Purpose
To connect Calvin alumni working in professional, business-related positions with students interested in a similar career path.
Need
Business is a broad field, and many students aren't sure which direction to pursue. Pairing up with an alum who has successfully navigated a career path can be invaluable to students who are discerning their vocational calling. Students with a major or minor in business or accounting from all class levels are encouraged to participate.
MBA@Calvin mentors will guide students primarily through career-related questions (a different emphasis than Calvin's other mentoring program, which focuses on personal and spiritual development). Through serving, mentors gain a closer connection to the college, make an impact on a student's life, and gain networking contacts with future colleagues.
Commitment
- meet together in person a minimum of 3 times during one school year
- lunch tickets for on-campus meals will be provided by the Career office if desired
- mentors fill out a profile (register), and students select a mentor based on how their career interests match the mentor's profile
How to get involved
Matching for the mentoring program is completed in the fall (Sept/Oct).
Student's responsibilities
- initiate contact to schedule meetings
- reply to phone calls and e-mails from your mentor within two days
- evaluate your mentoring experience at the end of the school year
Suggested activities
- share a meal or coffee (Calvin's Career office will provide students with lunch tickets for on-campus meals if desired)
- tour the mentor's workplace/job shadow for an afternoon
- discuss various career paths and options related to student's interest
- review student's resume and cover letter; provide interview tips
- attend business networking events, speakers, etc.
- introduce student to others in fields that interest the student
- assist student in developing an effective introduction / 30 second “commercial” that identifies the student’s educational background and future career goals, to be used for networking purposes
- introduce student to corporate culture / the world of work: unwritten rules, workplace etiquette
- discuss surprising things about the workplace / how it differs from expectations
- discuss the rewards and challenges of the mentor’s work
- determine challenges the student faces and how they can be overcome
Getting started
First meeting:
- Introductions. Both share a bit about personal lives.
- Mentor shares career story. How did mentor get to today's position?
- Student describes possible career plans.
- Establish what might be helpful goals for the relationship. Are there certain activities that could be useful in helping the student reach career goals/decisions? Other people with whom the student should meet? Set goals and give assignments if necessary.
Subsequent meetings:
- Follow the plan set up during your first meeting.
- Questions to review each time you meet: How are you doing? Has anything significant happened since last time we spoke? What’s most pressing on your mind?
- Other suggested questions that students may want to ask about career paths.
