Information Technology Advisory Board

Information Technology Advisory Board (ITAB)

IT Mentoring - Mentor FAQs

Here is a list of questions mentors may have:

· Am I eligible to participate in the ITAB Mentoring Program?
· I am employed by a state university, not a governing agency, am I eligible to apply as a mentor?
· I don't have a degree in information technology or computer science, but I currently work in one of those fields. Am I eligible?
· Can anyone volunteer to serve as a mentor?
· How are mentors recruited to participate in the ITAB Mentoring Program?
· What does it take to be a good mentor?
· Should I be flexible about being matched with someone outside my field?
· How can I get my colleagues involved?
· How can I get my agency involved?

Am I eligible to participate in the ITAB Mentoring Program?
Yes, if you are:

· Employed by the State of Missouri as an IT Manager, IT Director or CIO with an educational or professional background in Information Technology or related field.
· Willing to mentor a protégé via email, telephone or personal visits
· Have regular access to email and the Internet
· Willing to exchange email messages regularly with a protégé
· Available to participate for one year

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I am employed by a state university, not a governing agency, am I eligible to apply as a mentor?
Yes, you would be eligible for participation in the ITAB Mentoring Program. University faculty members are eligible because we want to expose the protégés to other role models and possibilities. Although, working in the information technology field at a university is a little different than in a governing agency, it certainly meets our requirements for volunteering as a mentor.

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I don't have a degree in information technology or computer science, but I currently work in one of those fields. Am I eligible?
Yes, you are. Some fields, like computer science, are relatively new. Many pioneers in that field earned degrees in others areas and learned their computing skills on the job. What is important is that you have skills, information, and advice that you can transmit to a protégé to help him or her persist and succeed in the information technology arena.

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Can anyone volunteer to serve as a mentor?
Absolutely. Typically, our mentors, although experienced IT professionals, have little or no previous mentoring experience. We train them in the skills and techniques they need.

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How are mentors recruited to participate in the ITAB Mentoring Program?
Through a wide variety of networks and media. The ITAB Mentoring Program has a growing list of individual and organizational contacts to reach prospective mentors. Each of our participating agencies has a representative. The representatives send recruiting messages, usually via email, to employees or members within the organization who are eligible to participate in the ITAB Mentoring Program. If you are interested in recruiting other mentors, please see the section below: How can I get my colleagues involved?

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What does it take to be a good mentor?

· Be flexible, take the initiative, and be responsive.
· Be willing to be flexible and respond to the needs of your protégé.
· Remember what it was like to be a new IT Manager in the state environment, realize that your protégé may not understand a lot of the cultural norms associated with state government.
· Take the initiative to suggest discussion topics, share personal experiences, pose questions, and engage in small talk until a relevant topic for discussion emerges.
· Be responsive to your protégé's questions and comments. If you do not have the time to offer a full response shortly after you receive an email message, send a short message letting your protégé know you will be in contact when you have the opportunity.

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Should I be flexible about being matched with someone outside my field?
The decision to be matched with a protégé or mentor who does not necessarily share your educational background and specialty interests can be a positive one, both for your mentoring partner and for you.

Although mentors have biases of their own, they have much less of a stake in the decisions that protégés make. This allows the mentoring relationship to develop an atmosphere in which the mentor is a confidante who is "safe" to bounce ideas off or to whom one can air insecurities or other concerns.

In addition, mentors provide a real-life perspective and valuable general knowledge based on their experiences in the field of information technology. For both mentors and protégés, it can also be an educational opportunity to learn about a new subject.

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How can I get my colleagues involved?
If you are interested in letting your colleagues know about volunteering as a mentor with the ITAB Mentoring Program, please send them to our web site or you can contact the Information Technology Services Division.

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How can I get my agency involved?
The ITAB Mentoring Program is seeking new alliances with strategic partners and members. For more information about becoming a supporter of or participant in the ITAB Mentoring Program, please visit our Welcome page. In addition, you can contact the Information Technology Services Division.