Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between the three tracks in the mentoring program?
- Project-Based: You will gain practical experience in technical communications and will develop portfolio-worthy artifacts while completing one or more volunteer projects for our STC Chapter.
- Advisory: You will be paired with a mentor to work on career goals and objectives. $20 rebate towards STC Student membership fee.
- Leadership: Provides an opportunity to hone your leadership skills while serving as an officer in our STC Chapter. Students who opt for this track will receive the same perks as project-based participants.
Who is eligible to apply for the formal Program?
Students in their senior year of their Technical Communications Degree program or students who are 3-6 months away from completing their Technical Communication Certificate program.
How long does the Program last?
- Project-Based Track: 16 weeks
- Advisory Track: 16 weeks
- Leadership Track: 6 weeks
How many people can participate?
Four students per year can apply on a first come, first serve basis.
How can students Apply?
If interested, please send a message to mentoring_leadership@stcdfw.org
Application season starts:
The last week of January each year. The chapter sends out an announcement to initiate the application process.
How can a professional apply?
If interested, in being a mentor, please send a message to mentoring_leadership@stcdfw.org
How long will it take to match a Mentee with a Mentor?
Expected turn-around can be anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks depending on availability.
What Perks can mentees expect from the Program?
All student mentees in the Project-Based track will receive:
- 1-on-1 mentoring
- Certificate of completion,
- 6 months of free access to MadCap Flare
- Free chapter membership
- Free access to all STC Lone Star events.
All mentees who participates in the Leadership track will receive training on how to run the chapter.
Does your program provide mentoring of Professionals as well?
Our mentoring program is not only for students, we welcome professionals who are interested to also join our program and participate in any of the available tracks.
However, program perks only apply to student mentees participating in the project-based track and leadership-based programs. Advisory based applicants do not qualify.
What is expected from mentees?
- Project-Based Track: Meet as scheduled with the mentor and make steady progress on assigned project(s).
- Advisory Track: Meet as scheduled with the mentor and execute on findings for expected outcomes.
- Leadership Track: Meet as scheduled with the mentor, engage in leadership training activities, complete deliverables on time, and join our successor circle to serve as future officer in our STC Chapter.
*Program Perks only applies to student mentees in the project based and leadership-based programs.
How do mentors benefit from the Program?
Apart from the satisfaction of helping someone else and seeing them reach goals they’ve set mentors brings unique perspectives to our chapter from their own experiences. Through these lenses they provide fresh insights and drive successes through innovative ways to rejuvenate the general goal of the chapter each year.
Mentors learn about our organization, become aware of their own paths and values, and often go through a reflection process like the mentee’s. As they help mentees evaluate their career issues and goals, mentors often find themselves doing some worthwhile soul searching as well.
In the process of being a mentor, many find that it is a meaningful experience and are motivated to informally seek out career mentors for themselves or reach out to their professional network in a new way.
What is expected of mentors?
Mentors are asked to dedicate regular time to meeting or phoning their mentees (up to an hour a week), to listen, be a resource for career exploration and planning, and to provide the mentee with objective and positive information, contacts, and support that will help them make sound decisions.
The mentor is there to provide structure, suggestions, and accountability for the mentee.
Why is the leadership track only 6 weeks of training?
During the 6 weeks of virtual training the participants are introduced to the organization framework, roles, by laws, and processes. After, the participants are paired with current leaders to gain hands on experience. Our expectation is for participants in succession planning to at least have a one-year experience in supporting roles, prior to leading chapter activities.
Of course, we also realize that there may be extenuating circumstances and will adjust accordingly.
How is the matching done?
The Mentoring Coordinator reviews the Mentee application, use best match attributes to connect mentee with mentor.
What if Mentor/Mentee can’t get along?
If for whatever reason the original mentor/mentee pair does not workout, both can separately notify the Coordinator to be released and reassigned.
It’s a “no fault” process to ensure that everyone starts the program with a match they feel enthusiastic about.
OK, I have a mentor/mentee. What do we do now?
Anything you like, from structured activities to the occasional casual chat. But here are some ideas for things you could do to get the mentor-mentee relationship rolling:
- Share current projects. Show each other what you’re working on, and critique and discuss your approaches to the projects.
- Talk about professional development and training. What options are available through STC for professional development? Would going back to school be a good idea?
- Contribute co-authored content to the Technical Communication Body of Knowledge (TC-BOK). The TC-BOK is an online repository of knowledge in the profession. But since the profession is always changing, so is the BOK. Together, you can choose an unfinished area of the TC-BOK and develop some content for it, a good opportunity to work together – and learn something in the process.
- Attend an STC webinar together. This could be a good opportunity for both of you to learn something new!
- Look at the job market together – it’s a great way to learn about the current state of the profession.
- Start a mentor-mentee book club. Read a book on technical communication and meet to tell each other what you thought.
- If you’re located near one another, go to an STC chapter meeting together and meet some new technical communicators!
- Get more involved in STC. Join a SIG together and ask if they have any work that needs to be done. (They will say yes!)
Still have questions?
Send your inquiry to mentoring_leadership@stcdfw.org
