What is mentoring?

Mentoring is most often defined as a professional relationship in which an experienced person (the Mentor) assists another (the Mentee)  in developing specific skills and knowledge that will enhance the less-experienced person’s professional and personal growth. The MBA Alumni Mentorship Programme gives our MBA students the chance to ask questions about their studies or career path, and learn from alumni experiences. The program is not intended to ask for an internship or a job.

Mentor responsibilities

• To act as a role model by sharing insights on achieving a successful career.
• To act as a source of information, share knowledge about the Mentor's area of practice, and the practice in general.
• To act as an advisor by assisting with building and pursuing career and lifestyle goals end enhancing professional and networking skills.
• To re-connect and give something back to the university.
• To learn from coaching/advising a student.

Benefits for Mentors

• Gains insights from the Mentee’s background and history that can be used in the Mentor’s professional and personal development.
• Gains satisfaction in sharing expertise with others.
• Re-energizes the Mentor’s career.
• Learns more about other areas.

Benefits for Mentees

• Receives critical feedback in key areas, such as communications, interpersonal relationships, technical abilities, change management and leadership skills
• Develops a sharper focus on what is needed to grow professionally within the organization
• Learns specific skills and knowledge that are relevant to personal goals
• Networks with a more influential employee
• Has a friendly ear with which to share frustrations as well as successes.

The Mentoring relationship

For mentoring to be successful there must be a reciprocal, comfortable relationship between Mentor and Mentee. Both parties must work at the relationship to make it successful by being open-minded, respectful and keeping to the expectations they have set for the relationship. Ideally, the Mentoring relationship will be mutually beneficial for both the Mentor and mentee.

How to become a Mentor?

Alumni interested in becoming a Mentor should send an email to the Career Services Officer at k.rasikh-stipovic@uva.nl

Matching procedure

Students interested in finding a Mentor, should email their CV and a brief motivation regarding the participation in the Mentor program to the Careers Office at k.rasikh-stipovic@uva.nl . The Career Services Officer will send  an overview of the available Mentors. Student can select 3 Mentors and indicate preference to the Career Services Officer. She will contact the Mentor and if he/she agrees to act as a Mentor, student and Mentor will be put in contact. The Mentoring should take for at least 6 months, student can ask for another Mentor after 6 months. Students can only request one Mentor at the time. It is very important, therefore, for alumni to respond to the request within one week. If there is no response to the request, the student can cancel the request and search for another Mentor.