How to Make the Most of Your Mentorship

By Christina Lin and Anna Mistele

What is mentorship?
Mentorship is a mutually beneficial, intentional, personal relationship between two people in which the one with more experience and knowledge (the mentor) provides guidance to the other (the mentee). Mentoring can be short term (just a few meetings, often with a specific goal in mind) or long term (regular, maybe once a month) depending on the mentee and mentor’s needs and availability.

This definition is not meant to be restrictive; rather, it is meant to be broad to help you identify opportunities for mentorship in your career and life. For instance, under the umbrella of mentorship, sponsorship and coaching are two more specific types.

• Sponsorship
  Mentorship in which the mentor is an influencer who advocates for you. Examples include a professor who writes you a recommendation letter, or a tech lead who tells the director about your awesome work on a summer intern project.
• Coaching
  Mentorship in which there is a very specific goal or purpose. For example, a career counselor who reviews your resume and gives you interview tips could be considered a coach.

Why seek mentorship?
It may take some work to find a mentor, but it’s worth the effort! Here’s why we recommend seeking out mentorship opportunities.

• Learn from their experience and knowledge
  Your mentor is likely at least a few steps closer to your goal than you are, if not already there. Through their experience, you can glimpse one possible path to your desired destination. All of their hard-won lessons they picked up along the way are also at your disposal. Use them to avoid big mistakes and detours, or even take a few shortcuts.
• Get feedback
  It’s not just about listening to your mentor preach; often, it’s the other way around! As the mentee, you will share your problems and talk through ideas to approach them. A good mentor will give you feedback, ask questions, and act as a sounding board.

As a student, you will have many opportunities to meet potential mentors. It is critical to not only show up, but show up prepared. When cultivated properly, mentorship can quickly advance your academic and professional growth. To get you started, here are three tips on how to be an effective mentee.

Tip #1: Take the lead

Typically, when you’re working with a more senior person, you might want to defer to them and let them dictate everything in order to respect their time. However, your respect is best expressed by taking the lead! Help your mentor help you by being prepared and proactive.

• Reach out to the mentor
  Do some research on the mentor’s background to understand how they can best help you. Before meeting, provide any information that can help them prepare for your meeting. Include relevant materials! For example, if you would like feedback on your resume, send your resume over in advance.
• Schedule meetings
  If meeting times are not organized as part of a mentorship program, step up to handle the logistics for the meeting, including setting the time and location (or Zoom link).
• Set the agenda
  Without being too strict or formal, you can make efficient use of your time together by having an idea of the topics you want to cover.
• Follow through on action items
  During the meeting, you and your mentor may have identified some action items for one or both of you. If that’s the case, make sure you follow through on your end and possibly update your mentor on your progress.

Tip #2: Set a goal

Set a goal that is measurable and bound by time. This will help both you and your mentor to see whether the mentorship is actually helpful and productive. Using your goal, you should be able to answer the question: has the mentorship been successful?

• Decide what you want to achieve
  Think about what you would like to achieve from the mentorship. Choose something specific and measurable. If you are only planning to meet with your mentor once, you can keep your goal in mind for yourself.
• Work with mentor to set a measurable goal
  If you plan to meet several times with your mentor, you should spend a few minutes together to set a goal or two in your first meeting. Again, the goal should be specific and measurable. Let the goal guide your agenda for future meetings.

Tip #3: Build a “Board of Directors”

The idea that you only need one mentor is a myth! You can and should have multiple mentors on your personal “Board of Directors.” They can cover a variety of areas, such as:

• Career
  Example: Someone a step ahead on the career path that you’re interested in can help you pinpoint interview prep strategies.
• Skill / Subject
  Example: Someone who is an expert in a research area that you would like to study can recommend classes to take and resources to read.
• Common interests / values
  Example: Someone who has a similar background or shared values can help you overcome struggles at the intersection of personal and professional life.
• Blind spots
  It is natural to be drawn to mentors who are similar to you, as covered by the categories above. To round out your Board, consider also mentors who are dissimilar. For instance, if you are a female SWE intern, it can be valuable to speak with a male executive who has decades of experience. You may be surprised by your takeaways from their perspective.

Bonus Tip: Understand your value

Mentoring is two-way! Both people can learn from and help one another. By understanding the value you provide to your mentor, you can grow into a better mentee.

• Mentors get fulfillment and insight
  Many mentors offer their time because it feels fulfilling to have an impact beyond themselves. And, they learn from their mentees’ thought processes and stories as well. Rest assured that they consider mentoring you a valuable use of their time and effort, especially if you are prepared and proactive!
• Become a mentor to see it from their side!
  Although you may feel like you have a lot to learn, you also have a lot to offer! Consider becoming a mentor to an underclassman or high school student. Your recent experience would be valuable to them, and you will fully experience mentorship from both sides of the table.