GLOBAL NETNIGHT 2014
MENTORING AND BEYOND:
DEVELOPING LONG-TERM PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Presented by the Alumni Council Committee on Careers
Global NetNight 2014
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“A MENTOR is a person whose highest value is
what they say to you when you are in the room
with them, while a SPONSOR is someone whose
highest value is what they say about you to other
people when you’re not there.”
Erica Dhawan
Introduction
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Global NetNight is for:
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All Princetonians regardless of career stage or
situation
Alumni interested in reconnecting with fellow Tigers
Learning about developing long-term professional
relationships
Mentoring and Beyond
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Career Stages of Developing Long-Term
Professional Relationships
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Early Career
Mid Career
Late Career
Definitions for all Career Stages
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Mentor
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A Mentor provides you guidance, feedback. Someone
you can trust with the good, the bad and the ugly.
A Mentor can also be a Sponsor, if they have the
necessary authority, credibility and relevant contacts.
A Mentor does not need to be someone internal to your
organization.
Definitions for all Career Stages
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Sponsor
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A Sponsor supports your career development by
promoting your advancement (with decision-makers).
A Sponsor may be thought of as an
enabler/facilitator – someone who can get something
done to help you.
Sponsors are not always automatically Mentors, but
can develop into a Mentor after sponsoring you.
Definitions for all Career Stages
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Note
In some professions (e.g. science, academic), there may
be other definitions. An example would be an Advisor.
• An Advisor provides guidance and feedback in a
professional or academic framework and should not
be considered a close personal friend.
• An Advisor does not have to be a Mentor, but can
become one.
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EARLY Career
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Audience Engagement Question
Relevant Issues
Dos and Don’ts
Audience Engagement
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What is the best way to find your first
Mentor?
1.
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3.
4.
Request one from Human Resources
Poll your peers about effective mentors
Consider your boss and his/her peers
Ask your boss who could provide relevant advice
Early Career
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Relevant Issues
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Reasons to look for a Mentor or Sponsor
Determine objectives for securing Mentor or Sponsor
(e.g. advancement, transition, industry change)
Qualities to look for in a Mentor or Sponsor
Ways to find a Mentor or Sponsor
When and how to use a Mentor or Sponsor
How to begin or end a mentoring relationship
Early Career Dos and Don’ts
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Mentee (Beneficiary)
DO
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Know what you want from the relationship
(communicate it!).
Mentor/Sponsor
DO
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Find multiple mentors (e.g. an overarching
Mentor and short term point Mentors)
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Balance the personal/professional
aspects of the relationship.
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Know what you should give to the
relationship.
Contact your Mentor as much as you can
(but be respectful!).
Seek candid feedback on your key
development needs.
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Understand not only what you have to
give, but also what you may receive from
the relationship.
Establish clear ground rules and
expectations.
Listen to what your Mentee hopes to gain.
Be clear with your mentee regarding your
availability.
Provide candid feedback in a
professional manner.
Early Career Dos and Don’ts
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Mentee (Beneficiary)
DON’T
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Ask for advice on everything. Be
purposeful in each request.
Be negative or unprofessional. Don’t
moan about others/missed opportunities.
Mentor/Sponsor
DON’T
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Frequently change/cancel meetings.
Confuse a mentor (guidance) with a
sponsor (helps promote you).
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Assume that your past career experience
still holds true at all times – validate that
it is still relevant.
Get trapped into interfering in Mentee’s
relationship with supervisor or staff:
“Nose In (provide guidance), but Fingers
Out.”
Assume someone wants to be mentored –
be sure your input is welcome.
Be negative or unprofessional.
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Mid Career
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Audience Engagement Question
Relevant Issues
Dos and Don’ts
Audience Engagement
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What is the most important characteristic
in a Mentor?
1.
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3.
4.
Willing to work with you
Powerful influence in your organization
Relevant experience to match your career goals
Reliable & trustworthy to keep discussion
confidential
Mid Career
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Relevant Issues
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Determine objectives for securing Mentor or Sponsor
(e.g. advancement, transition, industry change)
Knowing it is time to find a different Mentor/Sponsor
Managing transitions from one Mentor/Sponsor to
another
Finding appropriate sponsors to promote career
goals/objectives
Finding mentors/sponsors to help navigate job
disruption (e.g. job loss, dislocation, industry change)
Using mentors to see the bigger picture
Mid Career Dos and Don’ts
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Mentee (Beneficiary)
DO
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Develop a professional/academic
framework to optimize conversations with
a Mentor.
Initiate up-front discussion with Mentor to
establish clear ground rules and
expectations.
Be open to advice that may go against
your normal tendencies.
Mentor/Sponsor
DO
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Engage mentees in strategic/reflective
dialogue.
