Mentor Program for international students at KTH

Transcription

1 Mentor Program for international students at KTH

2 Content Welcome to the Program... 3 KTH Mentor Program aims to... 3 The program is run over during 9 months and includes... 3 Who can become a mentor in the KTH Mentor program?... 5 The role of the Mentor... 5 Questions to help you during the first meeting... 6 Topics to talk about... 7 Activities to do together... 7 Exercise 1: Work Values... 8 Exercise 2: Personal Traits and Qualities... 9 Exercise 3: Skills Evaluation half time Evaluation at the end of the Program Notes Working in Sweden Literature

3 Welcome to the Program Welcome as adept in this year's mentoring program for international students, you will have a fun and inspiring year with your mentor. Remember to prepare yourself properly and take your responsibilities at work out of respect for your mentor. The mentors are looking forward to this and have plans and expectations of what your time together will result in. Good Luck! KTH Mentor Program aims to Support the personal and professional development for both mentor and mentee Create good connections between students and the Swedish labor market Mentor and mentee will have regular meetings during the time of the program. To make the mentorship program a positive experience for both parties, a set framework will be followed. The program is run over during 9 months and includes Introductory meeting for mentees and mentors Workshops about 3 times where progress is discussed and feedback on the program is given Program materials and literature Networking events and lectures Close-down meeting and de-brief for mentors and mentees Discussions and information on KTH Social/Mentor program for International Students Assignment at the end of the Program At the end of the program you will write a self-reflection about the time that you have spent with your mentor. 3

4 Mentee 2010: I appreciate and look forward to our meetings. I make careful notes during each meeting and we ve discussed some 30 different work- and career- related topics, which gives me knowledge and opportunities. Priceless, had never counted with such support from my mentor! 4

5 Who can become a mentor in the KTH Mentor program? Criteria for becoming a mentor at KTH Have at least two years of work experience Have studied at KTH or equivalent College/University Is curious about people Is a good listener, an ability to give constructive feedback Can invest time and dedication in his adept, to share their experiences Have been like to have been adept in a mentor program Is resident in the area of Stockholm The role of the Mentor Be committed and to be able to listen Reflect back and challenge the mentee to think deeper about questions To give the mentee attention and time to meet Allow the mentee to being in the centre of the attention Provide information between meetings and follow-up To Give positive feedback, or if necessary, constructive critical feedback 5

6 Questions to help you during the first meeting Background questions What experiences have been important for me? How does my situation/work out today? What are my strengths and weaknesses? What is my private life? Family, friends, hobbies? Personal values which are important to me? Where I stand today and where I want to? Questions about the mentor/mentee What are my goals for the coming year? What do I get out of you as a mentor? What I would give to my adept? How can I contribute? What do we get out of our cooperation? Questions about the program during the year What is our ambition? What are our expectations? When and where will we meet? What are our ground rules? For meetings? For cancellations? Confidential? Preparation? Dokumentation? 6

7 Topics to talk about 1. Why this choice of education (mentee)? 2. What's happening right now in the mentees reality? 3. X-job Engineering role on focus in education? 4. How is a typical day at work for the mentor? 5. What are my objectives how do I achieve them? 6. What are my motivations? (see page 8) 7. What are my properties? (see page 9) 8. Career plan, create networks, how is it done? 9. CV and application letter 10. Interview situation 11. Corporate culture how does it work? 12. Pay calls 13. Performance reviews 14. The balance between free time and working time how does it work in Sweden? 15. Homework from mentor to the mentee 16. How can I use LinkedIn.com? 17. Teamwork in the work situation 18. Working as a woman in a male environment 19. Manager Project Manager Consultant? 20. Leadership how do I develop my abilities? 21. What kind of skills do I need do develop? (see page 10-11) 22. Project models Activities to do together 1. Visit work places of other mentors 2. Have lunch together 3. Meet others in the organization of the mentor 4. Visit Armada together 5. Meet the other mentees and create a network 7

8 Exercise 1: Work Values Your work values show you what is important to you both in life and in your future career. To be aware of your work values helps you when you plan your career and you should pay attention to them when you look for look for a job. If you can fulfill your work values, you will feel more comfortable and probably also be more successful in your career. a) Mark those work values that are important to you, add if something is missing. Appreciation Helping others Not stressful Competetive Independence Predictable Congenial co-workers Intellectual challenge Reflective Contribution to society International cooperation Status/Prestige Creativity Job Security Successful Developing Leadership Teamwork Entrepreneurial Learning Travelling Equality Leisure time Variety Financial reward Life balance Visionary Health Meaningful Work abroad 8

9 Exercise 2: Personal Traits and Qualities Your personal traits and qualities describe how you act in different kinds of situations. Below you find a list of traits and qualities, some of them describe you as a person. Probably you will also find words on the list that describe characteristics that you would like to improve. a) Mark those that fit your personality (by underlining them), add if something is missing. Also mark those characteristics that you would like to improve (by writing a +). accountable enterprising questioning accurate flexible quick active forceful realistic adaptable friendly reliable adventurous generous responsive ambitious gentle risktaking analytical happy self controlled artistic honest sensitive brave humble serviceoriented calm impulsive silent commited indepentent skeptical competetive innovative spontanious confident intense straightforward consistent loyal structured creative outgoing supportive curious patient sympathetic determined persistent systematic dominant positive tolerant eager practical verbal energetic proactive wise 9

