Introduction

The Alumni Association Online Mentorship Program is designed to offer support and encouragement to current Algonquin students and assist them in making informed decisions about their chosen career paths.  Wherever possible, a student is paired with an alumnus from his/her program who is working that field of study.  The alumnus, or mentor, will offer support, advice and information to help the student obtain a greater understanding of the profession he/she has chosen to pursue. 

What do you gain as a mentor?

In addition to staying in touch with your alma mater and keeping up with new trends in education, as a mentor you will also have the opportunity to experience the personal rewards gained from sharing your wisdom and contributing to the success of a student.

What does the student gain?

Everyone remembers how overwhelming it can be when facing a new challenge, whether it be going to school or starting a new job. Having a mentor will help the student feel at ease and more confident with his/her career aspirations; he/she will benefit from the mentor’s support, experience, and insight into the practical application of the studies the student has chosen.

Finding the perfect match - pairing

Mentors are recruited from the College’s large pool of alumni who are graduates from a wide range of Algonquin programs. Students and mentors are matched based on the needs of the student and the amount of time a mentor is able to offer. Mentors and students complete an application form which contains information that will allow the Alumni Office and the student to create a match. Being matched with a student will depend upon the academic and career interests of the students who register for the program in any given year. The Alumni Office will contact you once a match has been found and will also provide you with background information about your student.

How does the student find a mentor?

Any student who is interested in having a mentor is encouraged to complete the Student Application Form, stop by the Alumni Office, Room C 521 on the Woodroffe Campus, or call (613) 727-4723 ext. 2148.

How do you become a mentor?

Mentors deal directly with the Alumni Office. If you would like to become a mentor, you apply by filling out the Mentor Application Form online, by stopping by the Alumni Office, Room C 521 on the Woodroffe Campus, or by calling (613) 727-4723 ext. 2148.

The Mentor Application Form asks you the following:

Name

Graduation Year

Program

Email

Home Phone

Work Phone

There is also a comments section for you to add information.

It would be helpful for the matching process if you could indicate the type of advice and support you feel most comfortable in providing. You and your student may use this list as a guide for discussion throughout the program. You may be asked to provide advice and support in the areas where you indicate your interest.

• discuss your day-to-day duties

• provide industry information

• future prospects in this career

• give labour market information

• emerging trends in your organization

• career alternatives within the industry

• refer to other people who can advise

• discuss skills necessary for this career

This information will help us know how you see yourself being of assistance to a student and will allow us to lay out some mutual expectations with the student. Throughout the process mentors are helpers. The “mentor” role should not be confused with the recruitment function of a particular company or organization.

Ethical Behaviour

Mentors will not be held accountable for the success or failure of a student or for advice provided, however, the mentor has an ethical responsibility to provide sound advice and guidance to undertake mentoring with the aim of helping the student succeed. Mentors will not represent themselves and their positions inaccurately. Mentors will not knowingly abuse the trust placed in them by virtue of their position of authority.

Process - Mentor Database

When a person registers to be a mentor, the Alumni Office will use the information provided on the application form (i.e. diploma achieved, year of graduation, position title and area of responsibilities) to develop a brief description of the mentor for the mentor database. If there appears to be a match, a liaison officer from the Online Mentorship Program/Alumni Office contacts the mentor to verify his/her availability and advises that a student will be contacting him/her by email within 48 hours. Thereafter, pertinent contact information is relayed to the student regarding the mentor. The student contacts the Alumni Office to verify that he/she has successfully contacted the mentor.  Once the pairing has been completed, the Alumni Office will contact both the student and the mentor for their feedback on the experience.

Examples of information interview questions

Students will be reminded that the Mentorship Program is not intended as a job placement service, but as a network to provide students with useful information on careers and labour market.  Students will be advised of what mentoring is, and in preparation for the mentorship experience, a number of typical questions that would be suitable to ask a mentor will be reviewed.

Questions related to a career

• What courses do you recommend for a person entering this field?

• How did you prepare for this field and do you have any recommendations?

• In what way are your studies related to your career?

• How did you get your current position?

• What attracted you to your choice of career?

Questions related to a position

• What is a typical day on the job for you?

• What gives you a sense of accomplishment in your job? What is the required skill set?

• What kind of tasks do you find challenging about your job?

• Do you get to express individuality in your work, or do you have to follow strict guidelines?

• What are the most stressful aspects of your job?

Industry-related questions

• What trends and developments in the field do you see affecting careers in the future?

• Where are the “hot spots” for jobs in the industry?

• What are the demands, opportunities, and chances for advancement in this field/industry?

Questions related to the working conditions

• What are the work hours and is overtime common?

• What is the atmosphere like? (Relaxed, competitive, exciting...)

• Do you share your office with colleagues?

• How much flexibility are you allowed in your job in terms of dress, hours, vacation or job location?

• What salary range can one expect entering the field?

Referrals

The mentor may wish to refer the student to other sources of information as well.

Career-related Information

• Career Centres at each of the College’s campuses

• Counsellor or Employment Officer

• Company profiles on the web

Academic Support

• Study skills handouts/seminars/web pages, Algonquin College

Counselling Services

• Advisors, coordinators, professors

• Resource Centre, E-learning web page

Professional Associations

Program Coordinators

Algonquin College Resource Centres

When to refer your student to the Alumni Office or Student Services for more information

When your student asks for advice on job search strategies or résumé styles, please feel free to discuss what worked for you. Please also remind your student that Algonquin Employment Services staff are available for advice on job search techniques, networking, résumé writing, interview skills, career development and more. If the student appears to be uncertain about his/her program or career choice please encourage the student to contact the Counselling Office for career planning assistance.

Program Evaluation

The Alumni Office will follow up with the mentors and the students. Participants will be asked to provide feedback on the success of the program. Success will be based on whether or not the program meets the expectations of both participants, i.e. participant’s attitudes to mentoring before and after participation in the program; participant’s satisfaction with the program; and level of contact between the participants. Throughout the course of the program, please do not hesitate to contact the Alumni Office with any questions or suggestions you may have.  Thank you for volunteering to assist Algonquin College students with their career choices.

For further information please contact the Alumni Office:

Room C 521

Woodroffe Campus

Algonquin College

Phone: 613-727-4723 ext. 2148

Email:alumni@algonquincollege.com