor Help your mentor in his or her role by sharing your situation, your challenges and your needs. Openness is key! If you already have a mentoring goal, share it with your mentor and remember to be open to their suggestions and recommendations. After all, their goal is to help you grow.
- Plan the mentoring meeting Choose, with your mentor, the date, time, duration and location of the mentoring session.
- Define your mentoring expectations Is there anything in particular you would like to explore with your mentor? Why did you choose this person in the first place? Share with your mentor your expectations of the mentoring relationship so that they understand how to help you. If there is no one thing in particular you would like to discuss, that is an equally valid reason. Just let your mentor know.
- Take action and have fun It’s normal to have questions before your first mentoring session (How will our first meeting go? Have I found the “right” mentor? Will my mentor be able to meet my needs? Will he or she judge me?) Remember, your mentor has had to overcome obstacles and dreams similar to yours. In short, they are human beings who have volunteered to accompany you in your professional goals. No matter what your questions or goals are, the mentor will simply want to help and guide you. Like you, the mentor grows from this relationship. And if he doesn’t have the answer? They will tell you and refer you to another mentor if necessary. There is nothing to stop you from having more than one mentor.
