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questionnaire
for mentees
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Photo: Pakistan's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah Career Pakistan fosters one-to-one relationships between students and professionals in a symbiotic way. Professionals assist in grooming students towards a successful career. Both socio-cultural as well as technical skills of the students are addressed. Concurrently, professionals achieve personal fulfillment because of their contribution to the community. While it may appear that all professionals can be mentors, and all student mentees; in actuality a few prerequisites reside. Professionals should possess the capacity to inspire a fellow human being. However, they should not prejudge the students' environmental or personal obstacles, concerns, or fears. Correspondingly, they should not visualize the students as a reflection of their old remembered selves. In contrast, mentors should have the empathy to recognize the distinct aptitudes of each student. They should then patiently support the students develop the mental, emotional, and spiritual wheels necessary to travail career paths of the students' own choosing. Similarly, only those students will reach their own true peaks that strive for the motivation, perseverance, and self-control needed to follow-up on targets mutually agreed with the mentors. Even though there are apparent networking advantages, students should not see this program as a shortcut for finding jobs. Mentees are university students aspiring for careers in multinational companies or international organizations. They are enrolled either in a Bachelors or Masters program, and have been in the top 10% of their class for at least one semester or term. Mentors are professionals working in multinational companies or international organizations. Typically, students perceive these professionals as having "made it". For an assortment of reasons, either party might feel greater ease or gratification in working with their own gender. Thus they may request for someone of their own sex. Furthermore, mentors can specify their inclination viz-a-viz programs (Bachelors or Masters). Likewise, mentees can elucidate any preference regarding occupation of mentor. Career Pakistan does not attempt to micromanage the mentor-mentee relationship. However, it does suggest some broad guidelines based on research of international best practices. A - Content of meetings A mentoring effort is unlikely to arrive at optimality if it is merely a monologue in which the mentor speaks while the mentee listens. A congenial discussion with a talk-time ratio of 50-50 between the mentor and mentee is ideal. Such interactive discussions with a professional of stature will not just enhance learning of the mentee. It will also boost the mentee's self-confidence. In addition, sharing of experiences - especially by the mentor -- will assist in nurturing an atmosphere of openness, trust, and confidence. In turn, such an ambience can accelerate the pace of mentee's development. Similarly, after the initial few meetings, the mentee might profit more from an in-depth discussion limited to one or two issues for each meeting, instead of shuffling with a jumble of disparate topics - all at a superficial level. Those students that have already identified need for guidance in particular areas are encouraged to consider proposing an agenda for each meeting. If their mentors permit e-mail, mentees should consider sending this agenda to them in advance. B -- Length of meetings Each in-person discussion should ideally continue for an hour, and should not exceed two hours. A long-drawn-out meeting might exhaust either party - akin to a long classroom session that loses its original energy. C -- Number of meetings Somewhat similar to a product lifecycle, the mentor-mentee association can be seen as a lifecycle encompassing four self-explanatory phases. These are: 1 -- introduction to each other To facilitate phase 1 (introduction) and phase 2 (warm-up), Career Pakistan suggests three meetings in the first three months - perhaps in the form of one meeting a month. Subsequently, for phase 3 (substantive interaction), we suggest one meeting each quarter. Mentees should take extra caution not to impose on the professionals' time. But if there is mutual concurrence, mentors and mentees are certainly welcome to increase the number of meetings. In addition, mentees may communicate with mentors via telephone or e-mail, but only if allowed by their mentors. At the conclusion of each meeting, both parties may fix an approximate date for the next meeting. However, the primary onus of arranging the mentor-mentee meetings should lie with the mentees. Career Pakistan suggests a one-year period for the mentor-mentee association. Termination after one year can forestall risk of diminishing marginal returns ensuing from a protracted association. At the end of this duration, both mentors and mentees can apply for assignment of fresh counterparts. Through a new mentor, a mentee will gain fresh perspectives and insights on his or her personal and professional growth. Similarly, each mentor will receive the opportunity to influence another mentee's life in a positive way. The benefit of a mentor-mentee association should be obvious to both parties. If this is not the case, either party may terminate the relationship and request for a new counterpart at any time. Professionals that have volunteered to serve as mentors
include: Potential Mentors: If you are a professional working in a multinational company or an international organization, and wish to be a mentor OR Potential Mentees: If you are studying at a Bachelors or Masters program and wish to be a mentee, please write to: | |||
