Seeing things from another person’s point of view means shifting from your own state of mind to understand what’s in theirs. Taking on someone else’s perspective increases the chance of creating a bond and reduces the risk of stereotyping. Being able to put yourself into the student’s place and see the whole experience of being on an industry placement from their angle is a core skill for mentors.
Starting out
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Setting goals
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Learning
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Taking control
Two things are especially important for students at the start: time and trust.
Time
People often feel nervous at the thought of meeting someone they don’t know and talking about themselves. Your student might – you might. It takes time to get to know each other and feel comfortable enough to behave naturally. So be prepared to put the time in at the outset.
“I had been introduced to my mentor before so the prospect of meeting him one-on-one felt slightly less intimidating, as I knew he would be easy to talk to and I didn’t need to worry so much about awkward first introductions”
Student on a placement in a music business
“When we started out we were in face to face contact quite a bit, I mean at one point like once a week or once every two weeks, because I had very specific requirements”
Student on a business mentoring programme
Trust
A lot is new and different for a student starting an industry placement. They’ve probably not done anything quite like this before, the relationship is different from ones they’re used to with teachers, family and friends and it might be the first time they’ve been at work. So work hard to build a relationship based on trust, confidentiality and mutual respect. The ethical standards referenced in Section 3 may provide a good reminder of the underpinning code of good practice for mentoring relationships.
“In the beginning when we first met we talked about how it was very important for us to make a good relationship so we could trust each other … we wrote a contract on how we wanted to meet, what we should talk about and what issues I wanted to bring up”
Student on a placement in a public sector organisation
“You want to trust them and … you want to feel that you can say whatever you want and need to say in a safe environment … I always felt like I could be pretty honest, I definitely felt that I could say what I wanted to say”
Student on a business mentoring programme
In addition to the learning objectives related to their student programme, students want to get a whole range of different things out of their industry placement. Some have a clear, specific goal linked to a career:
“I hope to broaden my industry knowledge and exposure to project management. Doing this would allow me to be thoroughly prepared for the working world and lay down the foundations of a successful career”
Student on a placement in a government agency
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Others may be less specific about their careers but still have clear goals for the placement:
“My range of work experience has been useful but the varied nature of the roles I have sought has not helped to clearly define what I intend on doing as a career … I hope to gain clarity in terms of my career direction, instead of spreading my work experience and energies thin on focusing on too much”
Student on a financial services placement
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They may have personal goals:
“I also hope to be able to objectively assess what I am good at but also identify my weaknesses in order to perhaps narrow down the pathways that I can take”
Student on a placement in a pharmaceutical business
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And broader ambitions for their futures:
“I’m keen to learn the essential skills in order to compete in such a competitive working world and how I can develop myself in order to stay attractive to employers”
Student on an accountancy placement
Industry placement students are likely to belong to the so-called ‘Generation Z’, i.e. people reaching adulthood in the second decade of the 21st century. According to research by global market research organisation Ipsos Mori, some young people in this group tend to think they will need to work harder than previous generations to succeed, and sometimes have a strong do-it-yourself mentality. How could you build on those two traits in your role as mentor?
To respond to their realism about working hard, you could:
“Through all of her advice, my mentor made me realise that how well I do this year comes from me. I am the one who has to put the work in, and I am the one who this work is for”
Student on an office placement
To respond to their independent mindedness, you could:
“My tendency to prefer a varied working environment rather than a very systematic and repetitive one is something I have identified as a quality I want from my future career”
Student on an accountancy placement
Students on industry placements learn through experience. This kind of experiential learning may be new to them, and they may react in different ways. Some embrace it and soak up the pressure; others need more support and confidence-building. Work out which mix of pressure and support is best for your student. Be adaptable.
“I’ve got to be challenged. I want to be pushed … I always know I’ll get back that honest, expert opinion that my mentor can offer because that’ll help me get to the next level”
Student on a sports mentoring scheme
“People do say I’m definitely more confident and I think I am more resilient than I was … being more confident in what I do is definitely a benefit”
Student on a placement in a public sector organisation
“He gave me the support I needed when I was unsure with issues, but he never gave me advice and made me find the answer myself”
Student on a placement in a public sector organisation
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Experiential learning is active, not passive. It relies on students doing practical tasks, taking part, being given a role and responsibilities, getting feedback, forming relationships and networks – all things a mentor can support. It’s less about being taught and more about taking control.
“We spent time interacting with various teams at the trust in order to find out about how the wider team works together to achieve the collective goal of improved patient outcomes”
Student on placement in an NHS Trust
How could you help your student to make the most of the opportunity to learn through experience?
All of my mentor’s colleagues were so welcoming. Some had time to share their knowledge, professional experiences and contact details with me. One made an open offer for me to come back and shadow his team at any time
Student on a project management placement
Some students prefer their mentor to be proactive and take the lead, especially at first. Others like to be in charge of how the relationship works. Be attentive to what your student wants.
“At first my mentor was the one to reach out more but after a few weeks I was initiating contact as frequently as her … I used to send her some of my projects and ideas and she would give me some feedback and tips based on her previous experience”
Student on a business administration placement
“I think it’s more a case of knowing there’s somebody there who will listen to you, who will kind of take on board any issues or any comments you have and kind of reassure you as well if things do go wrong”
Student on an education mentoring programme
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But don’t forget that the placement is somewhere for students to learn independence and resilience. Students who are encouraged to see themselves as having control over their environment get much more out of being mentored than those who think that everything which happens to them is beyond their control.
“Within the first few weeks we were video calling and exchanging messages with regards to what my ambitions were. The whole experience was less like an interview and more like a genuine chat aimed at getting the best out of me. I would always come away knowing more and having aims set out for the next catch up”
Student on a business placement
How can you encourage your student to take control?
Ask them to set the agenda for mentoring sessions
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Get them to set their own goals and targets
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Make sure they take responsibility for following up on actions
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Invite them to explore what the mentoring relationship can add to their experience of the placement
Starting out
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Setting goals
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Learning
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Taking control
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