Mentoring Tips for Students

• Introduce Yourself.
  Dear Dean’s Alumni Ambassador Mentor, (personalize this),
  
  Hello! My name is (add your name here) and I am a P(1) at UB’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. I wanted to reach out to you because I have been paired as your mentee as part of the Dean's Alumni Ambassador Mentor program. 
  
  I want to share a little bit about myself. I am from (insert location) and I completed 2 years of undergraduate studies through UB's Early Assurance Program (personalize this) before entering pharmacy school. I currently work at (personalize this) as a pharmacy technician, but in the future I hope to complete a residency and possibly working in a hospital. 
  
  I understand your busy schedule but it would be greatly appreciated if you could take some time to guide me in pursuing my current interests: community, research (bench or clinical), clinical pharmacy, and academia (personalize this). 
  
  I look forward to hearing from you and learning more about your interests. I am available to connect by phone, email or in-person, whichever is more convenient for you. 
  
  Thank you for your time.
  Sincerely,
  Your name
  
  Your name
  PharmD Candidate, Class of ____
  University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
  Add any student organizations
  
  
• Be professional. When you are reaching out to a potential mentor, make sure you use formal communication styles. Even if you are writing the email from your phone, do not use text abbreviations.
• Get together. Develop a relationship with simple activities like walks across campus, informal conversations over coffee, attending a lecture together – this will help to develop rapport.
  
• Be punctual. If meeting in person, present yourself on time and prepared with research and questions. Be respectful of the mentor’s time.
• Be courteous. If you are meeting your mentor for a meal or snack, it is expected that you will pay for your share.
• Build your network. You may also ask your mentor if they know someone else you might speak with about the career field in order to build your network.
• Take notes. Write down some basic notes about your meeting such as the name and title of the mentor, date of the meeting, and what was discussed.
• Follow up. Send your mentor a thank you note. Express your appreciation for the assistance you received and mention one or two specifically helpful points. Keep in touch with your mentor! When you make a decision about your career choice, or you find a position, share your news.
  

For additional help, consider attending workshops on using LinkedIn and networking. See Life and Learning Workshops.

• Career choices
• Job searching
• Current job opportunities
• Continuing education
• CVs and cover letters
• Relocating to certain area
• Maintaining your own practice
• Managing a budget
• Balancing work and family
• Other advice and tips including “life lessons”

• How did you get to where you are today – what was your career path?
• What do you like most about working in this field and what do you find most challenging?
• What are your responsibilities and what skills do you use in your profession?
• Tell me about your daily routine on the job.
• What are some problems you face and decisions you make?
• How do most people get started in this field?
• What do you think is the ideal educational path to qualify for a position in this profession?
• Do you belong to any professional organizations? Do they have student chapters?
• Do you think this field is growing, with opportunities for employment?
• Can you recommend other people who might be valuable sources of information?

• Meet for food or beverages
  
• Shadow or tour your mentor's place of employment
• Attend UB or UB SPPS networking events
• Meet at the Pharmacy Building
• Connect via social media

Note: Mentors do NOT tutor or provide academic advisement. If you need academic support or crisis counseling, contact the Office of Student Success and Engagement.