Skip to main content

Suggested Activities

Sometimes, the most difficult part of a mentoring relationship is getting started. Once you’ve established contact with your mentoring partner, you will need to arrange an initial meeting. This can be just as nerve-wracking as a first date for some people. Past participants agree that it is best to keep it simple for your first meeting. Nothing will make you feel better than being prepared with thoughtful questions that will help you keep the conversation going. Read about your mentor/mentee and be prepared to ask about their background. You may also want to start with a brief chat over coffee, since that can be a shorter meeting than an hour or more for lunch. Below are some suggested topics of discussion and activities that you can incorporate into your mentoring project.

Discussion Topics

  • Share educational background and work history
  • Invite mentee to showcase his/her work
  • Suggest current topics or articles that may be beneficial in professional development
  • Discuss long term goals
  • Discuss successful strategies related to achieving desired goals
  • Discuss what is important to employers/industry in the mentee’s field of choice
  • Discuss networking strategies and opportunities
  • Suggest strategies for relationship management with employers

Job Shadowing

  • Invite mentee to team meeting or to shadow you for a day
  • Discuss mentee’s observations from job shadowing
  • Discuss similarities and differences to mentee’s own “corporate culture”
  • Review effective workplace practices
  • Discuss key factors that contributed to success of observed activities