Presentation made at Career Day event held on September 25, 2010 announcing the launch of the STC Toronto Chapter Mentor Program.

1. STC MENTOR
PROGRAM
Your Professional Technical Communication Life-Line
Rob Hanna – Program Chair and Senior STC Member
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010

2. • a mentor is a trusted friend, counselor
or teacher, usually a more experienced
person
• mentors provide expertise to less
experienced individuals to help them
advance their careers, enhance their
education, and build their networks
• a mentor may help to open doors to a
particular facet of the profession that is
new to the protégé or mentee
• a mentor may provide guidance to help
a protégé through a transition within
the profession
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
WHAT IS A
MENTOR?

3. • Technical Communication is a rapidly
evolving profession involving new
technologies and demands
• Mentors help to bridge the gap
between the academia and the
profession needed to help students
enter into and succeed in the workplace
• Mentors help their protégés to get the
most out of their membership within
the society and inspire new leaders to
carry on the work needed to foster a
dynamic professional association
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
WHY DO WE
NEED
MENTORS?

4. • provide a life-line to our members that
may be out of work or looking for a
career change
• provide outreach to professionals that
are considering a career in technical
communication
• provide experienced guidance to new
entrants into the field of technical
communication
• provide inspiration to fuel committed
long-term growth of the chapter
• provide an outlet for our senior
members to become re-engaged within
the society
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
WHAT ARE
THE GOALS OF
THE MENTOR
PROGRAM?

5. • any senior STC member in good-
standing willing and able to dedicate a
minimum of four hours a month to the
program may participate as a mentor
• mentors may sign on to offer very
specific expertise to any narrow
segment of the community
• mentors must agree to abide by a
standard code of conduct as
representatives of the STC
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
WHO ARE OUR
MENTORS?

6. • STC members seeking career assistance
are encouraged to participate as
protégés within the program
• Students enrolled in technical
communication programs or studying
for a career in technical
communications are encouraged to
participate
• Members of the public investigating a
new career in technical communication
are welcome to participate
• Like our mentors, protégés must agree
to abide by a standard code of conduct
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
WHO ARE OUR
PROTÉGÉS?

7. • the STC Toronto Chapter will support a
mentor program committee to develop
and administer the mentor program
• The program committee will track the
effectiveness of the program and make
improvements as needed
• The program committee will oversee
the program and recruit volunteers and
mentors into the program
• The committee will deliver training and
networking opportunities to equip our
mentors with the tools and knowledge
to better deliver their services
• The program coordinators will do their
best to match the needs of the protégés
with the abilities of the mentors
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
WHAT ROLE
DOES THE
CHAPTER
PLAY?

8. • assistance with
– career goals
– résumés
– portfolio
• insight into
– new fields in technical
communication
– tools and best practices
– STC programs and services
• access to potential
– professional references
– volunteer opportunities
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
WHAT ARE
THE BENEFITS
TO
PROTÉGÉS?

9. • learn more about the profession and
industry trends
• receive expert career training
• gain perspective on your own career
development
• network with other senior members
• identify upcoming talent that can help
you in your business or place of
employment
• give something back to the profession
• recognition and awards through the
society
• build leadership skills you can use
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
WHAT ARE
THE BENEFITS
TO MENTORS?

10. • You will be
– contacted by one of our program
coordinators
– Sent a package by email that
explains the program and includes
a protégé profile questionnaire and
standard code of conduct form
• You send back the profile questionnaire
• Coordinator matches you with a mentor
• First meeting at monthly STC breakfast
for icebreaker
– Set date and time for first mentor
session
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
WHAT
HAPPENS
WHEN I SIGN
UP FOR THE
PROGRAM?

11. • One-on-one meeting in a quiet public
place such as a coffee shop, food court
or library
• 60-90 minutes in length
• Usually once per month as agreed upon
by the mentor and protégé
• Mentor may assign tasks or homework
as needed to help the protégé
• Mentor pairings can run up to one year
and will end when the chapter
concludes the program year at the AGM
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
WHAT ARE
MENTOR
SESSIONS?

12. • Other chapters have mentor programs including
– STC France
– STC Lone Star Chapter
– STC Silicon Valley
• Our program studied implementation at
– STC Orlando (2002)
– http://www.stc-
orlando.org/education/mentor/mentor.asp
– STC Wisconsin (1999)
– http://www.stc-
wi.org/careerdevelopment/mentor.php
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
WHAT ARE
OTHER
CHAPTERS
DOING?

13. • This is a professional relationship—
treat this relationship as a professional
opportunity of mutual respect.
• Preferences, such as gender, will be
considered but cannot be guaranteed.
We will try to make the best match. You
can refuse a match but it will take
longer to find someone to
accommodate you
• STC Council strives to provide a good
experience for mentors-protégés, but
any responsibilities for the success of
the mentor-protégé relationship lay
with the mentor and protégé not the
STC Council.
• protégé-mentor pairs are recommended
based on availability—be patient.
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
MESSAGE TO
OUR
PROTÉGÉS

14. • This is a professional relationship—
treat this relationship as a professional
opportunity of mutual respect.
• Be certain about your time available for
this commitment so you can be paired
with the right protégé.
• The mentorship program is not an
opportunity to sell products or services;
however, as a mentor you are given
preferential free space in our (new)
vendor section to promote your
services.
• STC Council strives to provide a good
experience for mentors-protégés, but
any responsibilities for the success of
the mentor-protégé relationship lay
with the mentor and protégé not the
STC Council.
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
MESSAGE TO
OUR
MENTORS

15. • Leave us with you name phone number
and email address and one of our
coordinators will contact you
• Plan to attend the next STC breakfast in
October
• Look for more information online at
http://www.stctoronto.org
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STC Toronto Chapter – Career Day 2010
WHAT DO WE
DO NOW?