growing new professionals through mentorship: a two way street
DESCRIPTION
Marcia Focht presentation for the "Growing New Professionals through Mentorship: A Two Way Street" session at the VRA + ARLIS/NA 2nd Joint Conference in Minneapolis, MN.TRANSCRIPT
VRA+ARLIS/NA 2011Growing New Professionals through Mentorship: A Two
Way StreetMarcia Focht, Binghamton University
Come along Telemachus, I
must advise you never to bother a
woman with a headache
Your Mentee’s dream determines the path to take
Life transitions are key times for mentoring
Mentoring Goals include:
Professional Development
Religious TrainingLeadership TrainingMastering of Skills
Mentoring can Serve:
Individual GoodCommunal Good
Satisfying and funmentoring starts by forming arelationship that flows both ways
“Getting together helped us both expand our professional horizons and learn more about what different generations of information professionals are thinking, doing, and dreaming. It also made us take the time out from our busy schedules to talk about professional development, career goals, and how rapidly our world is changing. It is very helpful to run ideas by a colleague like this, obtain feedback, and ponder the future”.
What should Mentors do?
o Introduce yourself before the conference, and offer to answer questions o Recommend sessions or workshopso Set up a time and place at the conference to meeto Attend social events with your mentee, introduce your mentee to colleagues who share similar interests and professional goals. o Meet up with your mentee during the course of the conferenceo Introduce your mentee to the chair of the regional chapter in his/her area, and ask the chair to help find your mentee a contact closer to home. o If you are serving as a leader, offer to take your mentee to your committee or regional chapter meeting. o Follow up with your mentee after the conference.o Learn from your mentee, this is an opportunity for you too!
What should Mentees do?
o Contact your mentor if you do not hear from them.o Volunteer! o Attend Social Events.o Check out committees whose work interests you.o Ask your mentor about local chapters that might be near you. o Bring business cards, and a resume if you will be job hunting.o Be open to networking opportunities at all times and places.o Make every effort to meet and respond to your mentor, be appreciative for their time and effort.
VRA Mentoring Program Survey
Top Advice:
Meet early in the ConferenceMake many introductions
Survey Result Reflections
Survey Result
Reflections
Keep in touchConsider working together at the national, regional or chapter level
Opportunities to mentor are
everywhere
Contact Information: Marcia Focht
Curator of Visual ResourcesBinghamton University
Photo Credits:Jonathan Cohen
Binghamton [email protected]