Mentoring

Mentoring is a great way to get input on your career development and focus on employability skills. There are a few ways of getting involved across the University.

There is a University-wide mentoring scheme available, which is open to all University staff, regardless of job type or grade. This scheme operates a specific times of the year and information can be found here. As part of this scheme you can chose from a range of general topics that you would like to focus on during your mentoring sessions, and an appropriate mentor will be assigned.

For a mentor who aligns more strategically with your career goals you can always approach members of staff yourself. Research the faculty members and discuss with your supervisor who would be appropriate to ask. Many members of academic staff within the faculty are more than happy to act as mentors to research staff – so it’s worth asking. This scheme is currently paused.

Since early 2017 a postdoc mentoring program has run in FBS, facilitated by the Athena SWAN team. It has consisted of small mentoring circles; groups of postdoc mentees and 2 academic mentors. This format incorporates informal peer support networking as well as making the most of our academic mentors.

The circles that have been running so far have had postdocs from across schools matched with academics from different schools and research areas. These have covered topics such as CVs, interviews, imposter syndrome, alternative career paths, resolving conflict, outreach/public engagement, transitioning from postdoc to PI, fellowships, supervision of students, gender balance, teaching and work-life balance.

Feedback from the postdocs currently take part has been extremely good:

Its been a "positive experience”, they have benefited from "insider advice from academic mentors", it has "built my confidence” and helped “getting tailored feedback on my CV and help with a travel grant application”.

For more information, please contact Professor Elton Zeqiraj at E.Zeqiraj@leeds.ac.uk.