Virginia College at Huntsville Hosts Speed Mentoring Event
Posted: Thursday, July 15, 2010
Mentoring happens when someone who has experience, skills and knowledge helps another person who is less experienced or skilled. Such a relationship usually takes time and is highly organized with formal program goals, schedules, training and evaluation. In this fast-paced world where time is at a premium, speed mentoring is a concept that is gaining advocates. Such an event recently took place at Virginia College in Huntsville, Alabama.
Modeled after speed dating, speed mentoring is a relatively new concept that focuses on quick-hit information and time-efficient networking. Greg Cox, Director of Career Services, drew from his pool of industry professionals for participants in this event. He then stationed five mentors in one room and four in another with students split into two groups. Each of the student groups formed a line outside the rooms and rotated clockwise from mentor to mentor. Once each group finished in their first room, they moved to the adjacent room.
Each student had three minutes to introduce himself or herself and ask questions of their mentor. After three minutes, Cox rang a bell and students had one minute to finish their conversations. Then another bell sounded and the students moved to a new location.
Comments afterward included, "That was so much fun," "I learned so much," and "I want to do this again." Cox says, "This was a great way to help our students prepare for job interviews. At the same time, the industry professionals who served as mentors got exposure to some wonderful students. You can rest assured many more speed mentoring events at our campus."