Mentoring
What is mentoring?
Mentoring is a relationship that develops between two individuals which focuses on supporting and encouraging the development of the mentee to help them reach their full potential, whether that be through developing new skills, moving sector or industry, or improving performance.
You may often hear the terms coaching and mentoring being used in similar contexts, there are some differences between these two approaches. There may be tools and techniques from coaching which our mentors may employ to ensure effective mentoring relationships.
Mentoring is more focused on an individual’s development, this relationship develops over a longer period of time, the areas of focus, objectives and individual session agendas are set by the mentee. At The Lowdown, we take a personal approach to our matching, this allows the mentee to tap into the expertise of their mentor through questioning and leveraging their experience.
When it comes to mentoring at The Lowdown we encourage our mentors and mentees to have an open and honest conversation about the timeframes and objectives of the relationship, and to keep these under constant review.
Benefits of mentoring
Mentoring is an invaluable tool and can provide a multitude of benefits to the mentee, but also for those taking on the role of mentors
For mentees.
identifying personal development goals
advancing career progression
accessing new sectors and industries
gaining confidence and self-awareness
building a professional network
leveraging experience and expertise
For mentors.
advancing listening & questioning skills
developing leadership skills
building communication skills
building confidence and self-awareness
developing your professional network
sharing experience and expertise
“As a fresh communications and public relations graduate, I wasn’t sure what path I wanted to take in terms of my career. Karmjit really helped align my goals and matched me with a mentor who really understood what I wanted to achieve. I’m now excited to see how things develop going forward!
So, thanks a million Karmjit!”
— Lowdown mentee
“"Transitioning from two decades in industry to academia presented challenges in navigating the bureaucracy-politics. I needed guidance from a sector-specific expert, so I turned to Lowdown. Their adept matching process connected me with a terrific mentor, under whose guidance my confidence blossomed, and I overcame self-doubt that had plagued me."
- Lowdown mentee
Register your interest.
If you would like to learn more about either becoming a mentor or a mentee please register your interest via the button below.
How does our mentor matching work?
For a mentor
Once you express an interest in mentoring with us, we’ll discuss with you where your expertise lies and what you would like your mentoring to focus on - whether that’s your experience in a particular industry and/or transferable skills such as confidence building, project management or transitioning into a new career.
We’ll then get started with matching you with a mentee who will really benefit from your mentoring and expertise.
For a mentee
No woman should be held back in their career because of their gender, particularly those from minority and marginalised backgrounds. Our mentoring service is open to all who identify as a woman, but we encourage those from more disadvantaged backgrounds to get in touch.
We are also working hard to promote this service through organisations and networks that work with women from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds. If you would like to be matched with one of our mentors, once you have expressed your interest with us, we will ask you some questions on what you would like to get from mentoring. This will prompt you to think about your career goals, whether this is getting a promotion, building your confidence, retraining, or changing careers for example - and what kind of mentor you feel you would benefit from to meet these goals.
We will then aim to match you with an appropriate mentor. Please bear in mind that this might not happen straight away. We are focused on making high value and personalised matches so you both get the most out of the relationship.
You’ve been matched – what happens next?
We encourage you to start off with a chemistry call or meeting. This won’t be your first mentoring session, rather an initial discussion to see whether you feel you are both well placed to work together and make the mentoring relationship work.
Choosing a mentor/mentee is an important decision, and this initial session is a good way to find out more about the person and how you might feel about working with them.
Once you have been matched you will receive access to our members’ area where you can access more detailed information, including our chemistry meeting guidance document.
What is the time commitment and format?
Each mentoring relationship is different, and we encourage you to discuss what will work best for both of you during your initial discussion. While we don’t impose a structure on how often you should meet and for how long, we do ask for consistency with meetings and a clear focus for your meetings and relationships, so you stay on track with your goals. We ask for a minimum 6-month commitment from mentors.
To make sure you’re both on the same page when it comes to expectations, format, and time commitment, we encourage you to use our mentoring agreement before you move forward with the relationship. This document can be accessed via our members’ area.
What support do I get if I have questions?
We’re here to give advice and help you come up with solutions during your mentoring. Please contact us here.
What happens when I finish my mentoring?
You are welcome to continue contact with your mentor / mentee if you both agree. We are constantly improving our programme and would welcome your feedback and reflections on the process and experience with The Lowdown. We will also ask each of our mentees and mentors to complete an evaluation form which will be kept confidential.