10 Exercise 3: Skills Your skills are the abilities you have and use both in private or when you work or study. Some skills are strong, others need to be improved. During both studies and work, you can improve your skills. a) Mark the skills you have now (by underlining them, see p. xx). Also mark the skills you have to improve (by writing a +). b) Write down five skills that are strong. Also give examples of situations when the skills are obvious to you and to others. Communication Skills - Listening, understanding and speaking clearly - Writing appropriately for different audiences - Persuading & negotiating effectively - Demonstrating empathy, assertiveness & tact - Understanding the needs of customers/clients - Establishing relationships & using networks - Sharing information & proposing ideas - Fluency in English & other languages - Logically summarising information - Chairing a meeting Teamwork Skills - Working effectively with people of different ages, gender, race, religion or political persuasion - Identifying the strengths of team members - Recognising own strengths & limitations - Clarifying team roles & performing agreed tasks - Demonstrating leadership as appropriate - Coaching, mentoring & motivating others - Giving & receiving constructive feedback - Resolving differences of opinion - Collaborating & contributing to team results Self-management and Career Skills - Having a personal vision & goals - Evaluating & monitoring own performance - Having knowledge & confidence in own ideas & vision - Articulating own ideas & vision - Taking responsibility - Working ethically - Working under pressure - Demonstrating resilience Problem Solving Skills - Analysing facts & testing assumptions - Defining the problem & contributing factors - Developing creative, innovative &/or practical solutions 10

11 - Showing initiative in identifying & solving problems - Solving problems independently & in teams - Applying a range of strategies to problem solving - Designing contingencies - Developing & evaluating a range of options - Making realistic decisions & action plans - Using mathematics including budgeting & financial management to solve problems - Resolving customer concerns in relation to complex issues - Implementing & monitoring solutions - Evaluating processes & outcomes Initiative and Enterprise Skills - Identifying opportunities not obvious to others - Assessing the competitive advantage of ideas - Identifying customer or client requirements - Developing strategic goals - Being creative, initiating ideas & innovative solutions - Determining the commercial viability of ideas - Translating ideas into action - Demonstrating political, commercial, environmental, cultural, etc sensitivities - Liaising with stakeholders & sponsors - Using a range of business communication methods - Marketing & selling a product or service Planning and Organising Skills - Establishing clear & attainable project goals & deliverables - Defining specifications & quality standards - Planning the use of resources including time, people, finances & materials - Risk management & contingency planning - Managing time & priorities setting milestones - Managing tasks - delegating, coordinating, monitoring - Managing people - training, developing, motivating, giving feedback, supervising - Collecting, analysing & organising information - Being resourceful, taking initiative & making decisions - Establishing evaluation criteria & participating in continuous improvement - Reporting on progress & outcomes - Understanding basic business systems & their relationships Learning Skills - Managing own learning - Sharing knowledge & experience in the workplace - Contributing to the learning community at the workplace - Using a range of mediums to learn mentoring, peer support, networking, information technology (IT), courses - Applying learning to technical issues e.g. learning about products & people issues e.g. interpersonal and cultural aspects of work - Having enthusiasm for ongoing learning - Being willing to learn in any setting on & off the job - Being open to new ideas & techniques - Being prepared to invest time & effort in learning new skills - Acknowledging the need to learn in order to accommodate change 11

12 Evaluation half time Consider the relationship (transparency, trust, feedback,...) Content (subjects, current problems...) Results (how, I have that adept has been able to take on me and turn knowledge into practical use?) Activities (what can we do want to develop...?) 1, what have we done well? 2, what do we want to change in the future? 12

13 Evaluation at the end of the Program The following questions can serve as a basis for discussion. The discussion will be better if each party is preparing. Where we stood for a half year and 1 year ago? What happened? What has the program made? Where are we now? It has been fun? Instructive? Evolving? Challenging? What would we do differently the next time the mentor/adept with the lessons we have today? It is desirable to continue the relationship? Why? Why not? Is it possible to continue and, if so, in what form? Thank each other and give feedback 13

14 Notes 14

15 Working in Sweden (You can find this at the KTH Career website) Work Legislation First take a look at the Swedish Migration Board and get information about work legislation and how to obtain a residence permit, visa or work permit. You can also contact your embassy. Swedish Migration Board: What is it like to work in Sweden or EU? Work in Sweden - Sweden.se: The Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers: The European Job Mobility Portal - EURES: ec.europa.eu/eures/home.jsp?lang=en&langchanged=true Swedish Employment Services: What is it like to live in Sweden? Living in Sweden - Sweden.se: Learn Swedish It is important to be able to communicate in Swedish at most work places. Find out about where to study Swedish. Swedish news in english: Swedish Institute: eng.si.se/ Folkuniversitetet: Swedish for immigrants SFI Stockholm: 15

16 Literature Asher, M. & Chung, E.: Vault Guide to the Case Interview. Vault Inc., New York (2007). Hoffman, R & Casnocha, B.: The start-up of you. Random House Inc., New York (2012). Pink, Daniel: Adventures of Johnny Bunko (2008) Good Luck! KTH Career and Academic Resource Center Sara Nyberg, KTH/ ECE/ sarany@kth.se 16