Ask questions that a Mentee may not
and/or is avoiding asking themselves.
Provide tools/strategies that help
mentees to take control of their situation.
Mid Career Dos and Don’ts
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Mentee (Beneficiary)
DON’T
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Solicit mentors/sponsors with the “cold
call” approach.
Mentor/Sponsor
DON’T
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Assume that your Mentor will serve as
your sponsor.
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Force a relationship – good chemistry is
important.
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Assume full liability for your Mentee’s
career development; only expectation is
that you provide guidance.
Assume you know your Mentee’s goals –
ask and listen.
Agree to be a Mentor/Sponsor unless
you can commit.
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Late Career
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Audience Engagement Question
Relevant Issues
Dos and Don’ts
Audience Engagement
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Where do you look for mentors when you
are making a “fresh start”?
1.
2.
3.
As broad a radar screen as possible for a good
match
Target relevant industry, role or key objective for
next chapter
Anyone who has navigated a similar career
transition
Late Career
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Relevant Issues
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Determine objectives for securing Mentor or Sponsor
(e.g. advancement, transition, industry change)
Settling on “best practices” for handling mentor/mentee
bonds
Knowing how to make the relationship rewarding for all
involved
Knowing when/how to respond to opportunities for
mentorship/sponsorship
Identifying guidelines to maximize the probability of a
mutually rewarding experience
Late Career Dos and Don’ts
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Mentee (Beneficiary)
DO
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Extend your search for a Mentor to other
industries or functional roles to find
relevant experience to match your
objectives.
Consider mentors who have been in your
stage of life and can relate to your
situation and experiences.
Recognize that you may not always
agree with your Mentor – it is okay to
disagree.
Mentor/Sponsor
DO
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Be open to learning from a Mentee.
Consider tapping accumulated career
network to consult on your Mentee’s
unique needs.
Listen closely to goals of Mentee –
especially in late-career stage.
Late Career Dos and Don’ts
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Mentee (Beneficiary)
DON’T
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Limit yourself to one Mentor, even for
specific objectives (e.g. joining a board);
tap different professions and industries to
compare diverse perspectives.
Assume you know the answer or be
afraid to offer your own opinion if
different from your Mentor.
Mentor/Sponsor
DON’T
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Over mentor, suffocate or over advise
your Mentee.
Assume that your early career
experience is still relevant without first
validating with active peers.
Be afraid to direct a Mentee elsewhere
for an answer or for insight/feedback on
something you don’t know well.
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Event Suggestions
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Speaker/Panel Format Ideas
Structured Networking Example
Book Recommendations
Resources at Princeton
Speaker/Panel Format Options
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Speaker
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Can cover multiple aspects of
mentor/mentee relationship or role
of sponsor
Can incorporate some or all of the
points in this presentation
Consider using a career coach or
career counselor
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http://www.coachfederation.org/
http://www.ncda.org/aws/NCDA/pt
/sp/consumer_find
Contact GNN Subcommittee for
recommendations
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jcaputo@princeton.edu
Panel
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Select moderator and 2-4 alumni who
have experience with mentor/mentee
relationship or being a sponsor
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Early Career – Recent graduate looking for
a mentor or who has recently found a new
mentor
Mid Career – Alumni that have changed
from mentor to sponsor or looked for a new
mentor due to career change, etc.
Late Career – Alumni with experience as
sponsor or mentor at various stages of their
career
Speaker/Panel Format Options
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Precept format for smaller groups
Use a roundtable PRECEPT format with a
knowledgeable facilitator who directs the group
discussion through prepared questions to cover key
areas and advance the discussion.
Structured Networking Example
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Offer and Ask
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Arrange groups based on three career stage mentor/sponsor
scenarios (e.g. at tables or in corners of the room) where
attendees self-select their group based on needs/value.
Participants can ask questions and seek advice or volunteer to
share experiences and offer answers.
The participants can pair up in groups of two or more to share
their questions/asks and provide responses to each other. The
speaker/panelists can circulate among the four groups listening
to questions/requests and contribute as needed.
Reading Recommendations
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Common Sense Mentoring by Larry Ambrose
Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor by Sylvia Ann Hewitt
The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning
Relationships by Lois J. Zachary
The Ultimate Networking Roadmap by Kara Ronin
Resources at Princeton
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Career Services
http://careerservices.princeton.edu/alumni
Alumni Careers Network (log in to TigerNet to access)
http://alumni.princeton.edu/tigernet/
Princeton Women’s Mentorship Program
http://www.princetonwmp.com/#!about/c15v1
Princeton Alumni - Affiliated Groups
http://alumni.princeton.edu/communities/affiliatedgr
oups/#sthash.ptDDImVy.dpuf