Mentoring For The Future
So, you’re a mentor! Now what?
We’ve discussed the ways you can build an HR Mentorship Program, so next let’s discuss a few ways you can be an effective mentor.
- Establish a bond with them; besides HR, what do you have in common? Music …, sports …, TV?
- Invite them to attend a seminar with you.
- Recommend a book you feel would be beneficial to their development. Lend it to them if you own it. Buy it for them, if you can. Discuss it afterwards … Key points, lessons and applications.
- Invite them to spend a day shadowing you.
- Discuss their HR courses with them each week; what they learned, how to apply that to the HR business world and “gap fillers” i.e.: What else should they know about that topic that wasn’t taught?
- Map out their post college goals and what steps they can take to successfully reach them.
- Open up the world outside of “traditional” HR. It wasn’t until I entered the social media space that I learned of fields such as employment branding, coaching and, of course, #reallygreatHRpeers!
- Bring them with you to local SHRM meetings and introduce them to other HR professionals.
- Review their resume with them; what looks good, what could use improvement …Explain why.
- Help them prepare to interview
An exhaustive list that could continue on, I’m sure! Pull a few of these ideas and make them your own. A bit of structure and planning can go a long way and have a lasting impact on your impressionable HR Mentee.
The key to a successful mentorship is also matching up the right mentor and student. Much like dating, it doesn’t work if one of the parties is more interested than the other. So, how can you ensure a good match?
Mentorship Speed Dating
Say there are 20 HR professionals signed up to be mentors … and 20 students. Let the “dating” begin! Have them all in one room, and a 5-minute time limit to spend with each person. At the end of the session, both parties submit 3 names of whom they’d like to work with.
Matches made? Excellent! Keep in mind that not all students and mentors will be paired up using this method… but that’s OK! The relationship will be more beneficial if the right match is made; so the search continues.
The program will evolve and change from month to month, semester to semester. Students join, professionals join, students graduate, professionals move on. The flow and growth of the program is key and relationships will develop along with it.
No time?
If you don’t have the time to be a mentor, volunteer an hour of your time to be a guest speaker at a local college SHRM. Each chapter is different, but they typically have member meetings 2-4 times a month and are always in need of HR professionals! This would be a great way to make a difference with minimal time commitment.
We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build youth for the future. -Franklin D. Roosevelt
Let’s get building!
*If you have the chance, head on over to NASHRM’s Rocket HR by Ben Eubanks. Looks like they’ve got the right idea!
Photo Credit, foxypar4
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the hat tip, Kelly. Great post and a sorely needed topic!
Great two-part series on mentorship programs. I really do wish more HR professionals seek to get involved with local HR students, it can be a fantastic and mutually beneficial project.
Thanks Steve. It would be great to see more involvement – It allows for so many opened doors both for the student and professional.
No problem Ben! Looks like you guys are doing some great things. Hopefully we can inspire others to do the same.
Thanks for the posts, Kelly. I’ve really enjoyed the mentoring I’ve done with HR interns over the years; it’s been some of the most rewarding and gratifying work I’ve done. You’ve helped me see I can expand mentoring beyond internships.
Kelly – I like your two parts on mentorship programs. I wish there was a program when I was a student. I’m currently working with the BNHRA on their mentorship program we are in our second year. Let me know if you’d like to help out in anyway.