EFFECTIVE FIRST MEETING WITH THE MENTOR (First Meeting Guideline)

Mentori proposes a 'First Meeting Guideline' that summarizes the topics, and tasks needed for the first appointment between you and your mentor. These are the most general suggestions, Mentori encourages you to be proactive, flexible in exchanging, grasping information, and building relationships with your mentor.

1. Before the meeting

- Learn about the mentor’s information, experience, work process, study, their area of ​​expertise.

- Define the goals of the process of connecting with mentors.

- Proactively ask questions, issues that you want to find out, and discuss with mentors first (you should identify big topics in advance to discuss with them).

- Ask the mentors about things to prepare (laptop, CV, cover letter, etc.)

- Agree with the mentor about the appointment time, take the initiative in making an appointment, basically frame the content of the appointment. 

2. During the meeting

a. Opening of the meeting

- Introduce yourself, the learning process, work.

- Share purpose, development goals, orientation.

Specifically: Propose some realistic timelines, be prepared to talk about the challenges or obstacles that you are expected to encounter.

- Share about the expectations of the mentoring process (duration, frequency, meeting, talking, etc.), expectations of the results achieved after the program (no mentor can meet all your needs, but by clearly speaking out your expectations, they will have a chance to clarify what can be done with you).

- Define general rules (this will ensure the mentor and you have a comfortable working space, communicate, understand the destination and limitations of the mentoring process).

b. Discussion of the main content (some questions, reference topics)

- Ask the adviser about issues of interest:

+ Questions about general information: specific to the field of interest For example corporate culture, effective learning, promotion roadmap, etc.

+ Questions based on your personal issues: What problems are you currently facing, how to improve the current situation, etc.

+ Situation questions for mentors: what - if? In case - how to deal with it, etc.?

- The main sources of information to assist you in solving problems: references, readings, etc.

- Evaluate, get advice from advisors on projects and documents related to the field of advisory

Note: You should take note of all communications with your mentor to assist in getting the most out of your information.

c. End of the meeting

- Close the appointment:

+ About the upcoming plan (in practice, self-improvement)

+ About documents the mentor suggests

+ About the deadline the mentors discussed with you

- Upcoming plans:

+ Target milestones to be achieved

+ Expected next appointment

3. After the meeting

- Complete the appointment report: The report will be a useful tool to record the communication history between you and the mentor, help you better absorb information from your mentor, and help your mentor better understand your ability to absorb, which then leads to appropriate adjustments and suggestions.

- Send appointment report: Include meeting notes and action plans, showing readiness for the next meeting.

- Stay connected with your mentor, including:

+ Update the necessary information such as the process of implementing your goals, the results of the jobs agreed with the mentor.

+ Maintain close relationships, comfortable, easy to discuss with mentors.