The future is yours
Welcome Mentees!
Welcome to your resource and information guide
Ultimately, you are responsible for your education, your career, and your journey to get there.
A mentor can help guide you — but they can’t walk the path for you.
Why Email
86% of employees cite poor professional communication skills for workplace failures
Stronger communication leads to greater outcomes
This program uses the most common workplace communication tool—email—to help you address one of employers’ top concerns about early-career professionals: poor communication habits and lack of email etiquette.
Professional communication can look different depending on the context.
These tips will help you build a stronger connection with your mentor — and get even more out of your weekly check-ins.
Pick a direction:
To get the most from your conversations, tie your questions back to a goal. Tap into your biggest struggles, recent feedback, worries, or interests.
Make it personal:
Ask the tough questions. Refer to your experiences, resume, portfolio, and LinkedIn to better see how you can make the right impact with your next move.
Make is specific:
Use the below question bank to brainstorm questions to ask your mentor. These questions are missing one thing — you! Leverage your knowledge and take it a step further to learn about context, application, and the realities of the skills you’re learning in school.
Mentee Question Bank
Mentor's experience
Your mentor has gone through all the things you are navigating. What can they tell you about their experience that can help you prepare for yours?
Looking back, what made the biggest difference in your early career?
What kinds of feedback helped you grow—and how did you get comfortable receiving it?
What is something you did early in your career that you still see others do that you wish schools would address?
What parts of your earliest experiences in the industry do you miss the most or wish you had taken more advantage of, and why?
What’s one piece of feedback you wish someone had given you earlier in your career?
Skills
Skill development is at the root of your education. Learn about what skills are most valuable and how to develop them.
What is something I should do while in school to fill skill gaps in _____ or strengthen soft skills in ______.
What’s a skill that people in [X field] tend to overlook but really need?
How can someone without experience in [X] still demonstrate they’re capable of learning it?
What’s a project or personal challenge you’d recommend to strengthen my skills in this field?
What’s one gap you frequently see between what students graduate knowing and what jobs require?
What trends or skills are gaining traction in your field that students might not be learning in school?
What soft skills are most important in considering a new team member?
LinkedIn/Resume/Portfolios
Your materials and digital presence say a lot about you before you ever speak. Ask what yours say and how to leverage these to stand out to hiring managers.
What’s one thing most candidates don’t include that they should?
What do you look for when reviewing candidates? - What are 1 or 2 deal breakers, and what is 1 thing you like to see?
If someone wanted to work on your team, what would you hope to see in their portfolio or resume?
What is something you expect to see on someone's LinkedIn page, something like to see, and something that would surprise and impress you?
How can I build or strengthen my digital presence via LinkedIn, portfolio, and resume?
How do these (LinkedIn, portfolio, resume) support my goals?
On the job:
The school environment is very different than work. There are different expectations and norms. Ask about what to expect from working at a company like the mentor’s.
What’s a common rookie mistake that makes someone look unprepared
How do you define “high potential” in an entry-level team member? What trends or skills are gaining traction in your field that candidates should ______?
What do people get wrong about this industry or role?
What is something I should be prepared to spend a lot of time doing that might surprise me?
How is the work broken out? What should someone like me (entry-level) expect to focus on?
What kinds of ownership opportunities are there for entry-level roles on your team?
What is the level of tolerance for making mistakes on the job? What do you suggest I focus on to make sure I don't make the wrong kind of mistake?
How are the levels on your team defined?
What makes someone ready for a promotion?
I've heard that "meets expectations" in an annual review is good, but not like an A in school. What kinds of things would help me "exceed expectations"?
Granular (Apparel Design):
Every job and company functions differently. Ask about how what you’re learning in school is used and the context for how the role(s) and teams work together.
What software do you use for tech packs, and what limitations does it have that you have to find workarounds for?
When building assortments, how do the trend/merchant/design roles work together or not?
What opportunities are there to improve alignment with merchants? What level of information is required to hand off to tech design? Are there aspects that Tech wants to own vs design?
Every leadership team looks for different things. What does your leadership team look for in presenting product?
How is what leadership likes different than what you know the customer likes? How do you meet the needs of both leadership and the customer when they differ?
Product can evolve and change when reviewed by leadership, and sometimes that direction can change back. How do you navigate these kinds of changes, and what do you recommend to make the development process smoother?
Taking action now:
Start forming a plan to get you closer to your goals. Ask about actionable steps that support these goals and the feedback you’ve received.
If I have X time to prepare for this industry, what should I be doing outside of school?
What are 3 things I should focus on this year to increase my chances of being hired?
Are there professional communities, events, or groups I should join to stay connected and visible?
How should I leverage my resources (LinkedIn, Career Center, Instructors, Handshake etc) now to become a more compelling candidate?
Based on my LinkedIn, what would you recommend I do to get the attention of managers and teams like yours?
Who else should I talk to?
6 Ways to get more as a mentee:
1 Know What You Want to Learn
Start with clear goals, even if they’re rough. Your mentor isn’t there to figure out your path for you — they’re there to help you pursue it.
Hard truth: Over 30% of employers complain about their younger team-members professional communication and email etiquette. This program is designed to practice these skills so that your are ready to hit the ground running.
2 Take the Lead on Communication
Your mentor is investing time in you — respect that by being the one to:
Initiate contact
Suggest topics or questions
Follow up with thank-yous or progress updates
Pro tip: After every interaction, send a recap. It shows respect, reinforces your takeaways, and makes the next conversation smoother.
3 Do the Homework
If your mentor gives you a resource, suggestion, or challenge — follow through.
Not doing the work is the fastest way to stall the relationship.
Growth requires effort. The more you put in, the more your mentor can offer in return.
4 Be Open to Feedback (Even When It Stings)
A mentor’s job isn’t to flatter you — it’s to help you grow.
Listen without defensiveness
Ask clarifying questions
Say thank you (even if you're still processing)
And then take time to apply what you’ve learned.
5 Reflect and Report Back
Mentorship isn’t a one-way flow of wisdom. Your mentor wants to know:
What you tried
What worked
What didn’t
What questions it raised
This dialogue is what turns advice into a relationship for growth.
6 Be Respectful of Their Time
Send weekly messages promptly so that they have time to respond thoughtfully.
Provide the context or links necessary to provide feedback or advice.
Keep your messages thoughtful and to the point. Part of email etiquette is to practice written clarity