Mentoring Assignment Detailed Description
What is the mentoring assignment and who should be your mentor?
This is an opportunity for you to establish an on-line business mentor relationship with a current professional in an industry of your choice. The criteria for mentor selection includes:
a) Your mentor must have a minimum of 3 years of work experience, b) the mentor must be willing to commit to regular correspondence with you through the course of the semester, c) the mentor should currently or recently be working in an industry that is interesting to you.
Overview:
During the course of the semester you are required to interact on-line or in person or on the phone with your mentor a minimum of 4 times (i.e., about once a month). You may structure your relationship as you wish, however, you will be required to compose a minimum of three questions based on class readings, discussions, etc., to ask your mentor each time. You are also encouraged to discuss career issues with your mentor as well. Aim for a total of 12 to 15 questions/answers asked over 4 email interactions OR three in-person meetings or some combination of this. I am looking for evidence of an extended and evolving relationship, not just a one-time question/answer session. Remember, you want to develop a real relationship, not just cross this off your list.
Yes, it is permitted to have your mentor be one of the people you conduct the informational meeting with for the “Experiential Learning” project in this course…..but it is not required.
Objectives
This assignment is likely to have a number of positive outcomes that will benefit you including:
1) The information gained from the mentor will supplement textbook and lecture material by providing up-to-the-minute insight into how course topics are affecting modern management.
2) You will gain a valuable perspective on issues related to your career development.
3) This relationship will serve as an excellent source of networking for you. You will develop confidence in approaching individuals within organizations to serve as on your personal team of advisors and as mentors.
4) You will hone your skills identified as desirable by employers in such areas as: finding information (i.e. identifying potential mentors) communication, critical thinking (formulating the questions and linking these questions to the mentor’s business), and interpersonal skills.
Requirements
After a mentor is selected students are required to initiate communication with their mentor regularly (I recommend at least once per month). The student is encouraged to ask the mentor three questions per communication. The questions should be relevant to the course material being covered, your career development, and linked to the mentor’s work environment. You will print out and assemble copies of these on-line communiqués along with a short commentary on the value this individual provided in facilitating your understanding of the concepts covered in the course. You will provide me with two progress reports and a final report at the end of the semester.
Mentor Final Report
To receive full credit for your mentoring assignment, you must do the following:
1) Documentation of relationship
If you used email or another type of social media, then print out copies of all of your emails between you and your mentor (Yes, this includes the ones I have already seen- I like to get the whole picture). I am expecting a minimum of 4 substantive email correspondence and/or summaries of face-to-face or phone conversations consisting of approximately 3 questions each (so a total of 12 to 15 questions and answer interactions). If there is more, great! If there is less, tell me why.
Please compile your questions and answers into a professional looking document (i.e. import into word and “clean up” redundant information). Please number your questions. If your interactions were face-to-face or another medium please provide evidence and/or a summary of those meetings. The more detail you provide, the better I can understand what transpired between you and your mentor. If you meetings were face-to-face or on the phone, please provide me with details that pertain such as time, date, location of the meeting and a robust summary of the conversation. Also, if you had two or mentors, show me everything you have. I like to see the whole picture.
2) Mentor Assignment Reflection Questions (Please include on the last page of your final report)
a) Do you think you will maintain contact with your mentor? Why or why not?
b) What was most positive about this assignment?
c) What was most challenging? If you did not fulfill the required number of interactions, why not?
d) What are the most important things you learned or outcomes gained from this assignment
e) Please provide evidence in your final report that you thanked your mentor.
e) Is there anything I did not ask you about this assignment, but would be helpful for me to know (i.e. recommended changes)?
.doc file
