My Experience with The Mentoring Club
This is a post of our mentor Pricilla about her experience with The Mentoring Club, how she found it, why it is an extremely valuable experience for her. She shares some good practices and advice for how to use the platform - both as a mentor and as a mentee.
What is Mentoring?
Mentoring is a relationship between two people in different aspects of life. A Mentor can guide in many ways: Professional, Personal, Emotional development. I strongly believe this is a great privilege for everyone. We get an opportunity to connect with another human-being. It’s not only about giving or sharing what you know. You have plenty to learn from your mentees as well.
What is The Mentoring Club?
Last year I landed up on a website, where I was so intrigued about the process and giveaway’s of them. Fortunately one of my well-wishers and a good friend was listed as a mentor on their page. So I saw an option for applying as a Mentor. I did apply, I wasn’t sure if I would be accepted as a Mentor. So I connected with my friend and checked how his experience so far with the mentoring club was. He gave good reviews :-) At the same time, my application as a Mentor is also approved. I got my Mentor profile created.
Mentoring Club is a non-profit organization who believes in the power of community and they started it during the 2020 pandemic. Jessica Dewald and Bastian Buch are the founders of this amazing platform. You can check out more stories and reviews on the website. These two amazing humans developed this platform for the cause of helping each other and grow together and making this world a better place.
How does it work?
If you are looking out for great friend and guide, who doesn't judge you — Feel free to check our mentors here. Mentors are listed by category and you can select based on your need and you can book an appointment with them.
Select your mentor:
Click “Schedule Session”:
Scroll down and Click “Next”:
Now you will be seeing the calendar of the Mentor and you can go ahead and book the appointment with them right away.
Tada, that’s it. You are good to go…
Both the Mentee and Mentor will now receive the email with the details.
Few points before the meeting as a “Mentee”:
Try to understand about the Mentoring areas of the Mentor
Based on it, keep your queries ready.
Make sure to connect on-time for the meeting.
Start your call with a small introduction about you.
Be honest while you share your experiences, no-one is gonna judge you :-)
Make sure about the internet connectivity and your microphone/camera. Else most of your time will be eaten by these sorts of technical difficulties.
Make notes of the points whenever needed, don’t memorize everything. You might lose some important content.
Don’t stop with one-day. Work-out on the pointers mentioned by your mentor.
Last but not the least, please try to inform the Mentor if you couldn’t join due to some unavoidable circumstances. We should respect other’s time, to get ours to be respected :-)
How to become a Mentor?
If you have decided to spend some of your time guiding others, sharing your own experiences and making an impact into someone’s life , then this is the right platform for you. Click here to apply. Once you fill-in the details and submit, the team will verify your application and once they approve your mentor profile will be created.
You will receive the “Welcome” email from the team. All the instructions to get started will be mentioned in the welcome kit. Go ahead and set-up your profile, update your availability using
Calendly. You can either prefer Zoom/G-meet. You can also track the sessions on the website. So make sure to create the account and update when needed. You will also get the slack link to join the channel. You can meet fellow mentors and ask/share your thoughts.
Few pointers for the Mentors:
You are doing this for free of cost, and you represent the community. So make sure to stick to the “Code of Conduct”.
Introduce yourself during the first meeting with the mentee.
Not everyone is ready for the camera meeting. So, just let it be. It can be just an audio call. Once we build the rapport, they are ready to do it.
Try to first listen to them and let them talk/vent out. We can respond after that.
Try to stay in touch with the Mentees even after the session. This will help them to stay on-track.
Just because they are reaching out for Mentoring, it doesn't mean they are unware of everything. “We can learn something from every mentee.”
Try to be on-time for your sessions.
Track all your sessions using the “Session Tracker”
If you couldn’t join the session for some reasons, please inform the mentees before-hand. We should respect their time.
Be kind and empathetic :-)
Certified Mentor
If you are completing your 10 mentoring sessions, then you will be given the “Certified Mentor” badge/title. Of course it will be displayed in your profile as well.
What else in the store?
Other than Mentoring, there’s something else.
Book Recommendations (from the Mentors)
Interesting Podcasts
Insightful Blogs
Events
Of course you can donate, if you want to support the cause ❤
My Personal Experience
I joined as a Mentor in June 2021. So far I have had 10+ mentoring sessions. I made good friends and memories. I learnt a lot from my mentees. And I am still in touch with most of them. I am grateful to be a part of their life.
What are you waiting for?
“In learning, you will teach, and in teaching, you will learn.” — Phil Collins
So join us, if you have something to share with the community. Also spread a word with your friends and families. I hope this reaches many and many. Some might need mentoring right now ❤