The mentor and mentee are expected to connect with each other for at least one hour per month - by phone, Zoom or in person if you're located near each other. The mentee should complete the Goal Setting Worksheet and share that with their mentor prior to, or shortly after, their first meeting. Mentees should take the initiative in scheduling the calls. During that first conversation, spend some time learning about each other's background. Mentors, share what led you to the OR/MS field; what helped you decide between academia vs. industry; your job history; how you landed in your current position; if you're comfortable with sharing - talk a little about your personal life (your family, hobbies, interests...) And mentees, what led you to OR/MS; are you looking for help deciding between academia and industry or do you already know which one appeals to you; what point you're at in your studies/career; and if you feel comfortable sharing a bit about your personal life, please do. The better the two of you get to know each other, the more beneficial the mentor match can become.
On this page, you'll see links to some articles that may help get the conversation flowing. Mentors can feel free to give the mentees an assignment to complete prior to the next call. Maybe it's an article or book to read, a presentation to watch on YouTube, a podcast to listen to...
The objective of the Mentor Match program is to facilitate connections between two members who can mutually benefit each other. It's not a one-way relationship. Mentors learn by mentoring as well!
If at any time during the program you have questions, please contact Garrett Johnston at gjohnston@informs.org.