September/October
Get to Know You: Schedule a phone call or face-to-face meeting if your mentor is local within a week of receiving your mentor assignment. Lunch or coffee would be good, or you can set up a meeting at your mentor’s office. Discuss how to best work together and your communications preferences. Learn about your mentor’s career and share your own career goals. Exchange resumes.
November
Networking: As your mentor how they built their network. Discuss tips for networking both within your chosen field and without. Identify networking opportunities for students both on and off campus. Ask your mentor if he or she can introduce you to other alumni.
December
Job Shadow: Schedule a job shadow day or ask your mentor to discuss a typical day at work, if they are not local. It will give you both a good feel for each other and help you know what you can learn together. It is also a great opportunity to experience a “day in the life” of the career you are interested in.
January
Who Am I? Work with your mentor on your elevator speech and resume. Develop a 20-second introduction that answers the question, “Tell me about yourself.” Learn how to customize your resume and cover letter to the position you are seeking.
February
Mock Interviews: Practice your interview skills and appropriate interview attire. Since you and your mentor have gotten to know each other better by this point, ask them to explain best practices for this to you or introduce you to colleagues who would be willing to let you practice your interview skills with them.
March
Professional Development: Ask your mentor if you can accompany them to a meeting of their industry association, or to share with you industry articles and resources. Discuss where they go to learn more about their industry and to keep up with current trends.
April
Job Search: This is when many students in both schools begin searching for jobs and internships. Work with your mentor on researching and identifying job or internship prospects.
May
Year-End Review: Schedule a phone call or have lunch or coffee with your mentor to review the year and what you’ve learned. Talk about how you might want to stay in touch with one another once the official “match” year comes to an end. Celebrate successes and identify areas for improvement – both for you and for the Mentor Match program.