Mentee and Mentor Expectations

The best mentoring programs are mentee-driven. They allow new faculty to bring questions, concerns, or problems to someone who listens, supports, informs, and sympathizes without judgment, criticism, advice, or comparison.

Some best practices/expectations for mentors:

Take the initiative in the relationship. Invite your mentee to meet with you, and suggest topics to discuss. Use email, phone, and time in person.
Find out what your mentee is good at, passionate about, and working on.
Provide guidance relating to the mentee's career goals and development.
Provide suggestions and advice on goals and activities that might lead to rewarding opportunities, understanding that your mentee might enjoy different challenges than you do.
Introduce your mentee around campus, show your mentee around campus, and help your mentee through important deadlines, such as flex and co-curricular. Help familiarize your mentee with campus resources.
Give feedback or advice tentatively, and only if asked directly. Respect that your mentee might not follow it. Suggest a second or third-person’s opinion, also, thus helping your mentee expand his/her network.
Be a catalyst for mentees to develop his/her network. Point to others they might reach out to and engage.
Respect the privacy of your mentee—don’t spread information that was meant to be between the two of you (mandated reporter issues aside, of course.)
Maintain confidentiality – trust is critical.

Some best practices/expectations for mentees:

Invite your mentor to meet with you, suggest topics to discuss, and ask for what you need. Use email, phone, and time in person.
Bring questions, confusion, concerns, and problems. But also bring successes, alternatives, and ideas. New faculty are hired because of all they bring. See your mentor as someone who can help you be you and bring what you bring to Gavilan.
Meet as often as is appropriate. Scheduling in advance, spontaneity, and a combination is all fine—as long as they work with you both.
Be clear about what you need, and if an activity or suggestion just isn’t of interest, say so. Stick with teaching/learning, academic/community, and work-life balance issues that are of interest to you.
Don’t expect your mentor to know everything or be able to help in every situation. But do check with your mentor early on when you need help.
Ask for information and, if appropriate, advice. Understand that any advice is not the last word, and may not be right for you. The more important a concern, the more important to weigh advice carefully and get second and third opinions.
Be open to discussions and constructive alternative ways to handle teaching and professional responsibilities.
Maintain confidentiality – trust is critical.