This week I was interviewed for a Fast Company article on 7 tricks to make time for mentoring when you are too busy. One of the great ideas that the journalist, Laura Vanderkam, gave me was to create an FAQ that I can send to people when they ask to do an informational interview with me or they want to meet me the first time for mentoring career tips and advice. In this way, folks can read the FAQ and they can get the obvious questions covered and I can be more helpful. So, if you are preparing to do an informational interview go ahead and shamelessly cyber-sleuth the interviewee before you interview them. It is flattering and respectful to know that someone did their homework on you.
Also, do you show your appreciation by endorsing them on LinkedIn, posting something nice on social media that you both use, or just sending them a thank you note. Of course, chocolate never hurts too!
Try out these tricks and happy mentoring!
image credit: brandsoftheworld.com