IMPact for mentees

Who is eligible to be an IMPact mentee?

Any student or early-career APS member can join. If you're not yet a member, students can join APS for free, for the first year of membership, with deeply discounted rates for undergraduates and graduates after that.

What are the benefits of being an IMPact mentee?

By connecting with a mentor in industry, you can begin to grow your professional network, get advice on navigating professional challenges, and develop your leadership and skills. Participation is open to students and early-career physicists everywhere.

What is expected of IMPact mentees?

Mentees and mentors are expected to meet regularly. This interaction can be a Zoom call, phone call, or any other appropriate method of communication. Mentees are also asked to complete online evaluation surveys throughout the program.

IMPact mentoring timeline

After signing up and creating a profile, mentees should be able to search for and select their preferred mentor. Each mentor pair is matched for three months. Mentors and mentees can also adjust their match end date if they would like to extend or terminate their mentorship.

Program outcomes are best reached with consistent and regular check-ins. Mentees are asked to meet with their mentor monthly for approximately an hour. Within a week of selecting their mentor, mentees should reach out to their mentor to schedule an initial meeting. After the first meeting, the mentor and mentee should establish a regular schedule to meet and discuss progress. In most cases, meetings will be virtual.

Mentee best practices

Successful mentees:

1. Take a proactive role in shaping the relationship.
2. Understand what they want from the mentoring relationship and communicate their goals and aspirations to your mentor. Balance a personal and professional relationship with their mentor.
3. Set aside time for the mentoring process and keep all scheduled appointments with their mentor and display professional behavior.
4. Put the time with their mentor to the best use. Come to meetings prepared with planned topics.
5. Respond in a timely manner to their mentor's feedback. Respond to emails from their mentor at most two days after receipt. 
6. Be open and honest with their mentor about your challenges and areas of weakness.
7. If something concerning the mentor needs to be discussed with others, it should first be discussed within the mentoring relationship.

Mentees should avoid doing the following:

1. Ask for advice on everything, and instead have a purpose in each request.
2. Blame the mentor if their advice doesn't work out.
3. Expect the mentor to know all the answers.
4. Commit themselves to obligations they cannot keep.
5. Cancel meetings with their mentor at the last minute.