Coming soon to your local Chapter – 2015 Mentoring Program!

What is Mentoring?

There are several definitions of mentoring, but for our purposes, mentoring is a professional relationship in which an experienced person (the mentor) assists another (the mentee, mentoree or protégé) in developing specific skills and knowledge that will enhance the less-experienced person’s professional and personal growth. So it is basically a learning and development partnership between someone with skills and expertise and someone who wants to learn.

Who does Mentoring benefit?

Mentoring benefits the organization, the mentor, and the mentee.

  • Mentors gain many benefits, including:
    • Insights from the mentee’s background and history that can be used in the mentor’s own professional and personal development
    • Fulfillment in sharing knowledge and expertise with others
    • Re-vitalization of the mentor’s career
    • An ally in promoting the organization’s well-being
    • Increased understanding of other areas within the organization.
  • Mentees gain many benefits, including:
    • Access to the mentor’s expertise
    • Critical feedback in key areas, such as communications, interpersonal relationships, technical abilities, change management and leadership skills
    • Specific skills and knowledge that are relevant to personal goals
    • Increased access to an influential person’s networks
    • Knowledge about the profession’s culture and unspoken rules that can be critical for success; leading to quicker adaptation to the culture
    • A sympathetic ear with which to share frustrations as well as successes.

What will the PMI Portland Chapter mentoring program do?  

The program will coordinate and implement the mentoring process within the Portland Chapter, including providing a locus for collecting and matching interested mentors and mentees.

How does the PMI Portland mentoring program work?

The program will match up mentors and mentees and contact participants on a regular basis, ensuring that the relationships are going well and that the program is achieving its goals. The program will also offer each pair support with needed resources through short trainings and networking events.

What is required to participate?  

Requirements for Mentors:

  • Complete and submit the mentor application once it becomes available. Watch the Chapter’s LinkedIn, Twitter, and email blasts for the announcement of the mentoring sub-site launch. 
  • Background and experience in various levels of project management.
  • Minimum of five years’ experience as a Project Manager (current or retired).
  • Current PMP certification.

Requirements for Mentees:

  • Complete and submit the mentee application once it becomes available.
  • $25 application fee.

Requirements for ALL program participants:

  • Commit to a minimum of six months’ mentoring partnership.
  • Commit to meet on a regular basis – estimated at one half-hour per week minimum. Actual time spent based on agreement between mentor and mentee.
  • Attend an orientation meeting.
  • Attend mid-cycle meetings as warranted.
  • Participate in the mentoring program surveys.
  • Notify the administration if there is any difficulty in goal-setting or mentoring progress.

Do you want to sign up?

We expect the program to launch before the end of the calendar year. Feel free to contact the Director of Mentoring if you would like to be a mentor or mentee. Watch for the announcement of the new webpage, program official kickoff date, first session launch, and other details via LinkedIn, Twitter, Chapter meeting, and weekly email blast.

Questions, comments or suggestions?

Contact:

Valerie D'Sa-Mayer, Director of Mentoring
PMI Portland Chapter