How to break the ice is among the top tips we gathered from long-serving mentors such as Optus engineer Hoon Chan.
The best way to break the ice at your first mentoring session is to smile, shake hands and introduce yourself very simply, says Hoon Chan, Global Service Delivery Engineer at Optus Business. Hoon is one of three recipients of an ABCN Super Mentor award, which recognises corporate volunteers who have completed more than 10 mentoring sessions.
‘If your mentee is a shy student, ask them a few questions about their interests,’ Hoon suggests, ‘like their hobby or favourite food.’
As for dealing with your own nerves, Hoon recommends: ‘Take a deep breath before stepping into the room, recall a fun memory. And smile!’
Here are 10 other top tips we’ve collected from some of the thousands of volunteer mentors who participate in ABCN programs each year:
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