Resources
Before your first meeting, please take the time to consider what you would like to get out of your mentoring partnership.
Here are SoCLA's resources to help you best prepare for your first (and subsequent) meetings:
First Meeting
Subsequent Meetings
- Session Guide: Meeting Structure, getting the most out of your meetings
- FAQ’s for Program Participants
Guidance through Covid-19
Mentoring Guidelines
Articles
Why mentoring is important in 2021 which highlights how mentoring can help develop your skillset and grow your network in 2021 and beyond - by Louise McManamon.
Virtual Mentoring - Lets make this work provides tips on how to make online meeetings work for you and your mentoring partner - by Louise McManamon
Mentoring your way through social distancing provides tips for navigating Covid-19 - by Louise McManamon
What makes an award winning barrister? (Hint: its mentoring!) - LawyersWeekly interview the SoCLA chair, Laina Chan March 2022.
Mentor and Mentee of the Year Award - Check out our Award Finalists!
Frequently Asked Questions
My Mentor/Mentee isn't replying to me
Occasionally you may find that you have messaged your mentor or mentee but you have not received a response. There are often a number of reasons this might happen, so we recommend:
- Try sending another message! As you can appreciate, our SoCLA members are all busy professionals and on occasion they might have missed your email, and within reason will appreciate a gentle reminder. As a Mentor, your mentee might be intimidated by your seniority.
- Send a LinkedIn request. Sometimes your mentor or mentee may have changed organisation and not yet updated their contact details.
- If this does not work, please do contact your Mentoring Program Coordinator. Contact details can also be found on the SoCLA Mentoring website.
Where can I find the Mentoring Program Guidelines
Here: SoCLA Mentoring Program Guidelines
What is the Participants Code of Conduct
SoCLA expects that participants will:
- comply with the Participation Code of Conduct contained in these Guidelines;
- behave in an ethical, professional and responsible manner at all times and be mindful of the professional integrity and reputation of the person they are matched with;
- remain committed to the Program;
- be sympathetic to the reasons for any communication breakdown (refer further below)
- if experiencing difficulties impacting on your participation in the program, advise the Program Manager, Louise McManamon as soon as possible. This is very important;
- advise their mentor/mentee and the Program Manager if they have relocated for work, are travelling for a lengthy period etc.
Participants Code of Conduct
Participants in the Program must:
- behave ethically and professionally at all times;
- treat other participants in the Program – particularly their mentor or mentee, as the case may be – with respect and courtesy;
- comply with any relevant laws, including privacy and occupational health and safety laws;
- maintain confidentiality of contact details and any other information or discussions which the participants agree are of a confidential nature;
- not improperly use the Program to gain or seek to gain a financial advantage or to cause detriment to another participant;
- at all times, behave in a manner that promotes the objectives of the Society of Construction Law Australia; and
- if they encounter or experience any grievance, behave with respect and integrity and advise the Mentor Program Manager (mentoring@scl.org.au)
I’m not sure my Mentor/Mentee is right for me
The matching process is undertaken in-person manually and whilst we try to meet applicant’s preferences regarding the general professional profile and location of their mentor/mentee, this is not always possible for several reasons - it is very dependent upon who applies for the program, your previous participation and matches in the program, the number of mentors participating and where they are located in any given year.
If you are unsure about your match, in our experience, we recommend that you give the pairing a good try and come back to us if it still doesn’t work out, because more often than not these matches will end up being a fantastic learning experience!
Participants are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to be mentored and potentially be exposed to a new sector and new ways of thinking and approaching problem solving.
If you still believe your match is inappropriate because:
- they are a competitor,
- you have a conflict of interest, or
- they are a direct report, then please do contact your Mentoring Program Coordinator (mentoring@scl.org.au).