1. Approach each mentorship differently.
While you can do your best to categorize a mentor/mentee relationship, every one is unique. When you first start out, it's important to take the time to assess your own style and readiness, and think about what kind of commitment you can and want to make.
Rebecca Corliss, who leads team development and culture for HubSpot's marketing team, recommends asking yourself and reflecting on the questions on this list that are relevant to you:
- What kind of manager style do you naturally have/want?
- What expectations will you set in regards to your style and how best to work with you?
- How will you know when your mentee is successful?
- How will you communicate what success looks like to him/her?
- What do you hope your mentee’s development looks like over the course of your mentorship?
- How can you segment out his/her experience into phases to get to that point?
- How will you use one-on-one time?
- How will you explain your expectations for one-on-one meetings (if applicable) so you’re on the same page?
2. Set expectations together in the very beginning.
Once you've reflected on the questions from #1, both you and your mentee will find it helpful to sit down and go over expectations -- especially if you're just getting to know each other.
For example, let's say an alum from your alma mater sends you a cold email asking what it's like to work at your company. You might be wondering if they asked you that because they want to work for your company, or whether they're just curious about what a company in your industry is like. Understanding exactly where they're coming from is going to help drive your discussion in the direction that's helpful for both of you. If your company isn't hiring or you aren't comfortable helping them get a job, for instance, then you'll want to set those expectations early.
3. Take a genuine interest in your mentee as a person.
A mentor/mentee relationship is a very personal one. You can give mediocre advice without really knowing a person, but to stand out as an amazing mentor, you're really going to have to get to know your mentee on a personal level.
You probably have some of the more career-oriented questions down: what their working style is, their dream job, goals for their current job, and so on and so forth. But what about the stuff that makes them ... them? Getting to know your mentee on a deeper level will help you build a strong relationship, and it'll also help you understand who they are as a person, their likes and dislikes, how they interact with others, and so on.
So if your mentee tells you they had a great weekend, don't just move on with the program. Ask them what they did, whom they did it with, or what their relationship is like with those people.