Last week marked the beginning of the GovLoop Fall 2012 Mentors Program, starting with the official kickoff on August 28th, 2012. At that event, Andrew Krzmarzick and I discussed the progression of GovLoop’s mentors program, goal setting for your mentoring relationship, and the characteristics of successful mentors and mentees.
It was a great event, and attendees brought a lot of new ideas to the table. Be sure to check out the slides – they have many resources for mentoring relationships and professional development.
Top Tips for Maximizing Your Mentoring Relationship
Establish clear and concrete goals:
Apply for a specific program / opportunity (ex. Presidential Management Fellows)
Make three connections at the agency you would like to work for
Attend professional development for a specific skill (i.e. social media management)
Come up with a common rhythm:
How are you progressing toward your goals?
What have been your successes since we last spoke?
What challenges are you facing right now?
Where do you need the most help?
Leverage the GovLoop Community:
Read the blogs, discussions, and resources in our emails
Post a discussion question about an issue you’re having (we can post it anonymously)
Blog about what you’re learning
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.