Mentor FAQ’s – Activities and Challenges
Questions about mentoring activities
1. What kinds of activities should I initiate with my mentee?
As part of your orientation session, you will receive information about resources to support you through the mentoring relationship. This includes an introduction to the online Handbook with suggested materials and activities that you can use throughout your relationship. The Initial Assessment, sample agendas, mock interview questions as well as links such as the career maps can be of assistance throughout the relationship. At the end of the relationship, you can use the Final Assessment to track the progress the mentee has made and celebrate successes.
2. What kind of job preparedness training do mentees receive prior to the mentoring relationship?
Prior to being matched with their mentor, all mentees are required to take part in an employment preparation program which teaches them the basics of how to find a job in the Canadian market. This includes workshops on resume writing and interview skills that are non-industry specific.
3. I don’t remember who my coach is, or I lost the contact details for my coach. What do I do?
If you began mentoring through your organization, you can contact the person in your organization who is acting as the corporate coordinator. If you registered on our web site, you can contact The Mentoring Partnership for details about your coach.
Questions about challenging mentoring situations
- What if my mentee asks for guidance on finding a survival job?
Our focus is to help people find a job in their professional field and at a level that matches their skills and experience. If a mentee needs to get a job to pay the bills, it might be helpful to strategize with them about what kind of position could help them build Canadian experience and transferable skills related to their profession. However, the danger is that mentees can get stuck in these survival jobs and never progress in their career. Help to keep your menteemotivated toactively pursue the end goal of obtaining a job at the appropriate level in their profession. Support them to think about a longer term career and professional development plan which they can continue to pursue even when employed.
- I’ve been matched with a mentee who wants to work in a career that they are not trained for. What advice should I give?
Our program is for professionals who have experience in their occupational field and are ready to practice in that occupation in Canada. However, some mentees find the job search so difficult, or thattheir profession is so different here in Canada, that they are considering embarking on a new career. We encourage mentors to seek advice from their coach who is familiar with job search strategies and in supporting clients desiring to make a career change or seeking out more training. The coach will be able to strategize on the best approach for a mentee who is considering moving out of their occupational field.
- My mentee always arrives at least 15 minutes late for our scheduled meetings. What should I do?
Agree up front on what should be done if either party is going to be late. Remember that rescheduling ahead of time is an option. Be aware that different cultures and workplaces have different orientations of time and discuss appropriate behavior in the Canadian workplace.
- How do I help manage my mentee’s expectation that I will find them a job?
In all of our communications, we emphasize that it is not the role of the mentor to find the mentee a job. However, mentees often are under economic constraints and the desire to succeed. Our stance is that we should help mentees as much as we can while still keeping in mind that the main role of the mentor falls under the WIN model: to provide iinsights about workplace culture, information about the profession and open up networks to mentees.
- How do I advise my mentee on getting their credentials recognized?
The Canadian Centre for International Credentials lists approved assessment agencies that provide a service in assessing educational credentials and comparing them to Canadian educational standards.If your mentee is in a regulated occupation, they will first need to contact the pertinent regulatory body ( Even if your mentee is already licensed to practice a regulated occupation in Canada, employers may request ask for a formal assessment of academic credentials. Mentors and mentees can consult with their coach on this matter to see if they know of programs or supports that may assist the mentee in getting their credentials recognized.
- Should I advise my mentee to relocate to a different province or region in Canada?
TRIEC is a program to help immigrant professionals find work in Toronto. Many settle here because they have social supports including family and friends and do not want to relocate. We encourage mentors to help with job search strategies within the GTA.
- What is The Mentoring Partnership’s stance on religious dress in the workplace or in job interviews?
The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination on the basis of creed/religion, which includes protecting individuals' right to practice their religion free from discrimination, and by extensionthe freedom to wearreligious attire is also protected.Workplaces, services and facilities frequently have rules about dress. These may take the form of having to wear a particular uniform, having to wear protective gear, or a requirement that no person may wear a head covering. These rules may come into direct conflict with religious dress requirements. When they do, there is a duty to accommodate the person, short of undue hardship. For example, certain creeds do not permit men to cut their hair. Workplaces that prefer to employ men with short hair are acting in a discriminatory manner, unless they fall under a legal exception under the Code. It should be noted that for health and safety reasons, an employer may ask employees to contain their hair with a net or other appropriate head covering. It would be contrary to the Code for mentors to suggest and/or recommend to mentees that they should modify their religious attire. However, mentors could share their insight, experiences and alert mentees to challenges of discrimination and stereotypes, which are realitiesin our society and workplaces. Together you could explore strategies to support the mentee in responding to questions about their religious dress
- Am I required to give a reference to my mentee?
As in any situation where you are asked to provide a reference, we encourage mentors to use judgment based on their comfort level. Acting as a reference is not a requirement of the program, but if the mentor feels comfortable acting as a character reference, they should feel free to do so.
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