Professional Network:
Mentor Guidelines

Selection Process

You as a Professional Network volunteer will have freedom and choice around how you choose to share your time and expertise with UMBC students and alumni using UMBCworks in their job search. Through your UMBCworks account you will have the ability to control the number of students you are willing to connect with. Please note that your contact information is not viewable by mentees.

The Professional Network is accessible by all UMBC students. Through their UMBCworks accounts, students and alumni will be able to view a list of all mentors who have volunteered to be part of the Professional Network. The profile information you have completed will be available for students to review.

If the student is interested in having you as a mentor, through UMBCworks, a system generated email will be sent to you informing you that a student would like you to contact him/her. The student’s name, email address and personal message will be included in this email. Through your UMBCworks profile, you will be able to control the number of potential mentee contacts.

It is the student or alumnus’ responsibility to respond to their prospective mentor. Please keep in mind that the Career Services Center or Alumni Relation cannot control when or if you receive a reply.

Mentor Objectives

Here are a few recommended objectives. Your goal is to help your mentee with:

• Gaining visibility in their industry. For example, discuss the importance of professional associations. Are you a member of any? If so, which ones would you recommend to your mentee?
• Gaining the ability to interact appropriately with professionals in the industry or field of vested interest.
• Developing networking and personal branding skills and establish professional contacts.
• Improving professional communication skills.
• Complimenting their academics with their professional development.
• Applying their strengths in a professional setting.
• Providing insight into your career field and industry.

You as a Mentor: Expectations and Best Practices

• Once you receive the email for your potential mentee, we ask that you please contact your mentee within five to seven business days. This will increase your chances of a successful mentor/mentee relationship and help to keep the student engaged and interested.
• When responding to a request for assistance, be sure to establish specific goals and expectations together with your mentee.
• We ask that you please keep the relationship career and academically focused.
• Hold realistic expectations of the mentor/mentee relationship. Keep in mind that the goal of the Professional Network is to make connections with students to help them hone their networking skills, explore career options and to encourage your engagement with our students and with UMBC. There is no magic number as far as how many times your mentee should be contacted. The relationship may be a short-term one or a longer one based on whether or not you feel that the program goals have been met.
• You and the mentee can determine your own level and amount of contact. Connections may be made by email, face-to-face, at Career Services Center’s and Alumni Services’ sponsored events, campus events, or by phone. If the contact is made by phone, please consider who is responsible for placing and paying for the call (especially if it is long distance).
• Be patient when working with your mentee and recognize opportunities for mentoring during your interactions with students—e.g., notice and work with them on their email and phone etiquette, as well as communication skills.
• Building rapport with your mentee is important, but may not come easily. Be a good listener and respond and engage your mentee. Provide a safe and supportive environment to ask questions and facilitate positive communication.
• Communicate honestly, but respectfully with your mentee.
• Be positive and promote mainly the positive aspects of your academic and career experience.
• Offer your experiences as an example—not the rule.

• Encourage opportunities for campus involvement. The Office of Student Life provides several opportunities for students to become engaged with campus life.
• Invite the student or alumnus to spend some time at work “shadowing” you, if and when appropriate.
• Provide your mentee with information on trends in your field. Discuss a particular career field or industry and how academics help prepare for that type of work.
• Reschedule if you are busy – it’s always better than a “no-show” or an extremely late appointment. But, please try to limit the number of times you reschedule with your mentee.
• Promise only what you can deliver. Not delivering can only damage the reputation of the Professional Network program.
• Provide safe and effective strategies for overcoming obstacles.
• When meeting face-to-face, please meet only in an appropriate and accessible space for both you and your mentee. We strongly recommend participating in campus-sponsored events with your mentee.
• Complete the Professional Network survey which will be emailed to you at the end of each semester. This will allow us to continue to improve the program and access its effectiveness. If you are a UMBC alumnus, Alumni Relations will also be informed of your volunteer service.
• Tell us your success stories. Please complete the “Stories” box on this webpage. We’d like to hear about your mentorship experience and stories of your success with your mentee.

Professional Skill Sets You May be Able to Help with

• Preparing your mentee for an upcoming interview or job fair (e.g., conduct a mock interview).
• Writing a resume to better fit a specific field or industry.
• Researching career options for specific degrees.
• Exploring degree options.
• Transitioning as a international student.
• Building their professional network and the rules to networking.
• Considering post graduation volunteer work.
• Preparing for informational interviews.
• Preparing for a company visit.
• Professional etiquette

Return to: Mentors homepage

Continue reading: Questions Students May Ask