Here is a list of ideas for potential activities you can do with your mentee/mentor! Feel free to use all or none of these ideas and come up with your own!
- Envision The Future
- Passion and professions (e.g., things get you excited, reason for graduate school, doing research)
- Talk about your goals in 1 year, 5 years and 10 years (e.g., jobs, living areas, family, social status, achievements/personal reputation)
- Help Session
- Introducing possible resources that can support mentees (e.g., people, books, workshops, graduate school advice, resolving conflict, opportunities)
- Life advice (e.g., work-life balance, relationship/financial management)
- Documents editing (e.g., important email, scholarship applications, abstract)
- Talk rehearsal (e.g. conference presentation, committee meeting, important talks to supervisors/funding agencies etc)
- Project discussion (e.g., troubleshooting strategies, research progress)
- Feedback session (e.g., improving the mentoring relationship)
- Career Talk
- Review CVs/resumes or cover letters
- Mock interview (e.g., company/academic lab interviews, targeted/general)
- Information interview (e.g., job hunt experiences, get references, salary negotiations, a typical working day)
- Networking practice (e.g., cold call practice, conversation starters, elevator pitch, taboos)
- Job shadowing
- Fun Time
- Interests outside of school (e.g., weather, celebrities, dramas, music, hobbies)
- Plan a weekend trip (e.g., Bike ride, running, swimming, hiking, movie time)
- Share your favourite food/drinks (e.g., donuts, pumpkin spice latte, local food)
- Send a note (e.g., thank you card, encouraging note, memes)
- Final Meeting
- Reflect (e.g., review mentor/mentee agreement, goals achieved, areas to further improve)
- Final questions
- Keep in touch (e.g., method of communicating, relationship after the program)
- Celebrate