Was there a point in time that you wished someone would share her professional experience and wisdom with you so that you would have a clearer perspective on life or work and get ideas on how to best handle situations? Was there a point in time that you wished you could lend such a helping hand to a woman in need of professional guidance? If so, the WILDS mentoring program can help.
The WILDS mentoring program is a benefit of membership and is open to all members. It aims at having an experienced professional woman with significant experience in the logistics and delivery field commit time, emotional support, intellectual strength and professional guidance to encourage growth and development in a woman with less experience in the industry on a one-to-one, regular basis.
Mentoring is an opportunity to share your own experience and insight with other women in your field. Many mentors say that they learn just as much from their mentees as their mentees learn from them. Women at nearly all stages of career development can be a mentor.
A mentor is one of the greatest benefits of WILDS membership. It affords you an opportunity to develop a closer, more meaningful relationship with another professional and learn from her experience and insight. You can also get personal, focused assistance in meeting your professional goals.
Mentor and mentees must commit to two hours per month. We recommend that mentors and mentees commit to the relationship for one year, but should evaluate it after six months. If there is a concern with the match, the Mentoring Committee can always review it.
Mentors and mentees are responsible for arranging their meetings at mutually convenient times and locations. Meetings may take place in person, by telephone, e-mail, Skype or a combination thereof.
In order to find the best match between mentor and mentee, the Mentoring Committee will review information submitted by potential mentors and mentees in an electronic survey and pair women with complementary interests and experience. Once the Committee matches a mentor and mentee, each will be notified and provided with their mentor/mentee’s contact information.
Once matched, the mentor will then be responsible for getting in touch with her mentee and start the mentoring process. The Mentoring Committee will hold an orientation session for the Mentors and Mentees. At their first meeting, the mentor and mentee will agree to specific goals and objectives for their relationship, determine the frequency of meetings and best method of communication (e.g., in-person meetings, telephone, e-mail, Skype, etc). There is no set structure for the mentoring relationship; rather, it will vary depending on individual needs and interests. The Mentoring Committee will hold period feedback sessions to assist with the mentoring process.
If appropriate matches are not immediately available for an interested mentor or mentee, applications will be continually reviewed until an appropriate match can be made. Being a mentor or mentee is a one-year commitment. However, the mentor and mentee should review the relationship after six months.
If you are a member or non-member of the WILDS Council interested in being or having a mentor, please complete our online survey at this link (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/P25VXBY) by March 31, 2014, and you will be notified once the matches have been made.
If you have questions, please contact Mentoring Committee Co-Chairs — Violette Jacobson or Margaret (Peg) Weir
In addition, please see our WILDS Mentoring Program overview.
Please fill out the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible.