The Old Waconian Mentoring Handbook

The Old Waconian

Mentoring Handbook

Welcome

This is your Old Waconian mentoring programme

The aim of this programme is to tap into the knowledge, experience and expertise of our Old Waconian community, and to facilitate a culture of sharing and support among our alumni. The focus is on helping less experienced OWs to explore their career options and to feel more prepared for their next career move. At the same, giving our more experienced alumni the chance to give back to their community, make new connections with emerging talent and develop their professional skills.

Contact Us

The External Relations team is here to support you at every stage of your mentoring journey. If you have any questions please get in touch.

Email: er@chschool.co.uk

Phone: 0161 488 3341

Overview

• Our mentoring programmes run at various points throughout the year and typically last for 3 months.

• We aim to match mentees with mentors who have the most suitable experience to support their aspirations.

• Most of the communication between mentors and mentees is likely to be via email, although online video calls and in person meet-ups are possible.

• We would suggest a total time commitment for mentors of between 1 and 2 hours per month.

• Objectives will be agreed by the mentor and mentee at the start of the programme.

• A named contact from the CHS External Relations team will be available to provide support throughout the programme.

• We ask that mentors and mentees provide feedback at the end of the programme, and if willing, feature in case studies about successful mentoring relationships.

The Old Waconian Mentoring Handbook

To express interest in becoming a mentor please first sign up to our online CHS Community

Once registered head to the Careers page and check the “Mentoring relationship” box in the “Volunteer to help” section.

We will promote opportunities to take part throughout the year.

When an opportunity arises we will contact you by email to confirm you are still happy to act as a mentor.

We will ask you to make sure your CHS Community profile is up to date with your education/work history and may ask for some additional details to aid the matching process. We will also ask you to sign our alumni volunteering agreement.

When a mentoring match has been made we will offer you the chance to join an online workshop with other mentors, ahead of “meeting” your mentee.

If you are interested in finding a mentor you will need to complete a short application form to aid the matching process. We will also ask you to sign up to our online CHS Community and make sure your profile is up to date with your education/work history.

To ensure the best support we will limit the number of mentoring matches in each cycle operating on a first come first served basis.

When a mentoring match has been made we will offer you the chance to join an online workshop with other mentees, ahead of “meeting” your mentor.

When it is time for the mentoring programme to start we will introduce you to your mentoring match by email.

You will communicate over a 3 month period, or until the objectives have been met. Ongoing support will be available from the CHS External Relations team.

At the end of the programme you will both be asked for feedback.

Mentee

How can mentoring help you?

Knowing when to seek mentoring and setting mentoring goals can be challenging. Often, people seek out mentors that they find inspiring and want to follow a similar path, but mentors can help with a variety of different skills and challenges that you might face. Here are some of the situations that a mentor could help with.

Furthering careers

• Writing / improving your CV - Mentors will have experience of tailoring their CV to specific job roles and industries, so they can help you to improve your CV

• Completing a job applicationIncreasingly employers are using automated tests as part of job application processes; it can be useful to hear tips on how to handle these tests and make the most of your skills

• Practising interview skills - Even a onetime session with a mentor can help you to understand what to expect, how you can best prepare and how to calm your nerves

Settling into an industry

• Writing / improving your CV - Speaking to a mentor can be very beneficial to understand the rate of progression and typical responsibilities of different job roles

• Applying for further study - If you’re considering further study, speaking to a mentor can help you to consider what type of further study might be most beneficial for your future career plans

• Visits to their workplace / finding out about working cultures in organisationsLearning about working cultures can help you make the right decision about which organisations and job roles to apply for

Sharing experience / personal development

• Confidence building - Whether you’re starting a new career, dealing with a challenge or just need some reassurance, having a mentor can help you to build confidence in yourself and your role

• Setting development goals - It can be overwhelming to plans years ahead for your career - setting development goals can be valuable to ensure you stay on the right path, and a mentor can help you to set these and make a plan to achieve them

• Time management - Developing soft skills such as time management is essential to succeed in the workplace; mentors can share tips and strategies for managing multiple workstreams

Mentee

Goal setting for mentees

Setting goals with your mentor is one of the most important parts to establishing your mentoring partnership. It will help to determine how long the relationship will last, give you benchmarks to show you’re on the right track, and enable your mentor to best assist you with their skills and experience. You need to consider both your long and short term objectives, and consider how these fit into the bigger picture of your career.

Using the SMART method to set your objectives ensures that you are making a clear plan for how to achieve your goals, and can set regular check ins and benchmarks to reach. For example, if you wanted guidance for switching to a different industry, here is how you could break down this goal.

• Specific

Which industry do you want help moving into? Be specific, e.g. moving from investment banking to private equity.

• Measurable

How can you measure whether you have achieved this goal? E.g, your measurable goal could be landing a position at equal seniority in your chosen industry. You can also set benchmark measurable goals along the way, such as being invited to 3 interviews for these roles.

• Attainable

Setting goals that are attainable and realistic help to maintain a healthy level of motivation and sense of achievement. You’ll also need to consider the impact of your goals upon other aspects of your life; for example, could you afford to take a salary change to achieve this goal? Who will you need to consult with to assess this?

• Relevant

Why is this goal important and relevant for you? For example, your relevant goal could be to improve in a certain skill that is currently a weakness, or to provide you with experience that you will need for your long-term career direction.

• Timebound

How long will this goal take to achieve? You can set time-bound goals to help move you towards your goal, for example, sending out 2 applications per day.

Mentor

How can you support the CHS Community through mentoring?

Mentoring is one of the most valuable ways that you can have an impact in your community. By volunteering as a mentor, you can create meaningful relationships by sharing your story and experiences. Here are some of the ways that you can give support to those looking for mentorship:

Furthering careers

• Writing / improving your CV - Do you have experience positioning your CV to specific areas of interest or job roles?

• Completing a job application - Could you offer advice for getting the most out of standardised questions on job applications or completing digital tests?

• Practising interview skills - Could you offer short sessions to help candidates with how to answer interview questionsfor example using the STAR technique?

Settling into an industry

• Researching careers - Speaking to a mentor can be very beneficial to understand the rate of progression and typical responsibilities of different job roles.

• Applying for further study - Applying for further study is a big decision and can often come with costs, so speaking to a mentor prior to signing up can help a mentee to assess whether it’s right for them.

• Visits to their workplace / finding out about working cultures in organisationsFor mentees who might be new to working, finding out about different cultures helps them to make informed decisions about the type of organisation they might want to work at.

Sharing experience / personal development

• Confidence building - Mentees could feel nervous about entering a new industry or job role, can you offer reassurance and help to build their confidence?

• Setting development goals - Mentors can help to set valuable development goals, and to make a plan to achieve them.

• Time management - Improving soft skills such as time management are crucial for success in any industry - do you have any tips for project delivery.

Best practice guide for mentors

Mentoring involves the use of the same models and skills of questioning, listening, clarifying and reframing associated with coaching. Mentoring relationships work best when they move beyond the directive approach of a senior colleague ‘telling it how it is’, to one where both learn from each other. An effective mentoring relationship is a learning opportunity for both parties. One of the ways you can approach your role as a mentor is through the ‘Grow’ method:

• Issue

Consider the challenge that the mentee is facing; is it that they don’t know what kind of career they would like to have, or they need support to access opportunities in a specific industry?

• Goal

Go through the goal setting process with your mentee will help you to understand what their short and long term objectives are.

• Reality

What is the mentee’s current position?

How can you support them in creating a path from their current reality towards their goals?

• Options

Consider all of the options available to your mentee: are there paths that they might not have thought of? What are the pros and cons of each option?

• Way Forward

Empower your mentee to make their own decision about the best way forward for them.

• Commitment Commitment towards the plan is needed from both yourself and your mentee. Scheduling regular reviews and check ins will help the mentee to feel supported in their progress.

Discussion starters

If this is your first mentoring relationship it can be difficult to know where to start. The following discussion starters can help mentees to identify what areas they would like to discuss with their mentor. Mentors can also use the starters to prompt conversation.

Introductions

• Agree goals for the programme

• Exchange educational and career backgrounds

• Agree how you will communicate and schedule future meetings

Career

• Look at your CV together and ask for feedback

• Identify the skills your mentor has developed to achieve their career goals

• Seek advice about application forms

• Find out what career planning approaches your mentor has used e.g. making a 5 year plan

• Find out what skills employers are looking for.

Industry

• Discuss work experience/volunteering opportunities and how to approach employers about securing these

• Find out more about your mentor’s organisation

• Identify what roles/projects are worked on by employees at your level

• Find out what career development opportunities exist in your mentor’s industry

• Ask about issues that are faced in their industry and how these are tackled.

Networking and building a brand

• How do you grow your professional network?

• How do you build your personal brand?

• How can you use social media/ Linkedin professionally?

• How do you navigate networking events?

• Identify if the mentor has any contacts that they are happy to introduce to you to build your network.

Leadership/teamwork

• Discuss why leadership and teamwork are important to being successful

• Identify what makes a good leader and how you can improve your leadership skills

• Look at the challenges you each face in being part of a team

• Talk about how you can support your colleagues

Potential or perceived barriers

• Find out how your mentor’s organisation supports diversity

• Explore how to deal with barriers in the workplace

• Discuss what assistance may be available in workplaces

• Identify ways to build confidence

• Find out how your mentor looks after their physical and mental health.

Work/life balance

• Discuss work/life balance challenges

• Identify what is important to you and create a plan with your mentor to help you achieve professional success without sacrificing your personal life

Code of conduct for mentors and mentees

The mentoring relationship, acting either as a mentor or a mentee, may present you with a number of issues or dilemmas. Often, there are no easy or obvious solutions and there may be no clear-cut sense of ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. The aim of these simple guidelines is to highlight a set of behaviours to guide your mentoring relationship and to make it as positive as possible.

• Roles

The role of the mentor is to assist the mentee through a process of self-reflection, questions and support, signposting challenges and offering feedback.

The role of the mentee is to work with the mentor to set goals and carry out a plan to meet those goals, using the mentor as a sounding board for reflection and decision making.

• Responsibilities

Both the mentor and mentee should carry out their roles with professionalism, consideration and support. The mentee is responsible for organising meetings with their mentor.

• Personal information

Please do not pass on any personal information, including any contact details, to anyone else unless required to as outlined above or as agreed between yourselves. Any personal information you receive should be kept in accordance with the data protection laws for your country.

• Communication

Please communicate through safe and secure channels, ideally through the CHS Community online platform. Please keep your conversations as confidential as possible; mentees may wish to record a video meeting, but please gain consent from all parties before doing so. If there is a concern of harm to one person, please speak to your contact in the CHS External Relations team.

• Competence

Mentors need to be conscious of their own levels of mentoring competence and experience and to never overstate them. Instead, they should help the mentee to practice self-reflection and ask questions about their own development, rather than advising the mentee specifically. Remember that the mentee has the ability and the potential, the mentor’s job is to help them realise it.

• Boundaries

Mentors are not obliged to provide financial support or offer employment opportunities to mentees. Mentors should not complete work on behalf of their mentee or act as a counsellor for personal issues. Mentees should not share details of their mentors’ experience via social media, or directly refer their mentors to colleagues. If you have any concerns please reach out to your contact in the CHS External Relations team.

CODE OF CONDUCT

For any queries regarding the Old Waconian Mentoring Programme please email er@chschool.co.uk or call 0161 488 3341

Head: Mr Neil Smith

Claremont Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 6EF

Tel: 0161 488 3330

Email: head@chschool.co.uk cheadlehulmeschool.co.uk