What are some strategies for mentoring first-generation college graduates?

One thing that has always helped me with my clients is to remember that "map is not the territory". Everyone looks at a situation from their perspective. It is important as a coach to recognize that you are not the client, explore their values and beliefs to understand who they are before getting into guidance and mentoring. Understand their map to know the "who" before the "what".

I am a formal mentor to one of the Top Business Schools and also otherwise get requests on mentoring.I feel that before mentoring starts, one would do well to start out as a coach, to understand the values and beliefs of the mentee……and also to define any goals and objectives .This brings in empathy and also is critical in partnership for the conversation to be fruitful .

Coach is non judgemental, gets into the world of the client. First generation college graduates bring fresh perspective from college are generally open in their thinking, have the hunger to seek opportunities in line with their interest, prove themselves. Coach understands the context of these new graduates, helps them to craft their long term goals, medium term goals and short term goals keeping in view of their aspirations. Helps them to identify their strengths and enables them identify the resources required to pursue their passion. Solutions are tailored to the needs of these fresh graduates.

Appreciate similarities and respect difference - first & foremost. From my experiences, no two people are alike and yet no two situations, jobs/careers or life style are alike. Therefore, it's best if you approach first-generation college graduates as if they were unique individuals from different upbringings, with different mindsets, & career aspirations. Each college graduate has their own thoughts for their future endeavor. And it's practical to build trust & rapport, as well as establish a verbal contract to ensure vulnerability, openness and inclusion. Having an open dialogue to progress continuous improvement for their benefit helps to elevate one's hesitation and creates an open dialogue to ensure diversity is respected.

Navigational Support: Offer guidance on navigating the college environment, including academic resources, campus services, and networking opportunities, to help first-generation college graduates adapt successfully. Career Development Assistance: Provide mentorship in career planning, resume building, and job searching, assisting them in translating their academic achievements into professional opportunities. Emotional Support: Recognize and address the unique challenges first-generation college graduates may face, offering emotional support and encouragement to navigate both academic and personal transitions successfully.

Create avenues for them to talk about their experiences - both their success and failures. And what they’ve learned from their experiences. It is a powerful way to validate their strengths and resilience

Coaches start with appreciative enquiry, listen to their stories and journey, acknowledge the challenges they've overcome, affirming their language and thro genuine empathy, coaches validate their identity and the resilience they've demonstrated. Thro this enough trust get generated and the clients open out. Coaches encourage self-reflection and exploration of their cultural heritage, personal values, and career aspirations, helping them develop a strong sense of self-awareness and confidence. Share some of the great challenges faced by other clients and how they successfully navigated, ensure confidentiality.

Building a strong sense of self-worth and belonging is crucial for first-generation graduates who might struggle with imposter syndrome. I emphasize validating their achievements and reinforcing their identity, ensuring they appreciate their own value in professional settings. By sharing my own experiences and the lessons learned, I aim to inspire confidence and resilience, fostering a supportive environment where they feel seen and heard.

They are in a transition phase, facing a lot of internal and external challenges. As a mentor, you can help them to increase their psychological capital. One of the ways is to give them some work which will challenge them at a rate they can tolerate. And then support them in the process by reflecting on how they did good, what are the places where they can show more of their potential.

Mentoring first-generation college graduates requires a unique approach. These graduates face challenges that their peers with college-educated parents may not encounter. As a mentor, it's important to acknowledge these challenges and leverage their strengths. Here are some effective strategies: - Establish a welcoming, understanding, and non-judgmental mentoring relationship. - Encourage them to ask questions. - Involve them in networking opportunities. - Help them to set short-term and long-term professional goals. - Recognize and build on the strengths they have developed through their unique journey. - Recognize and celebrate their successes. - Be their champion in environments where they might not yet have a voice.

One way that I've effectively done this, given I'm a first generation college student myself, is a tool I created called the "Circle of Influence." Essentially it's an intentional tool that a graduate would create to ensure they are connecting with the right network and in the right communities of professions. It requires finding 2 peers that are at their level, 1 professional that is ahead of them in their career and a place they aspire to be, 1 mentor/advisor as they navigate decisions, and 1 career coach. The beauty of the "Circle of Influence" is that the network can grow through those individuals, too and over time that circle changes, expands, and get more and more intentional and aligned to career aspirations.

Me encanta la mentoría, porque es "alguien que ya estuvo allí y te puede guiar" no para hacerte el camino más fácil pero sí más previsible. Acompa?o como mentora a muchas mujeres jóvenes y lo primero que les pregunto es para dónde quieren ir, dónde se imaginan a 5 a?os. Eso las desconcierta un poco, yo cuando empecé mi carrera tampoco pensé mucho al inicio, pero sí aprendí que poner foco e intención nos hace más efectivos. Reconociendo donde están nuestras fortalezas y recursos podemos elegir los mejores caminos. También es importante hacer un mapa de stakeholders claves, de quienes tienes que aprender, quienes te pueden ayudar a seguir tu camino tanto dentro como fuera de tu organización. Siempre las personas están dispuestas a ayudarte!

Recomiendo utilizar el Coaching como herramienta poderosa para desarrollar y apoyar a los graduados universitarios. Ellos están aturdidos de tanta información, lo que puede aportarles es recomendarles un Coach para su desarrollo.

Actually - resources can be understood differently (I.e. books, videos, trainings etc.) so I would like to start with showing the potential options, asking what are they ways that individual prefer (I.e. ”I love to read but I hate to watch movies”) can tell you a lot about what you can recommend to such individual. Remember - what worked for you might not be perfect for someone else. Try to think outside of ”me”

One important realization I've had while mentoring many young graduates is the significance of assisting them in gaining clarity about their goals and boosting their confidence to confront life's challenges. This transformation is remarkable, and its impact is profound.

Part of the journey of being a "first" or "only" is the sheer energetic expense of what I call escape velocity. Doing something your family has never done before can be a multiplier of the fundamental effort of launching your new career. This requires some skill development in emotional regulation, understanding the dynamics of family drama and how to neutralize it and expanding one's definition of family in order to create the necessary support needed--because your family may not have the capacity to support you. How you decide to bring them along your journey can effect your speed and agility in the new space you're carving out for yourself. Changing family patterns will prompt relationships to change. Be ready for this shift.

Crear un programa de mentores dentro de una organización es algo que brinda soluciones y crea una cultura de aprendizaje constante. Recomiendo que las empresas se involucren en estos programas de "Mentores"