Approaches for Selecting a Mentor

• Make an appointment to meet with your prospective mentor. Bring your questions about the mentoring process as well as about the potential area of research or collaboration. Afterwards, note both how well your questions were answered, and how you felt during the meeting.


• Talk with others who have been mentored by this person. How do they feel about this person and the mentoring they are receiving? Ask for specific information: do they meet regularly with the mentor? Do they have a say in what direction the research will take? Does the mentor encourage their participation in regional or national conferences or professional meetings? What other activities or approaches does the mentor use to support the students’ professional development?


• In academia, mentors can play an important role in facilitating future career progression, whether to a job, professional school, or further education. Find out what the mentor’s former students are doing now (such information may be available in department offices, or you can ask the prospective mentor – and/or do some online research on your own). How well do past students’ trajectories match your own professional plans? Will this person be likely to help you get where you want to go?