General Information:
Contact CACSMA:
If you have any questions that this document does not address, or would like to give feedback, please do not hesitate to contact us at edi@cacsma.ca
Timeline:
The mentor and mentee are suggested to have up to eight meetings within a period of one year (a minimum of two to four sessions is highly encouraged). Each mentor-mentee pair may choose to adjust their meeting schedule according to their availability. Reviewing the suggested topics of discussion in the section “Information for mentees” can also help in establishing a schedule. Should the mentee/mentor wish to terminate the session earlier, please send us an email to let us know.
The suggested meeting frequency is at least one meeting each month, to ensure active communication is maintained while leaving enough room for flexibility and novelty.
Meeting style:
Mentors and mentees in close geographic proximity can choose to have in person meetings; or alternatively, meetings can take place over virtual platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype, Cisco WebX, Google Hangouts. Other tools such as when2meet.com or Doodle can also be used to find common availability for a meeting time.
Etiquette
It is important to note that both mentors and mentees are expected to show mutual respect for each other’s time and their unique experiences and perspectives. The mentor-mentee relationship can last longer than the program duration, and it is essential to respect the confidentiality of the information shared in meetings.
Should any challenges arise with setting up initial meetings or with communications, mentors and mentees can reach out to the CACSMA EDI team at edi@cacsma.ca. Any disrespectful attitudes (including harassment and discrimination) will not be tolerated.
Plan for the sessions:
In the first meeting, do not rush to talk about planned topics. Instead take your time to get to know one another. You can talk about common interests and hobbies, or about what are some good things that happened to them this week or month, and what are some negative things or challenges. After breaking the ice, sharing any specific challenges you may have faced or expect to face can be a great way to learn from your mentor: Below are some key milestones:
- Session #1: Introduce yourself, set up goals and expectations, and set up regular sessions
- Session #4: Review and decide whether further sessions are needed;
- Session #8: Make a development plan for the mentee.
Once the mentoring sessions are complete, please send us an email (edi@cacsma.ca) to let us know. A survey will be sent to the mentor and mentee for your feedback! If the mentee and mentor wish to take more sessions, please feel free to do so.
Information for mentors:
Approach to mentorship
In a mentoring relationship, the mentee will get to benefit from the abundant knowledge shared by their mentor. However, there are also several benefits that mentors can gain from this experience:
- Practicing leadership and communication skills, especially with younger colleagues
- Reflecting on one’s own experience and gaining new insights
- Networking and gaining knowledge of new experiences and expanding horizons
- Facilitating knowledge transfer in the workforce and having a lasting impact
- Empowering early-career colleagues to navigate their professional journey with confidence
- Strengthening personal and organizational reputation as a leader with a chance to be highlighted in a CACSMA social media post
When giving feedback to mentees, mentors are suggested to be supportive and not just critical. Based on research on effective mentoring relationships, constructive feedback is proven to be more beneficial.
It can also be beneficial to have a collegial approach with your mentees, and to respectfully understand that your advice or personal experience may not always be suitable for your mentee’s unique career journey. A friendly approach can make both sides more comfortable in sharing their thoughts and experiences, and it can help make the conversation more relaxed and enjoyable. Remember yourself at your mentee’s age and experience level, and try to be such a mentor to them as you would have wished for yourself.
Practical tips:
Scheduling: It may be useful to tentatively schedule the next two or three meetings in advance during the first meeting, and send a calendar invite so that both parties can plan their schedules accordingly. Please ensure to let your mentee know if you will be away during a scheduled meeting date, and remind them that they should also let you know in advance in case they will not be available.
Mentoring relationship: Both parties may come into the mentorship meetings with different expectations, and it is helpful to discuss such expectations and establish clear and realistic goals regarding the mentorship program in the first two meetings. This will help the mentor to communicate more clearly and honestly with their mentee and establish boundaries.
Listen: It is important that mentees get a chance to express their voice during the meetings. Active listening and asking questions will help personalize your feedback according to both of your needs. Feel free to also ask for their feedback on things, and give them an opportunity to practice leadership.
Information for mentees:
Contacting your mentor:
It is important for a mentee to make a good first impression and reach out within a few days of being matched to their mentor. Mentees are suggested to initially send a formal email to their mentors, to introduce themselves and ask about their availability for an initial 1-hour meeting.
It is a mentee’s responsibility to not only be punctual, but also to be proactive and follow-up with their mentors in case the mentor misses a scheduled meeting, or does not reply to their email. While mentors are also expected to be diligent and committed, they are likely to have busy schedules and unintentional mistakes can occur. As a mentee, it is better to not take such things personally and do your best to maintain a good relationship with your mentor.
Suggested talking points for mentees:
You know best what you wish to discuss with your mentor. Here are some suggestions:
- Landscape of industries of your interest
- Career paths, types of roles that relate to one’s educational background or research interests
- CV or résumé preparation, Job search and application tips
- Interpersonal/ soft skills, Networking (in-person and online)
- Technical skills, Professional designations and certifications
- Presentations, Storytelling, Marketing
- Time management (working efficiently, work-life balance)
- Decision making, Leadership, Team building
- Relationships with colleagues and managers, office politics
- Organizations, Organizational culture (across industries, small vs large-sized companies)
- Lessons learned from their career journey (“what advice would you give your younger self?”)
Being considerate towards your mentor:
As a mentee, it is important to recognize that your mentor is sharing valuable resources such as their time and hard-earned knowledge and experience with you. Hence, mentees are greatly encouraged to take care in preparing for meetings and showing their appreciation for their mentor’s support and generosity, not just towards the end, but from the beginning of your relationship. Please consider thinking beyond “what can I receive” and always focus on the relationship you are building, rather than outcomes. Conversations about your mentor’s current positive experiences, the challenges they are facing and their goals can stimulate the conversation. Preparing questions and doing some research before the meeting can also lead to deeper and more meaningful interactions.
Recognition
Appreciation goes a long way to acknowledge mentors’ contributions and helps build a strong community. Recognition can come in formal or informal ways. If you wish to show your appreciation or if you have a good story to share with us, please reach out to us at edi@cacsma.ca. You can also provide the feedback in the survey form.