Mentees are self-motivated individuals who are committed to personal and professional growth.
As a mentee, it is your responsibility to take ownership of your learning and development needs.
Specific Mentee Roles Include:
- Driver of Relationship: A mentee identifies the skills, knowledge and/or goals that he/she wants to achieve and communicates them to his/her mentor.
- Development Planner: A mentee works with his or her mentor to seek resources for learning by identifying people and information that might be helpful.
- Contributor: A mentee looks for opportunities to give back to his or her mentor.
- Life-long learner: A mentee takes full advantage of opportunities to learn.
Characteristics of an Effective Mentee:
- Positive outlook and attitude
- Eager and open to learn proactively
- Patient, responsive and respectful of mentor’s role and time
- Comfortable receiving objective feedback
- Works as a “team player”
- Comfortable being stretched out of a comfort zone
Responsibilities of the Mentee:
- Prepare a list of your career goals and objectives to share with your mentor.
- Establish, with mentor, your explicit goals and objectives for the relationship.
- Assist in developing the Mentoring Agreement with your mentor.
- Commit to meeting with mentor on a regular basis. Establish how and when those meetings will take place. Tell your mentor how you prefer to get feedback.
- Complete progress reports and regularly re-assess needs.
- Be proactive in requesting feedback.
- Review agreements reached in the Mentoring Agreement at regular intervals of the partnership.
- Keep an accurate record of your development and progress.
- Read and listen to your mentor’s comments carefully and be open to different perspectives.
- Maintain the confidentiality of the relationship.