Uncertainty is the only certain pointer but we don’t flourish in a state of environmental ambiguity. Therefore, it is important to encourage and assist workers to thrive in the midst of the present turmoil, says Nikhil Jain

Although the terms ‘mentoring’ and ‘online’ may not seem to go together but it’s out in the open that everything will be digital by the end of 2021. In a year and more specifically the last couple of years marked by many workplace changes, the year 2021 is nearing its end, and nothing seems to be changing. Lockdowns are becoming the new normal, and online mentorship seems to be a staple for the Mentor-Mentee relationship.

It’s definitely unusual being a mentor during the COVID-19 epidemic, but it’s probably more essential than ever. Uncertainty is the only certain pointer, and we don’t flourish in a state of environmental ambiguity. Many individuals are experiencing greater stress levels and becoming more nervous as the admissions, examinations have become more focused on survival. This is why it is more essential than ever to encourage and assist workers in thriving in the midst of the turmoil. In this post, we’ll go over five practical mentoring ideas for 2021.

•Place a premium on happiness

Many people’s outlooks and how they feel emotionally and physically have changed in the past year, so it’s important to check in on your mentees’ well-being. Spending time talking about well-being, whether it’s work-related or just inquiring about how they’re dealing with the shift, is critical to getting the most out of your mentoring meetings.

•Be a professional reality examiner

It’s your duty as a mentor to serve as a professional reality check during a crisis by serving as a connection between the present turmoil and the larger picture. Your mentees are likely to be working in a high-pressure workplace at this time. Being able to lead a discussion on the broad picture can help relieve some of the strain in the near term.

•Listen

Engage in active listening throughout conversations. Active listening is an important ability for mentors to have, and now is the time to practise it. People may be looking for an opportunity to open up in light of the current condition of the globe, but they are afraid of the repercussions. Even if you’re on Zoom, listen carefully and watch for nonverbal signals.

•Maintain a regular schedule.

It’s important to check in with your mentee on a frequent basis at any time, but it's more important now, while the turmoil unfolds. At the very least, this should be done every three months, but the more often the better.

•Accept learning technologies with open arms

We’re all continuously learning in the new normal. We may have mastered Zoom and Microsoft Teams, but there are a slew of additional tools that may aid your mentoring programme. Now is the best moment to experiment with learning new tools. Why not use Slack to communicate with your team or Basecamp to monitor your objectives? Now is the perfect moment to try new things.

The information, guidance, and resources that a mentor provides are determined by the mentoring relationship’s structure and objectives. A mentor may share knowledge about his or her own professional path with a mentee (or protégé), as well as offer advice, inspiration, emotional support, and role modelling. A mentor may assist with career exploration, goal formulation, networking, and resource identification. The mentor's role may evolve as the mentee's needs change. Some mentoring relationships are part of organised programmes with particular objectives and standards.

Mentoring is a simple idea, but putting it into practise may be difficult especially in the current times. The American Psychological Association has published a paper on disability problems that includes a list of criteria of successful mentoring the desire and capacity to

• Value the mentee as a person
• Build mutual trust and respect
• Preserve confidentiality
• Listen to both what is said and how it is expressed
• Assist the mentee in solving his or her own issue rather than giving guidance
• Concentrate on the mentee’s growth rather than producing a clone

  Role of mentorship for students who want to study abroad

The 2020 pandemic had some effects on students but it was not a major reason for the market or student’s study abroad aspiration to plummet. There were few other geopolitical reasons for which the aspirants who wanted to study in USA were changing minds about going to the USA. But aspirants eyeing other countries either had deferred or delayed seeing the online mode of education for other countries.

In 2021 cycle, students adopted the hybrid mode of classes at the target universities in different countries and thus they are confident and going. The volume of applications have gone up in 2021 by many folds due to the waivers in tests like GRE/GMAT by many top universities and launch of home edition tests by TOEFL which encouraged more aspirants to easily apply.

In this scenario having a mentorship from a trusted mentor or counsellor eases the burden for the aspirants and the aspirants can focus only on improving their profile and getting good grades in the tests. Planning for ancillary services like Visa, Post arrival support, accommodation and other amenities under the guidance of a mentor becomes much more effective and less stress inducing. 

