2016 Career Link Mentee Orientation

Slide 1 – Career Link Mentoring Program - US Business Leadership Network

Presented By: USBLN

In Partnership With: Cornell University

Funded Through Grants From: Mitsubishi Electric American Foundation and the Walmart Foundation

Slide 2 – MenteeOrientation Agenda

►Welcome

►Program Overview & Timeline

►Review of the Matching Process

►Review of the Mentoring Process

►Next Steps

Slide 3 – PlanningTeam Introductions

Mylene Padolina – Student Initiatives Program Manager – USBLN

Kathleen Lee – Business Outreach Specialist – Cornell University

Slide 4 – Partnership Program

USBLN – Business Leadership Network

Driving Success Through Disability Inclusion

Cornell University – Yang Tan Institute on Employment and Disability (YTI)

Slide 5 – Program Overview

Slide 6 – 6 Month Mentoring Program for Students/Grads with Disabilities

Special emphasis:

►Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors

►Students/recent graduates with veteran status

Slide 7

►Began as a 2012 pilot program

  • Department of Labor – Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)

►Funding sources

  • Grants from Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) & the Walmart Foundation
  • Partnerships from USBLN Member Companies

►Participation as Mentors open to USBLN Member Company employees

Slide 8 – Mentee Recruitment Resources

►Workforce Recruitment Program

►Partner Referrals

  • American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
  • Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD)
  • Career Services/Disability Services at various colleges and universities
  • AAAS Entry Point!
  • Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
  • University of Washington – DO-IT Program

►Referrals from previous Mentees

►Visitors to Career Link Mentoring Program Website –

Slide 9 – TheMatching Process

►Utilize information from Mentor profile form

►Match Mentor requests to Mentee candidates

►Matching factors: major, career interests and geographic location

Slide 10 – Growing Strong

2012 Pilot – 20 mentoring pairs – 7 companies

2013 – 49 mentoring pairs – 16 companies

2014 – 73 mentoring pairs – 30 companies

2015 – 72 mentoring pairs – 16 companies

Slide 11 – ProgramOutcomes for Mentors

►Contributed to professional development

►More likely to promote recruiting and hiring of people with disabilities

►More likely to promote WRP

►Increased awareness

  • Barriers faced by students with disabilities in the job market
  • Barriers faced by people with disabilities in the workplace
  • Disability disclosure issues

Slide 12 – Program Outcomes for Mentees

►Increased confidence in ability to achieve career goals

►Increased confidence in job seeking skills

►Increased knowledge about job search strategies

►Developed career goals

►Developed a professional network

Slide 13 – Program Timeline

Slide 14

February-March – Mentor and Mentee online orientation webinar review

March – Program kick-off calls, profile form distribution & matching process completed

April 1 – Start of mentoring relationship

April-May – Disability disclosure training

Slide 15

May – Separate Mentor and Mentee networking calls

June-July – Program midpoint evaluations & virtual panel discussions

July – Confirmation of Mentee conference attendance

August – 2nd round of Mentor and Mentee networking calls

Slide 16

August-September – Mentee Preparation for USBLN Annual Conference

September – USBLN® Annual Conference

September 30 – Mentoring program ends

October-November – Program evaluations

December & March 2017 – Additional Mentee check-ins

Slide 17 – Program Roles & Responsibilities

Slide 18 –SuccessfulMentoring Relationships

►Commitment

►Trust and Respect

►Expectations

►Communications

Slide 19 – MentorRole & Key Qualities

Mentor, Advisor, Listener, Friend, Guide, Confidant, Role Model, Resource Broker, caring, committed, open, flexible, persistent, empathetic, nonjudgmental, patient, invested, optimistic, genuine, respectful

Slide 20 – Mentee Responsibilities

Commitment

►Devote time and energy to the 6 month program.

►Meet commitments to the program and to your Mentor.

►Take an active role in driving the mentoring relationship and guiding the activities.

Trust and Respect

►Value and take advantage of the opportunity that the program offers.

►Value and utilize Mentor’s volunteer time, talents, knowledge and experience.

►Be open to new ideas and ways of learning.

►Build trust through confidentiality.

Slide 21 – Mentee Responsibilities

Expectations

►Maintain professional standards.

►Be positive and enthusiastic.

►Be prepared for meetings.

►Accept feedback and act on it.

►Be committed and responsible.

Communications

►Communicate regularly, effectively, and efficiently.

►Be open to sharing thoughts, feelings and concerns.

►Ask for help when you need it.

►Address problems as they arise.

Slide 22 – Mentoring Program Resource Guide

3 Stages of Mentoring

Mentoring Tips

Communication Etiquette

Non-Traditional Students

Disclosure & Accommodations

Soft Skills Curriculum

Job Search Videos

Mentoring Plan Document

Additional Resources

Slide 23 – Evaluations

►Program Midpoint Evaluation

  • Online survey in July
  • End of Program Evaluation
  • Online survey in October/November
  • Feedback critical for ongoing program improvements

►Additional Check-ins with Mentees

  • December and March of the following year
  • Gather information about employment outcomes

Slide 24 - 3 Stages of Mentoring

Getting Started

Achieving the Goals

Conclusion

Slide 25 –GettingStarted

Now – March

  1. Review Mentoring Program Resource Guide.
  2. Review your Mentor’s profile form, conduct an internet search on your Mentor and his/her company.
  3. Review your list of priority career mentoring activities and determine the timeline to complete those activities.
  4. Gather examples of the challenges you face with the soft skills you want to develop.

