{"id":38228,"date":"2019-05-20T18:22:51","date_gmt":"2019-05-20T22:22:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/?p=38228"},"modified":"2019-05-20T18:22:51","modified_gmt":"2019-05-20T22:22:51","slug":"mentorship-mentoring-relationship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2019\/05\/20\/mentorship-mentoring-relationship\/","title":{"rendered":"Mentorship = Mentoring + Relationship"},"content":{"rendered":"It seems like at every career related event I go to, the number one advice is to have a mentor. A mentor is someone who is more experienced in a certain area that you can go to for advice and guidance. They can help you navigate situations such as student life, big transitions, and finding work.\r\n\r\nMentorship is a mentoring relationship that\u2019s built over time through multiple interactions that seems to involve coffee usually.\r\n\r\nFor mentees, having a mentor can be great way to learn more about a certain interest and how to achieve a certain goal. While for mentors, having a mentee is a great way to reflect on experiences and share wisdom to help others. And just like any other relationship, it\u2019s all about sharing each other\u2019s time and caring for another person, but in a more professional sense.\r\n

Here are some things I keep in mind about mentorship:<\/h4>\r\nBe curious<\/strong>\r\nWhat would I like to know more about? What are my goals and aspirations? What can I learn from others?\r\n\r\nReflect on current relationships<\/strong>\r\nIs there someone I know already that I can go to for advice or maybe I already go to them without realizing it? Then maybe it\u2019s a relationship that I can develop more and reflect on.\r\n\r\nBuild new connections<\/strong>\r\nIf there isn\u2019t someone I know that I can currently go to for advice or learn more about something I\u2019m interested in, then maybe I need to meet someone new. Maybe I know someone who knows someone, or maybe there\u2019s a person in my class or work that I could get to know more. Or maybe it\u2019s just simply talking to someone new.\r\n\r\nCome prepared<\/strong>\r\nBefore a scheduled meeting with a new person, it doesn\u2019t hurt to come prepared with questions and do some basic research beforehand. For example, if the person has a public profile on LinkedIn<\/a> or has their own website, then I probably shouldn\u2019t ask where they\u2019ve worked before or how they got to their current position. Instead, I could ask why they decided to work for their current company, and what was the experience like.\r\n\r\nBe patient<\/strong>\r\nSince it is like any other relationship, it\u2019ll need time and effort to grow. So it might not be the best idea to just ask someone to mentor me after meeting them for the first time. Even just finding the right fit with someone may take a while, but it\u2019s worth it to find the right guidance and to learn more about myself through the journey.\r\n

Mentorship on-campus<\/h4>\r\n\u2028Mentor Database<\/a><\/strong>\r\nSearch for a mentorship program based on your program\/faculty\/college and apply to be mentee or mentor.\r\n\r\nPeer Mentor Training<\/a><\/strong>\r\nDevelop mentoring skills, get CCR credit and a Mentorship Leadership Certificate through mentoring training on-campus.\r\n\r\nAccess and Inclusion Peer Programs<\/strong><\/a> helps first year students who belong to marginalized, minority or under-represented groups connect with experienced upper-year mentors. Mentor Navigators<\/a>,<\/strong> can help students who identify as:\r\n