Intern Care 101: How To Be a Good Mentor

Mentoring is a skill like any other. It’s not something you should decide to do on a whim, because it requires discipline for both you as the mentor, as well as the people you are mentoring.

You want to set up rules right from the start. Determine what your responsibilities will be as well as what you expect from the people you mentor. It’s even better if you get this in writing. Recording the responsibilities ensures there are no misunderstandings later.

Define boundaries as much as possible. It’s okay to tell your mentees to call you after work hours once-in-a-while. However, don’t let them call you for every minute detail. Let them know ahead of time for what reasons they can contact you.

Be firm and clear in your expectations. If someone is not living up to what you expect of them, you may need to terminate the arrangement. It’s up to you if you want to give them a second chance. Your time is valuable, however. Don’t let them take advantage of you. If they aren’t willing to do what you ask, you need to move on.

If you are mentoring for pay, don’t sell yourself short. Mentors are expensive for a reason. Make sure you give great value for the money but expect to be compensated well for your efforts.  In many ways, your fee is a good litmus test. Those who aren’t willing to fork up the money for your services are not going to be good candidates for mentoring them. You may believe it takes more effort to get high-paying clients, but you would be surprised how this isn’t true. If you are good and can back it up, you will easily find people willing to pay your fee.

You should develop a decent network of people as a mentor. Good mentors have connections who they can call upon frequently. This ability will only work if you keep in contact with your network. Make time in your schedule to nurture your networking relationships so that you can use them to benefit yourself and the people you mentor.

Finally, be consistent with regular check-ins. Regular check-ins are essential because it provides an opportunity for mentors to assess the progress and development of their mentees. By maintaining regular contact, mentors can track the mentees' growth, identify areas of improvement, and tailor their guidance and support accordingly. Secondly, check-ins serve as a means of establishing a strong rapport and building a trusting relationship. Regular communication allows mentors to understand their mentees' needs, challenges, and aspirations, thus enabling them to provide relevant and personalized guidance. Additionally, check-ins offer mentors a chance to provide ongoing encouragement, motivation, and feedback, which are crucial for mentees' personal and professional development. Ultimately, by conducting regular check-ins, mentors can not only monitor their mentees' progress but also foster a supportive and nurturing environment for their mentees' growth.

Do you want to improve your mentoring skills? Grab my free guide on Giving Constructive Feedback to use with your interns by clicking here.