First Week in April

  1. Your Mentor will contact you via email.
  2. Work with your Mentor to schedule the first call/meeting.

Slide 26 – GettingStarted

First two weeks of April

  1. Complete first mentoring meeting.
  2. Focus on building the relationship.
  3. Get to know your Mentor and build rapport.
  4. Determine schedule for regular meetings.

Last two weeks of April

  1. Work on the Mentoring Plan document.
  2. Discuss timeline for your priority mentoring activities.
  3. Discuss your selected soft skills to develop.
  4. Jointly determine goals & activities.
  5. Attend a disability disclosure training session.

Slide 27 – CareerMentoring Activities

►Resume review

►Mock interview

►Develop and practice elevator speech.

►Develop or refine social media presence (i.e., LinkedIn, etc.).

►Discuss job opportunities in field of study or area of interest.

►Develop a long-term career goal and identify steps to accomplish it.

►Obtain links to other professionals for networking.

►Practice disclosing disability and communicating disability-related work support and accommodation needs.

►Visit Mentor’s workplace and conduct a job shadow.

►Receive coaching to support successful internship or full time position.

►Get assistance in reviewing and selecting potential college courses.

►Obtain referrals for opportunities or resources.

Slide 28 – Proposed Timeline for Achieving Goals

Slide 29 – MAY

  1. Explore the topic of disability disclosure with your Mentor and discuss accommodations needed in the workplace.
  2. Review your resume with your Mentor to obtain suggestions for improvement.
  3. If your Mentor is in your local area, schedule an office visit, job shadow and/or mock interview.

Slide 30 – JUNE-JULY

  1. Work with your Mentor to develop or refine your elevator speech.
  2. Obtain referrals to new connections/contacts from your Mentor. Schedule networking opportunities.
  3. Follow through on opportunities or resources recommended by your Mentor.
  4. If you are working this summer, get job coaching from your Mentor.
  5. At the start of the 2nd half of the program, conduct a check-in with your Mentor to assess progress of the mentoring relationship.
  6. Complete the formal midpoint program survey online.

Slide 31 – AUGUST-SEPTEMBER

  1. Get advice from your Mentor on relevant classes to take in the new school year.
  2. Work with your Mentor to prepare for the USBLN Annual Conference.
  3. Connect with the Career Placement/Services Center at school and take advantage of their offerings.
  4. Apply and interview to be included in the Workforce Recruitment Program’s new database.
  5. Plan for the ending of the formal mentoring program.

Slide 32 – Seek Assistance

Contact a member of the planning team immediately:

►If you don’t get a response

►If you can’t get the relationship started

►If the relationship is moving off track

►If you need additional resources

Slide 33 - Concluding the Mentoring Relationship

September

►Plan for and discuss the ending of the formal mentoring program.

  • Review accomplishments and areas requiring ongoing focus.

►Determine if you will continue to connect with your Mentor.

  • Discuss the methods and frequency.

October

►Complete final program evaluation survey.

Slide 34 – In-Person Networking Opportunities

Slide 35

►Practice networking skills.

►Implement learnings from the mentoring program.

►Gain visibility through speaking opportunities.

►Reward Mentees who meet program commitments.

Slide 36 – Regional Events

Locations and dates to be determined

►Geographic areas with the greatest concentration of Mentors and Mentees

►Held at the start or midpoint of the program

Slide 37 – USBLN Annual Conference

Slide 38

►Preeminent national business to business event focusing on disability inclusion in the workplace, marketplace, and supply chain

►800+ participants from corporations, government, disability-owned businesses and BLN affiliates

►Facilitated networking sessions

►Rising Leadership Academy for Mentees

►Conference Professional Development Track

Slide 39 – MenteeFeedback on Conference Attendance

►Met role models

►Made connections

►Learned about the recruiting and hiring process at various companies

►Defined future career path

►Practiced public speaking

Slide 40 - Mentee Conference Feedback Continued

►Gained confidence

►Learned more about my own and others’ disability

►Engaged with and learned from attendees with the same disability

►Lessened fear of disclosure

►Learned about new assistive technologies

Slide 41 – Next Step – Required Actions

Slide 42 - When You Finish Viewing This Video

Go to:

►Confirm completion of this online orientation session.

►Confirm your ability to commit to the 6 month program.

►Schedule time to attend a program kick-off conference call in March.

Slide 43

Learn about your Mentor before your first meeting.

►Review your Mentor’s profile form.

►Conduct internet searches on your Mentor.

►Research your Mentor’s company.

Define what you want from your Mentor.

►Career/job information

►Activities

►Resources

►Contacts

Slide 44 – Be Prepared

►Place meetings on your calendar.

►Review mentoring program resource guide for discussion topic ideas.

►Prepare at least 2-3 questions for your Mentor.

►Provide a recap of your job search and career exploration activities since the last meeting.

►End meetings by reviewing action items to be completed before the next meeting.

►If you will be late or can’t make a scheduled meeting, notify your Mentor immediately prior to the start of the meeting.

Slide 45

Be Responsive

►Respond to calls/emails within 24 hours.

Make Time to Network

►Research companies.

►Ask Mentor for contacts.

►Follow through on referrals.

►Schedule meetings.

►Gather a list of questions.

►Send thank you notes/emails.

Slide 46

Thank you for reviewing this online orientation session! We look forward to working with you!

Kathleen Lee – Cornell University - – 314-369-6292

Mylene Padolina – USBLN® - – 206-295-6907

Sarah Von Schrader – Cornell University - – 607-254-8088