Career Mentoring

Promotion image of career mentoring showing student mentees and action words such as 'advice'

Connect to a world of expertise

Career Mentoring offers you the opportunity to be supported with your career goals by a member of our alumni community.

Our career mentors are drawn from different sectors and professions, are at varying stages of their careers and have all volunteered their time to provide one-to-one support and advice.

The mentoring relationship will develop through regular telephone and online contact for a four-month period, giving you time to benefit from your mentor's professional experience and knowledge.

Your next steps

Applications are now closed.

At this time we are unsure whether the scheme will take place in 2023/24. Please check this page in spring 2024 for updates.

The encouragement from my mentor to look at what I genuinely find interesting rather than prioritising other people’s ideas of successful careers was very refreshing.

There was always a lot to think about following the meetings and I feel I had actionable steps to meet my goals.

Lucy Woodward, Physics student and mentee

Read Lucy's blog post

Why take part?

Thank you for the opportunity! I found it incredibly insightful and useful for planning my future career. Simran Bains - Finance, Accounting and Management

A career mentor can help you:

gain insight into the sector you wish to enter
develop interpersonal and networking skills
reflect on your experience and knowledge
feel inspired and confident to take your next steps.

Read our blog: Career Mentoring: Figuring Out My Strengths and Exploring Careers

Who is it for?

All students registered on an undergraduate or postgraduate course
2023 graduates
Those under the age of 18 are not eligible to take part in Career Mentoring

When will the mentoring take place?

At this point we are unsure whether the scheme will run in 2023/24. Please check back for updates in spring 2024.

Make the most of mentoring

What is mentoring?

A voluntary partnership between a more experienced individual (mentor) and a less experienced one (mentee)
A relationship based on a set of mutually agreed guidelines of behaviour
A tool to support your personal development
A learning process for both mentor and mentee

How can I get the most out of mentoring?

Take responsibility for your own learning and personal development
Accept constructive feedback
Be open and honest about yourself
Maintain boundaries and confidentiality
Have realistic expectations that are shared and agreed with the mentor
Commit time and energy to the mentoring relationship

Will there be training?

Yes, if you are matched with a mentor we provide you with online training and resources to help you approach mentoring with confidence. The training will take approximately one hour to complete.

Hear from previous participants

Mila Apostolova - My experience as a mentee

Hear how mentoring helped international media and communications student Mila, feel inspired about her future career

Keith Bound - Why I mentor

Hear from mentor Keith Bound, a narrative design and audience engagement consultant, as he tells us what types of things his discusses with his mentees.

More from our previous mentors and mentees

Developing people is a core driver for me and one that gives me immense satisfaction; the mentoring complements my coaching practice and is something I look forward to.

Giles Woodhouse

Chief Strategy Officer at Wessex Archaeology

Before I started the scheme, I had a range of previous work experience but I was not sure of what career I wanted to do. Prachi helped tease out the skills I’d gained from my work experience and how to use those skills to find out what career I would like to pursue.

Sharandeep Bhogal

BSc Management (2020)

Careers and Employability Service

University of Nottingham
Portland Building, Level D
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

telephone: +44 (0) 115 951 3680
fax: +44 (0) 115 951 3679
email: careers-team@nottingham.ac.uk