The writer is Co-founder & CEO, ForeignAdmitsAlthough the terms ‘mentoring’ and ‘online’ may not seem to go together but it’s out in the open that everything will be digital by the end of 2021. In a year and more specifically the last couple of years marked by many workplace changes, the year 2021 is nearing its end, and nothing seems to be changing. Lockdowns are becoming the new normal, and online mentorship seems to be a staple for the Mentor-Mentee relationship.

It’s definitely unusual being a mentor during the COVID-19 epidemic, but it’s probably more essential than ever. Uncertainty is the only certain pointer, and we don’t flourish in a state of environmental ambiguity. Many individuals are experiencing greater stress levels and becoming more nervous as the admissions, examinations have become more focused on survival. This is why it is more essential than ever to encourage and assist workers in thriving in the midst of the turmoil. In this post, we’ll go over five practical mentoring ideas for 2021.

•Place a premium on happiness

Many people’s outlooks and how they feel emotionally and physically have changed in the past year, so it’s important to check in on your mentees’ well-being. Spending time talking about well-being, whether it’s work-related or just inquiring about how they’re dealing with the shift, is critical to getting the most out of your mentoring meetings.

•Be a professional reality examiner

It’s your duty as a mentor to serve as a professional reality check during a crisis by serving as a connection between the present turmoil and the larger picture. Your mentees are likely to be working in a high-pressure workplace at this time. Being able to lead a discussion on the broad picture can help relieve some of the strain in the near term.

•Listen

Engage in active listening throughout conversations. Active listening is an important ability for mentors to have, and now is the time to practise it. People may be looking for an opportunity to open up in light of the current condition of the globe, but they are afraid of the repercussions. Even if you’re on Zoom, listen carefully and watch for nonverbal signals.

•Maintain a regular schedule.

It’s important to check in with your mentee on a frequent basis at any time, but it's more important now, while the turmoil unfolds. At the very least, this should be done every three months, but the more often the better.

•Accept learning technologies with open arms

We’re all continuously learning in the new normal. We may have mastered Zoom and Microsoft Teams, but there are a slew of additional tools that may aid your mentoring programme. Now is the best moment to experiment with learning new tools. Why not use Slack to communicate with your team or Basecamp to monitor your objectives? Now is the perfect moment to try new things.

The information, guidance, and resources that a mentor provides are determined by the mentoring relationship’s structure and objectives. A mentor may share knowledge about his or her own professional path with a mentee (or protégé), as well as offer advice, inspiration, emotional support, and role modelling. A mentor may assist with career exploration, goal formulation, networking, and resource identification. The mentor's role may evolve as the mentee's needs change. Some mentoring relationships are part of organised programmes with particular objectives and standards.

Mentoring is a simple idea, but putting it into practise may be difficult especially in the current times. The American Psychological Association has published a paper on disability problems that includes a list of criteria of successful mentoring the desire and capacity to

• Value the mentee as a person
• Build mutual trust and respect
• Preserve confidentiality
• Listen to both what is said and how it is expressed
• Assist the mentee in solving his or her own issue rather than giving guidance
• Concentrate on the mentee’s growth rather than producing a clone

  Role of mentorship for students who want to study abroad

The 2020 pandemic had some effects on students but it was not a major reason for the market or student’s study abroad aspiration to plummet. There were few other geopolitical reasons for which the aspirants who wanted to study in USA were changing minds about going to the USA. But aspirants eyeing other countries either had deferred or delayed seeing the online mode of education for other countries.

In 2021 cycle, students adopted the hybrid mode of classes at the target universities in different countries and thus they are confident and going. The volume of applications have gone up in 2021 by many folds due to the waivers in tests like GRE/GMAT by many top universities and launch of home edition tests by TOEFL which encouraged more aspirants to easily apply.

In this scenario having a mentorship from a trusted mentor or counsellor eases the burden for the aspirants and the aspirants can focus only on improving their profile and getting good grades in the tests. Planning for ancillary services like Visa, Post arrival support, accommodation and other amenities under the guidance of a mentor becomes much more effective and less stress inducing. 

The writer is Co-founder & CEO, ForeignAdmits