Types of Mentor Relationships
Formal
- Arranged by the organizational for new or newly-promoted employees and are intended to meet organizational orientation and training needs
- Often have not met before being assigned to each other
- Usually arranged for a pre-determined amount of time, often six months to one year
- Often monitored by the organization, which may require mentors to cover specific orientation information and on-the-job training
- Rewards for participation as mentors are usually extrinsic involving stipends or other compensation, meaning that there may be less personal investment in the mentee's professional development
- (Ragins, Cotton, & Miller, 2000)
Informal
- Mentor Match is based on this model
- Mentors and mentees find each other and mutually negotiate the parameters of their mentoring relationship
- Mentees usually choose mentors who they view as role models, who have similar professional interests, or share some common personal characteristics
- Not monitored by the organization and have no informational or training requirements
- Meetings are usually casual or semi-structured
- Partnerships continue for the length of time both partners desire to be in the relationship
- Rewards for participating as mentors are intrinsic, meaning there is a high personal investment in the mentree's development
- (Ragins, Cotton, & Miller, 2000)
Levels of Involvement
To be mutually agreed upon between mentees and mentors. For more information on doing this, see Suggested Procedures.
Casual
- Mentor is contacted only when needed; mentee initiates meetings
Semi-Structured
- Regular meeting times are set up, intended to be informal and without specific agenda; mentee decides how often and what to talk about
Structured
- Regular meeting times are set up with specific agenda; mentor provides specific information and guidance pre-determined by either mentee or mentor, mentor facilities meetings
[Ragins, B. R., Cotton, J. L., & Miller, J. S. (2000). Marginal mentoring: The effects of type of mentor, quality of relationship, and program design on work and career attitudes. Academy of Management Journal, 43(6), 1177-1194.]
[Sands, R. G., Parson, L. A., & Duane, J. (1991). Faculty mentoring faculty in a public university. Journal of Higher Education, 62(2), 174-193.]
