Mentee FAQs

Executives on Campus (EOC) is a department at Baruch College that provides undergraduate and graduate students from all three Baruch Schools (the Zicklin School of Business, the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences and the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs) with mentors who help with networking, interviewing, and essential interpersonal skills to make Baruch students competitive in today’s job market. EOC is also a community and network of mentors, mentees, and mentee alumni. EOC is unique to Baruch; no mentoring organization of this scope exists in other colleges.

EOC mentors are experienced executives (some are Baruch alumni) who volunteer their time to advise and help mentees define and achieve their career goals by supporting, counseling, and serving as role models for mentees. Mentors may serve as friend and advocate to their mentees in addition to assisting and advising in their career development process.

Mentees in the EOC’s mentoring programs are Baruch students (graduate and undergraduate) who have a serious desire to develop themselves professionally and personally; who are aware that in today’s job market, interpersonal skills are essential because very often they make or break a career regardless of one’s technical skills and academic education. Mentees are committed and mature students who are open minded to learning as much as possible from mentors across a wide range of industries who have been in the working world for a lot longer and have a great deal of advice and support to give.

EOC’s Academic Year-Long Mentoring Program is a professional partnership between Baruch students and their EOC mentors. It is open to undergraduate* and graduate** students based upon their graduation year.

It is not the goal of the program, nor is it expected of mentors to provide their Mentees with an internship or a job, and Mentees in the program may not ask their Mentors for an internship or a job. EOC’s Academic Year-Long Mentoring Programs serve Baruch students from all three schools: the Marxe School of Public & International Affairs, the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences and the Zicklin School of Business.

*Undergraduate students applying for the program must hold a minimum 3.0 GPA.
**Graduate students who are enrolled in their first or second academic year.

Eligible Baruch students must complete the following application steps in order to be considered for the Academic Year-Long Mentoring Program:

♦ Students must complete the program application by given deadline

• • Applications submitted on time will receive priority in the mentor selection process
  • Applicants must submit 2 short answer questions and a resume as part of the digital application

♦ Students must attend a group interview

• • Instructions will be provided to students who have completed their applications

♦ Students accepted into the program must attend the Launch event (exceptions will be made for students who have class at the time of the event).

EOC mentors volunteer out of a genuine interest in helping students develop professionally and personally. Mentoring offers a way to give back, to do something good for another person. Many mentors see themselves in their mentees; they have had similar career trajectories and faced some of the same challenges as their mentees and want to help.

Everyone benefits from the guidance of a more experienced mentor, especially in today’s tough and competitive job market—every little bit helps, and having a mentor helps a lot. While Baruch College provides an outstanding academic and technical education, and the career services on-campus offer excellent career management tools, having a dedicated academic year-long mentor is an invaluable enhancement to students’ academic and professional development. Mentors provide exceptional learning experiences for their mentees; they have the ability to lead, inspire, and motivate their mentees by helping them expand their awareness, insight, and perspective. Mentors from all industries can be beneficial to a mentee’s growth; they do not have to be in the same industry to support and guide others.

Mentors:

• Provide professional perspective: insight about industry, corporate culture, networking, marketing oneself
• Give constructive feedback on resumes, cover-letters, interview prep and debriefing, and any other topic in a stress and judgment-free environment
• Are a sounding board for ideas
• May become an advocate and colleague for life

Experienced executive volunteers who have a genuine interest in mentees’ professional and personal development along with Baruch students (graduate and undergraduate) who have a serious desire to develop themselves professionally and personally; committed and mature students who are open-minded to learning as much as possible from more experienced professionals across a wide range of industries, who have been in the working world for a lot longer and have a great deal of advice and support to give. EOC mentors have at least 7 years’ of professional experience with at least 3 years’ of managerial experience.

The Academic Year-Long Mentoring Programs run from September to May (it coincides with the academic year). However, depending on the rapport, some mentors and mentees continue their relationship and keep in touch well after the program ends.

The program is a commitment: mentees must find time for a face-to-face meeting at least once a month, and to maintain regular communication with their mentor. Mentees are encouraged to invite their mentors to networking and industry events as their schedule permits. Both the mentor and mentee must check in with the EOC office once a month and attend all of the mandatory EOC workshops, orientations, and events that are a part of the program. The program is a great way to practice professional etiquette and to learn proper time-management: invaluable skills as mentees transition from college to career.

It is important to maintain the relationship: responding in a timely fashion to your mentor and reaching out to set up the meetings is the responsibility of the mentee.

There is great value in broadening your circle, getting out of your comfort zone: the program offers excellent practice in a safe environment for situations you will face throughout your professional life; additional perspectives, new experiences; value in knowing people with more life/work experience that can be useful across industries; knowledge about corporate culture, on successful self-branding. The objective of the program is to connect mentees with professionals from all areas, to network and build relationships that ultimately will help you develop professionally and personally. Mentors are valuable to your growth and the development even if they are not in your industry — the pure concept of networking is to be open and connect with and many different people as possible because a person’s career development is never a straight line.

Yes. Mentees must come prepared to meetings with their mentors and must arrive on time. Mentees must be respectful of their mentors’ time and take full advantage of the meetings to discuss issues that they would like to work on.

Mentors and mentees are expected to conduct their meetings in a professional manner and in an appropriate location. Mentors and mentees may meet at the mentor’s office, at a coffee shop, or on campus. EOC also offers a quiet room on campus, which can be booked through the EOC office. Please click here to reserve Room 14-275 for your next meeting.

As a mentee in the program, you are expected be proactive and respectful in communicating with your mentor; it is your responsibility to maintain contact with your mentor. Both mentors and mentees are informed that they are required to keep regular contact with one another, and remember that although your mentor is a busy executive, s/he has volunteered her/his time out of a genuine concern for your professional and personal development. That being said and understood, if you have trouble contacting your mentor, do not hesitate to inform the EOC office at executivesoncampus@baruch.cuny.edu. We are here for you and to help you make the most out of the program. We will gladly reach out to your mentor and facilitate contact between you.

The Academic Year-Long Mentoring Program is a partnership and requires work and commitment from both you and your mentor. Be sure to maximize meetings with your mentor, come prepared with topics for discussion and goals you are working towards, along with any updates on your progress. Remember, your mentor is a resource for you in your professional development and s/he wants to help you as much as possible. You may also bring up interesting articles you have read on business, markets, culture, travel, etc. You may discuss an upcoming lecture or event of interest to you both and invite your mentor.

The initial meeting with your mentor will set the tone for subsequent meetings. Depending on the chemistry between you and your mentor and your personalities, your future meetings may be more or less formal.

• Come to the meeting prepared and arrive on time; dress business or business casual depending on where you are meeting.
• Make sure to adhere to business etiquette: shake hands, thank the mentor for meeting with you. Address the mentor the way they have introduced themselves to you via email or at this meeting.
• First ask the mentor about their career path and interests, then talk about yourself.
• Summarize goals and expectations and set the tone for the for the mentoring partnership.
• Come with 2 or 3 topics to discuss, such as relevant aspects of your background, career goals, and job search activity.
• Be sure to send a follow-up/thank you note within 24 hours of your meeting.

Send a follow up email or handwritten note after each meeting to thank your mentor for his/her time. You can recap briefly what you spoke about so the mentor knows you listened and talk about what was helpful to you.