Protégé FAQ’S
Who can join as a Protégé?
eMentor is open to ALL active, guard and reserve U.S. military service members, veterans and military spouses from ALL service eras. For those interested in career transition advice and resources, select military friendly organizations are also invited into the program to provide career Mentors who fill a critical need in supplying the industry specific, functional area information and career transition advice some eMentor Protégés seek.
Career Mentors from the private sector are also invited to join. Career Mentors are business owners and/or leaders from a wide range of industries who fill a critical need in providing the industry specific, functional area information and career transition advice eMentor Protégés seek.
Is there a cost to join eMentor?
Participation in eMentor is free to members of the military community.
What are the time commitments and responsibilities of Protégés?
The focus of the mentoring relationship is determined by the Protégé. You must be prepared to lead in identifying your needs or challenge areas and, with guidance from the Mentor, resolving them. The Mentor is not there to provide the answers, but to help guide you towards the answer that is right for you. Your mentoring relationship can be short or long term, as well as formal or informal. It may develop to focus on a particular issue or it may be one that lasts for years covering a range of issues.
You will be able to meet with your Mentor online, 24/7 — for one-on-one, email and phone-based mentoring relationships. There is no minimum time commitment, but most Protégés engage with their Mentors for an average of 60 – 90 minutes per month. The additional work that you will put into achieving your goals beyond this time is up to you!
How does the program work? How will I be matched with my Mentor?
Protégés start by completing an online profile. From there, you will be able to search for and select a mentor from a suggested list of individuals who best match your mentoring needs. When the mentor accepts your invitation, the mentoring relationship begins. Communication is primarily online, however, each mentoring pair will determine together what type and frequency of communication is best. eMentor team members are available for assistance throughout the matching process.
Why become a Protégé?
Your success is determined by many factors and the road to success is different for every traveler, but nearly all who excel in their careers (and lives) can point to the invaluable presence of a Mentor who helped them along the way. Finding a Mentor positively correlates with career outcomes such as promotion rate, job satisfaction, retention, increased salary, as well as greater personal fulfilment and work-life balance. Having a Mentor to coach you in these areas, and the benefits you can gain from a mentoring relationship, are immeasurable.
As a Protégé, you will be able to:
- Learn lessons from those who have traveled a similar path – A Mentor has experienced many of the same problems and situations that you will, or may currently, face. A Mentor is able to provide perspective and is able to help you navigate through the labyrinth of work and life challenges so that you can better position yourself for success. A Mentor is able to share wisdom that only someone who has “been there, done that” can provide.
- Have a guide to help navigate important decisions – There will be times in your career and life when you have trouble making a big decision. A Mentor is someone who is not involved personally, who will be able to talk you through the decision making process and give their unbiased opinions based on their own past experiences in similar situations.
- Get assistance in defining your goals – Individuals are much more successful when they have a Mentor to help them define their career goals and objectives. If you don’t know where you want to go, how will you determine how to get there? A Mentor will help you put a clear plan in place to assist you in achieving your career and personal aspirations more efficiently and quickly.
- Be held accountable for achieving your goals – The best way to ensure you achieve your goals is to share them with someone else. A Mentor brings accountability which breeds greater responsibility. A Mentor will help you to develop a plan and set reachable goals. You can then set up check-in times where they’ll make sure you’re taking the necessary action towards achieving those goals. You’re much more likely to follow through on your career and/or life plan when you have a Mentor who holds you accountable.
- Broaden your network – A great mentoring relationship will last well beyond your current need and may grow into a beneficial networking relationship for both you and your Mentor. You never know who your Mentor may introduce you to and what doors those connections could open.
What resources will be available to me as a Protégé to assist with creating a successful mentoring relationship?
Once you join as a Protégé, eMentor will provide numerous online resources and guides that will assist you in making the most of the eMentor platform, offer tips for effective mentoring, and provide you with the best practices that Protégés can cultivate to maximize the chances of a highly successful, productive mentoring relationship such as: getting acquainted initially, goal setting, communication and feedback strategies, networking tips, ways to stay engaged, and proper closure of mentoring relationships.