- What are your short-term goals?
- What are your long-term goals?
- What interested you about having a mentor?
- What areas of your life do you want to grow in?
- What skills do you want to develop?
- If you could go back in time, would you choose a different career?
Mentorship 101: How To Structure The First Meeting & The Best Questions To Ask A Mentor | xoreni
Why might a mentor ask their mentee questions?
A mentor may question their mentee for a variety of reasons. Finding out more about a mentee’s present knowledge and abilities could be one justification. This can assist a mentor in deciding which subject areas they might need to assist their mentee in and can help them direct the guidance they provide. In order to identify ways in which they can offer guidance in a more focused manner, such as sending references to businesses in a mentee’s desired field or assisting a mentee in finding employment opportunities, a mentee can also ask their mentee questions about their career goals and jobs in which they may be interested.
What is a mentor?
A leader known as a mentor provides guidance to a mentee who is less experienced than they are. Mentors can provide guidance on one’s professional development, career options, and general areas of life improvement. Many mentors have extensive knowledge in a particular field or industry, which can be especially beneficial for mentees who want to work in that field or industry. A mentor can assist their mentees by meeting with them and sharing their knowledge and responding to any queries they may have.
9 questions for a mentor to ask their mentee
Here are 9 inquiries a mentor could pose to their mentee:
What does success look like to you?
To understand a mentee’s values and priorities, a mentor may ask them this question. This is due to the fact that success can be defined in a variety of ways, so a mentee’s response can reveal to a mentor what they value by identifying aspects of their life they consider to be successful. With this knowledge, a mentor can concentrate on giving guidance that relates to the goals and concerns of their mentee.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Although it’s a common interview question, a mentor could find it useful to ask their mentee. This question can help a mentor learn more about a mentee’s goals, whether they are personal or professional. This can help a mentor understand what their mentee wants to accomplish so they can tailor their support to aiding them in achieving any mentioned goals, such as having a particular job or residing in a particular location.
What do you hope to gain from our mentoring sessions?
To understand the potential need for a mentor on the part of their mentee, a mentor might inquire about this at the start of a mentoring relationship. A mentee’s response can provide valuable information to a mentor about their personal objectives, desired careers, skill sets, and more. Some mentees may not be entirely confident in their response, which can also be helpful to a mentor by alerting them that a mentee may need assistance in identifying areas where they can improve or learn more about.
What is an obstacle youre currently facing?
This inquiry can reveal to a mentor what their mentee finds difficult. Early mentoring sessions can benefit greatly from this because a mentor can then concentrate some of their efforts on overcoming a particular challenge that their mentee identifies. Knowing the difficulties a mentee faces can also help a mentor provide advice by highlighting areas in which they might be more sensitive in the assistance they provide to make sure a mentee is comfortable throughout a mentoring session.
What are some things that you can control?
In order to learn more about a mentee’s perspective on their own life and to foster confidence, a mentor can ask them this question. Finding areas of a person’s life that they can control can show a mentor what they seem confident in as it can be common for people to find challenges in things they cannot control. Additionally, it could start a conversation where a mentor can advise their mentee on how to react positively and effectively to circumstances that are within their control.
If you could learn any new professional skill, what would it be?
This inquiry can give a mentee the chance to express themselves creatively and share their interests with their mentor. A mentee’s response to this question can also help a mentor determine which career paths might be best for a mentee based on what they want to learn because the majority of professions require specific skills. This can assist a mentor in selecting the advice to offer and may enable them to find suggestions for careers and job openings that they can share with their mentee.
Have you ever quit a job? If so, why?
This inquiry can reveal to a mentor what their mentees value and what they seek in a job. A mentor might try to assist a mentee in finding employment opportunities if they identify a specific challenge at one of their previous jobs that led them to leave their position or has a solution in place for it. For instance, a mentor might look for a job in their field that offers flexible or shorter work hours if a mentee left their previous job due to the long hours.
Who do you talk to about challenges and successes at your job?
This is a question a mentor might ponder in order to learn more about the community involvement and support network of their mentee. This can help them when advising people to seek support from their peers or coworkers. For instance, if a mentee mentions that they share their struggles and victories with their family, a mentor might think of ways to further encourage that sharing.
What is your dream job?
This inquiry can reveal to a mentor the objectives and interests of their mentee. A great way for a mentee to explore their interests and discover what they are most passionate about is to think about their dream job. By providing advice on how a mentee might pursue their dream job or a closely related career, a mentor can better focus their advice and support on helping their mentee find opportunities that match their interests.
FAQ
What questions does a mentor ask?
- What do you genuinely want to be and do?
- What do you do exceptionally well that is assisting you in getting there?
- What are you doing poorly that keeps you from achieving this?
- What will you do differently tomorrow to meet those challenges?
- Where do you need help the most and how can I help?
How do I prepare for a mentor/mentee meeting?
- 1 Prepare in advance. Preparation is key for these meetings to be effective.
- 2 Set milestones and objectives. …
- 3 Mentees: Be open to constructive feedback. …
- 4 Mentors: Set expectations for your mentorship. …
- 5 Follow through and follow up.
How do you start a conversation with a mentee?
“A good place to start is by asking questions about what the mentee hopes to gain from the relationship. Think about discussing your mutual expectations, time commitments, and frequency of contact. Williams asserts that “mentees should have a reason and purpose for wanting to have a mentor.”
