Why launch a mentoring programme? The world is full of uncertainty, and a mentor offers clarity. Students often need information about what’s going on outside the walls of the institution. That’s where an alumni mentor comes in. They can be a valuable resource for students, helping them to prepare for the professional world and gain self-confidence.
A survey conducted in 2021 by the Harvard Business Review concluded that students should be offered more networking opportunities before they graduate. There are now networking courses such as BeHave, of which AlumnForce is a partner.
Over time, educational institutions around the world have recognised the need for alumni mentoring programmes. But not everyone knows where to start. So here’s a detailed guide to help you get your alumni mentoring programme off to an easy start.
- What is an alumni mentoring programme?
- Why is it important to have an alumni mentoring programme?
- Two ways of structuring an alumni mentoring programme
- How do you set up an alumni mentoring programme?
What is an alumni mentoring programme?
An alumni mentoring programme consists of putting current students or young professionals in touch with alumni from the same institution or organisation with the aim of receiving advice and support for personal and professional development.
The mentoring programme aims to provide mentees with:
– Advice on career decisions
– Insights into their chosen field of study or profession
– Access to a professional network
Students gain confidence and inspiration to shape their future. Alumni mentors are generally chosen for their experience and expertise in their field.
Why is it important to have an alumni mentoring programme?
A study shows that an alumni mentoring programme benefits not only the mentees, but also the institution and the mentors.
The study found that alumni mentoring programmes have a positive impact on students’ perceptions of graduate employability, their overall student experience and their likelihood of wanting to mentor future students. In particular
– 70% of students felt more confident about finding a job after taking part in the programme
– 80% felt better equipped to discuss their skills
– 75% of students said they were more satisfied with their experience, and 95% said they were more likely to want to become a mentor in the future.
The following points highlight the importance of an alumni mentoring programme.
Improves the technical and interpersonal skills of mentors and mentees
Participation in this programme improves both the technical and relational skills of the mentor and mentee. Mentors improve their management and leadership skills through interaction. Mentees improve their communication, networking and problem-solving skills.
Networking and employment opportunities
Mentees benefit from their mentor’s knowledge and connections in the industry, which increases job opportunities.
For example, foreign students find their first job in France thanks to the mentoring programme at De Vinci Alumni.
Clarity on students’ career objectives
Working with alumni mentors helps students focus and clarify their career path. By working with a mentor, students can develop the thought process and focus needed to navigate their career path with confidence and resilience.
This advice is particularly useful for students who feel overwhelmed or uncertain about their future. By spending just a few hours a week working with a mentor, students gain the skills and foundations they need to succeed in their chosen field.
Sciences Po Lille has made this the main focus of its mentoring programme. With such a wide range of career paths, having the support of a mentor is an essential part of clarifying one’s career plan.
Building lasting relationships
In addition to learning and professional development, students who participate in an alumni mentoring programme have the opportunity to form lasting friendships with their mentors.
The shared experiences, stories, advice and guidance exchanged during mentoring create a strong bond beyond the academic setting. The special bond formed between students and former mentors can have a lasting impact on both parties.
Improves students’ academic performance
A recent study carried out at the Al Azhar Faculty of Medicine found that a mentoring programme significantly improved the academic performance of first-year medical students.
The students were divided into small groups and assigned mentors, and the results of an examination conducted after the programme showed a significant increase in performance compared with the results obtained before the programme.
The benefits of the mentoring programme were particularly pronounced for students who had previously achieved below-average results in examinations.
Two ways of structuring an alumni mentoring programme
An alumni mentoring programme can be structured in two ways. Matching alumni with current students or connecting alumni with other alumni.
Twinning alumni with current students
In this structure, a former mentor is matched with a current student or recent graduate to provide advice and support for a set period of time.
This type of mentoring helps current students to achieve their personal goals while contributing to the success of the organisation.
Alumni paired up with other alumni
A former mentor is matched with other alumni who have similar interests and experiences. This type of structure makes it easier for alumni with the same experience or level to get in touch and support each other.
It also offers networking opportunities that can help alumni stay in touch and benefit from the knowledge and experience of their peers.
Whatever structure you choose for your alumni mentoring programme, it is essential to ensure that all participants are fully aware of the expectations.
How do you set up an alumni mentoring programme?
Many organisations don’t know how to create an alumni mentoring programme. However, you are well on the way to creating a profitable platform if you follow these steps.
1. Decide on the objective of the programme
Your alumni mentoring programme must have clear mentoring goals and objectives if it is to be successful. Similarly, stakeholders and participants need to be aware of these.
Although everyone usually has a personal motivation for taking part in a mentoring programme, the end goal must match the expectations of both mentor and mentee. The aims and objectives of the programme must be clear and SMART. In other words, they should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound.
2. Draw up rules to determine who can participate
Setting clear guidelines for the mentoring programme about who can participate ensures that mentors and mentees get the most out of the programme. When determining who can participate in the programme, consider the qualifications and requirements for mentors and mentees.
For mentors, require them to be graduates of the institution or have direct industry experience. This will give them the knowledge and expertise to guide their students.
For mentees, consider requiring that they be current members or recent graduates of the institution, actively seeking professional advice and willing to engage with their mentors.
Consider factors such as professional level. Experience and areas of expertise when setting your guidelines. This will ensure that participants are well matched during the matching process. And above all that they can benefit from each other’s knowledge and experience.
And don’t forget to consider the diversity among your participants to ensure a range of perspectives and experiences.
3. Prepare and define your mentors’ expectations
Setting expectations with your mentors is important. Not only does this help to put them and mentees on the right track, it also ensures the success of the programme.
To reach their full potential, mentees need to clearly communicate their goals and areas for improvement to their mentors from the start of the programme.
A mentoring programme will be one-sided if mentors have to make all the decisions. Mentees are expected to be prepared to ask questions and be ready to learn. While mentors provide workable ideas and strategies.
4. Open and promote registration
Once you have identified and prepared your mentors, open the registration for your programme and promote it.
One effective way of doing this is to send an email announcement to all your alumni and mentees. This will tell them about the programme and its benefits. This can be followed up with further promotion via social media or other channels that reach your members.
To encourage early registration, inform participants of the opening and closing dates in advance. They can then plan accordingly.
5. Matching participants intelligently
Matching participants in a mentoring programme is a crucial factor in its success. Incompatible mentor-mentee pairs can lead to resentment and frustration. It is therefore important to ensure that participants are well matched.
One way of doing this is to use the AlumnForce mentoring platform. This allows you to match participants according to various factors. For example, their goals, personality, work style, work history, hobbies, achievements, strengths, skills, needs and areas of expertise.
This ensures that mentors and mentees are compatible and benefit from each other’s knowledge and experience.
6. Supporting relationships and taking stock
Programme managers and organisers should make it a priority to support and maintain the relationship between mentors and mentees. This should be done throughout the mentoring programme. This can be done through regular check-ins or other methods that suit your organisation.
A relationship between alumni and mentees often takes some time. Create the bond at the start of the programme, but trust is built up over time. It’s all about fostering the relationship between them.
7. Report on successes and gather feedback
An effective mentoring programme provides regular feedback on its progress. The means of gathering reports and feedback should not be limited to questionnaires, but include survey questions and post-session evaluations.
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