By Maddy Faul, Mentorship Director, October 20, 2024
Northern’s Mentorship Program, which is aligned with APA’s Mentorship Program, offers a no-cost, one-on-one mentorship matching program available to planners of all backgrounds and experiences. It is one of Northern’s many free or low-cost programs, and it helps our profession continually build an extended network. The program pairs mentees with at least three years of professional experience with mentors who typically have five years or more of experience to create opportunities to develop technical, leadership, and networking skills. The program opens registration for all participants around the start of the new year, and matched pairs are expected to meet at least three times throughout the 6-month program. Aside from meeting three times every two months, the content and organization of the meetings are left up to the matched pairs to coordinate what works best for each of them to learn and share.
The Mentorship Program has matched between 50- to 100-plus pairs annually since its inception ten years ago. Past participants have come from all backgrounds, from major consulting and design firms to local jurisdictions throughout Northern California and from undergraduate and graduate students to senior-level planners and directors. If you want to connect with your fellow planners in a one-on-one, in-depth style, our mentorship program may provide the positive and rewarding experience you seek. A mentorship relationship is incredibly valuable for personal and professional growth. Below are some tips to get you started. For more information, please visit our webpage or email Mentorship Director Maddy Faul at mentorship@norcalapa.org.
Identify your goals: Why do you want a mentor, and what do you hope to learn? By asking yourself these questions, you can clearly understand what you want to achieve. This doesn’t mean you need a complete roadmap, but it is good to consider what areas you need guidance in and what you hope to gain from this mentorship program. For example, you may be unsure about your next career step, so you want to “listen and learn,” using the time to get an insider’s look into your mentor’s work experience and guidance on interview tips, review of your resume, or to ask general questions about what to expect in a particular job. Or, you may want to discuss pivoting your career, whether progressing to a management role and wanting to learn leadership skills or develop skills to handle work challenges.
Find the right match: Look for a mentor with experience in your area of interest, whether that is a specific planning focus area, such as transportation, land use, or the environment, or an organizational subsector like private or non-profit. It’s also important that a mentor’s personality and work style align with your goals or interests, so don’t be afraid to ask questions.
APA mentorship program participants fill out a participant survey asking about experience and interest levels, and the information is used to find matches between participants. You will want to complete the survey with as much detail as possible so we can help you find a match. The program offers a low-barrier entry to join and provides a relaxed environment for you to build that relationship with a professional planner. In past years, we have also helped connect mid-career professionals to directors and managers.
Manage the relationship: Remember that this program is voluntary, and mentors volunteer their time to the program, so be considerate of their time commitment. Be communicative, follow through with your obligations, be punctual and prepared for meetings, ask thoughtful questions, and be mindful of how much time is being spent.
The APA mentorship program introduces participants to one another through email, and then participants are invited to meet in person at regionally organized happy hours before formal one-on-one meetings occur. Before each meeting, we send reminders and materials with questions or ideas, but matched pairs are welcome to go off-script. The meetings could happen at the mentor’s workplace, over a meal, walking in a public space, or any other mutually agreed-upon arrangement.
Express gratitude: At the end of the program, share gratitude and redefine the mentorship relationship. At your third meeting or in a follow-up email, express your appreciation for your mentor’s time and guidance. You can use this opportunity to discuss whether you want to continue meeting beyond the program or if you will move in different directions.
The APA Mentorship program is set up for participants to participate year after year and request different matches, which allows planners in the profession to make relationships through the program and maintain prior matches continuously.
How to achieve success as a mentee
- Clarify your goals.
- Research your mentor. Learn about your mentor’s background and experience and consider how it aligns with your goals. Even if you don’t think their role is exactly where you want to be in the future, know that planning is a tight-knit community, and we all play roles in the process.
- Develop a brief agenda. Come up with a list of questions to ask your mentor about their experience, advice for achieving your goals, and any challenges you might be facing. If you are unsure, don’t hesitate to let your mentor know ~ the relationship is about figuring things out for yourself, so show your willingness to learn and that you’re committed and value the time.
- Send materials. If you have any materials relevant to your goals or challenges, bring them/send them in advance. This might include resumes, work samples, or project ideas.
- Dress appropriately. While APA mentorship adopts a casual approach, your mentor may someday be your future boss, colleague, or counterpart.
How to achieve success as a mentor
- Set clear goals and objectives.
- Get to know your mentee. Use your initial meeting to understand their career aspirations, strengths, weaknesses, and what inspires and motivates them. Sometimes, they may be unsure if planning is the field for them. Use the time to explore with them and share your experiences.
- Develop a mentoring plan. Mentees should have an idea of what they want to achieve. However, as their mentor, help them with a plan that focuses on discussions, exercises, or activities (such as job shadowing, mock interviews, and resume reviews) that you can focus on together. Sometimes they may not know what to ask, so use the opportunity to talk about something you know the best – your own experience!
- Provide feedback. Be specific and offer actionable suggestions for improvement.
- Encourage and support growth.
Important dates for the 2025 Mentorship Program:
- Enrollment Opens: November 2024
- Mentorship Matches Announcements: January 2025
- Meeting 1: January–February 2025
- Meeting 2: March–April 2025
- Meeting 3: May–June 2025
- Program Wrap-up: June 2025
Maddy is the Mentorship Director for APA California – Northern. In addition to her volunteer work, she is an Assistant Planner at the City of Mountain View.