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The field of Education Abroad is based on relationships. Networking is very valuable but it can also be incredibly difficult. The Mid-Career: Newcomers mentorship program is designed to assist with this process. As a Newcomer, your mentor provides a much needed resource to ask the unofficial questions.
How do I get a mentor?
- Email Bradley Titus to join the Newcomers initiative. Include your name, professional title and organization.
- Email Stacey Tsantir, Mentorship Coordinator, to request an application.
What can I expect from my mentor?
- Your mentor provides guidance, advice and help to answer your questions related to the field.
- When asked, your mentor provides feedback on resumes and other professional and job search documents.
- Your mentor makes time for you at conferences that you are both in attendance at. They assist you in navigating the conference and its culture. In many cases your mentor will introduce you to their contacts and attempt to invite you to sit by them at meals.
What should I NOT expect form my mentor?
- Your mentor will not hire you, provide you volunteer hours or set up an internship in their organization for you. Do not ask for these types of things!
- Your mentor is not be available for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Mentoring you in only one of many things your mentor has to think about. Be patient and understand that emails will not be answered immediately and phone calls not instantly returned.
- Your Mentor is not all knowing. Sometimes, your mentor does not have the answer you are looking for and often does not have the answer you want to hear. However, they should be able to assist you in thinking through a situation and accessing additional resources.
- Your mentor is not a substitute for your own research and hard work. Though your mentor provides you with a valuable contact you should also respect their time and realize that personal research and efforts are still most important.
Who will be my mentor?
- All mentors are members of the Mid-Career Initiative.
- Despite your current and past experiences in the field or hopes of experience, your mentor might come from an area of the field much different than yours. You should consider this a unique opportunity to expand your possibilities. Mentors might be employed:
- Overseas or in the U.S.
- With a provider or university
- In a large or single person office
- For a private, public, for-profit or not-for-profit organization
Will my mentor be able to help me get a job?
- Yes, your mentor is valuable in assisting you in learning about the field, preparing you for your future and maybe even providing advise that helps your future job searches. However, your mentor will most likely not be hiring you and you should not expect them to do so.
What if I know that I want to have a mentor from a specific area or organization of the field?
- Matching of mentors and mentees takes these factors into consideration. However, we encourage you to be open to a mentor with different experiences than those you already have as it broadens your knowledge and therefore, opportunities. You should be open to a mentor with experience in a different aspect of the field that you hope to move into. Just because you think that working for a large research university is your goal now, it doesn't mean that you will feel this way down the road.
- Requests for matching with a mentor from a specific organization, university or provider will not be honored. The mentor program is not to be used as "a way into" the place you want to hire you.
What if something between my mentor and me is not working out?
- We recommend that you work with your mentor to attempt to resolve any issues that come up. This is great experiences for future issues in the work place.
- Let us know if any of the following happen so we can work with you and reassign the partnership if necessary:
- If, after a couple of attempts, you do not hear from your mentor/mentee in a few months.
- If differences prevent the relationship from being beneficial.
Last modified on June 23, 2008 |