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Student Guide
WHAT IS THE CNR STUDENT MENTORING NETWORK?
The CNR Student Mentoring Network provides access to advice and counsel from professionals
working in fields of interest to students and alumni from the College of Natural Resources.
The mentors are alumni of the College or Wisconsin-based leadership programs. The network
will provide information about career fields, employment outlooks and professional
advancement along with advice on how to pursue or excel in a particular career path.
Remember, however, that the mentoring network is to be used to gather career-related
information; it should not be used to ask mentors for jobs.
HOW TO USE THE NETWORK
After you’ve reviewed the database, identified the mentors you wish to contact, and have
received the specific information by which to contact them, you should prepare the questions
you would like to ask. Remember that the mentors are working professionals who have busy
schedules. Plan on allowing 15-30 minutes (possibly less) for your conversation. With this in
mind, do background research into the field or organization so that you don’t waste time asking
questions that are general in nature and could be readily answered from other available resources.
You’ll want to use your time with the mentor to have a conversation that respects the mentor’s
personal experience and knowledge. Although it is recommended that you tailor your questions to
what you hope to learn, some sample questions are:
- What do you do in a typical day? Does the routine vary from day to day, or is it predictable? Do your responsibilities vary at different times of the year? Who controls your schedule? What are the general working conditions of the job (indoors, outdoors, in front of a computer, working with the public)? Is much travel involved? Use the opportunity to probe in order to visualize the day-to-day duties of the job.
- What attracted you to this career? What keeps you motivated? What personal attributes do you think are important for someone in this field? What skills are essential in the job and where do those skills come from? Is this career what you expected it to be?
- (For information related to a particular field/agency/organization) What are the career prospects in this field/organization? How would you recommend someone get into this field/organization? What kind of experience or internships would be helpful? What is your (the mentor) background, and would you do anything different today? What is the usual or expected career path?
- (For information related to a specific agency or organization) Can you describe the organization’s philosophies or values? What is the management style of the agency? Does your organization offer a training program? When your agency looks for an entry-level professional, how do you find candidates? How is entry-level professional defined in your organization?
It is good practice to prioritize your questions so that you get the information that is most
important to you. The time will pass quickly, and it is possible that the mentor may have to end
the conversation early if she or he has to take another call.
THE APPROACH
The contact information provided specifies whether the mentor prefers to be contacted by
telephone or email. When you make the initial contact introduce yourself and tell the mentor
that you are a student (or alumnus) from the College of Natural Resources and got their
information from the student mentoring network. Ask whether you’ve reached the person at a
good time (assuming that you are phoning them) and if they have a few minutes to answer some
career-related questions. If it is not a good time, find a time that is mutually convenient.
(Have your calendar/schedule when you call, and make sure you call the mentor back at the time
you’ve scheduled.)
Be prepared during the course of your conversation to answer questions about yourself that
relate to your experiences, skills, interests and goals. Remember, the mentors have volunteered
to speak with you and genuinely want to help. If you are shy or nervous about talking with
someone you don’t know, practice your introduction and questions with a family member or friend.
GENERAL ETIQUETTE
The Student Mentoring Network may provide the opportunity for a lifelong professional
relationship; etiquette and professional courtesy are necessary for such a relationship.
Remember that the mentor is a busy professional who has taken an interest in helping YOU.
Always thank the mentor for his or her time. Be friendly and be yourself. Be genuinely interested
in the mentor’s answers. Be respectful of his or her time; have a watch or clock nearby, and
if the interview exceeds twenty minutes, it is polite to ask the mentor if he or she has the
time to continue.
WHAT NEXT?
At the conclusion of your conversation you may have had all of your questions answered.
Thank the mentor for his or her time. You may want to return to the network database and find
other mentors to talk to in the future.
It’s possible that the mentor may have made suggestions to you on ideas or goals you may want
to pursue. Courteously ask the mentor if you can call again at some time in the future to
discuss your ongoing progress toward your goals.
If the mentor made suggestions outside of his or her scope of experience during your
conversation, ask if he or she can recommend the name of someone you can talk to who
works directly in the field or agency. (When you contact this person, prepare in the
same way you did with the original mentor, and tell the person where you got their name.
They will likely be more appreciative of the call if they know that one of their colleagues
recommended them.)
It is also appropriate to ask the mentor if they know of someone in the field that they might
job shadow for part of the day, if they are aware of any future internships or job openings
in their organization, and, if they work in a field that you are expressly interested in,
if they would be willing to offer a critique of your resume. Questions like these should be
reserved for situations where you’ve really connected with the mentor, and you should be
prepared to follow through.
Lastly, perhaps the strongest way to make a good impression is to follow your conversation
with a short, sincere thank-you letter. In the letter, reiterate your appreciation for the
mentor’s time. Let them know how the conversation helped you, assuming that it did. You can
also mention any steps you’ve taken to follow up on their advice, although the rule of thumb
is that the letter should be sent within 24 hours of the conversation. The content of the
letter is not as important as the expression of good will and the courteous impression it
will leave of you.
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