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RS Mentoring

Being mentored can be a really useful way of getting guidance and support from a more experienced colleague to help you develop your career. Mentoring can happen either informally or formally and on an individual or group basis.

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Research Staff Mentoring Circles 2012/13

The University's popular mentoring circles are back.

• Are you thinking about your future career prospects?
• Would you value others’ perspective on this?
• Would you like to meet other researchers facing similar challenges to you?
• Would you like to hear from a senior academic how they have navigated their career?

If so you might find that a research staff mentoring circle is just what you are looking for.

In this mentoring scheme each circle is led by an experienced academic (the mentor) and consists of 7-10 research staff (the mentees). Research staff mentees should be on Grades I - K. All circles are cross-disciplinary, offering an opportunity for networking with researchers from outside your own discipline and to gain valuable outside perspectives on your career. The circles aim to provide a forum in which research staff can talk about their careers, share their experiences and discuss challenges they are facing with both a supportive peer group, as well as a more experienced academic. Examples of topics that might be discussed are: CVs, interview techniques and work-life balance.

Meetings will generally take place in the main University precinct.  If you sign up to join a circle, you will be asked to pick a day and time that is convenient to you. If you are willing to meet in Langford, either because that is where you are based or because you would appreciate the opportunity to see another area of the University, please select the option of meeting on Thursdays at the end of the day. Some of the groups meeting on Thursdays at the end of the day will have meetings in Langford and some in the main precinct area.

Induction

Pre-requisites: When signing up to a mentoring circle you are also asked to sign up to an induction. The induction aims to clarify expectations for the scheme and helps you to start reflecting on your own career so that you are ready to discuss this with the group.

Mentoring Circles

Mentoring sessions will begin in January 2013. Each circle will meet 3 times during the first half of 2013 (specified dates below). You are expected to attend all three sessions. Each meeting should last between 1.5 - 2 hours.

• Tuesdays (12-2pm): 15 January, 12 March, and 14 May 2013
• Wednesdays (12-2pm): 16 January, 13 March, and 15 May 2013
• Thursdays (12-2pm): 17 January, 14 March, and 16 May 2013
• Thursdays (3-5pm): 17 January, 14 March, and 16 May 2013

How to apply

Applications for the 2012/13 Mentoring Scheme have now closed. If you would like to express an interest in attending a Mentoring Scheme in the future please contact Alice Scott on A.Scott@bristol.ac.uk or (0117) 928 8269. The final deadline for sign up to the 2012/13 Mentoring Scheme was the 27 November 2012.

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Athena SWAN Mentoring Circles

The Athena SWAN Mentoring Circles are for women working in the SET area.

 

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Individual Mentoring

Alternatively, you may want to find yourself an individual mentor.  This could be someone from your department or further afield, depending on what you want to discuss/work on.  It is important to pick the right person and to establish early on what you want to get out of the relationship.

Questions to ask yourself and things to think about when trying to identify a mentor:

• Is there anyone in your current network that may be suitable?
• Are there any academics that you have come across who you particularly respect?
• What areas do you want to develop? - do you know anyone who is strong in those areas?
• Talk to some senior colleagues to get a feel for their approach to work/life etc. and try to find a fit.
• If you can, find out if they have mentored anyone before and how successful they are.
• Check for possible conflicts of interest.
• Look for someone who will challenge you.
• Think about what's in it for them?
• How are you going to get the most out of a mentoring relationship?

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