Overview

Mentors inspire, encourage, and support you and contribute to your professional and personal development. You can expect to strengthen and build your network and gain the skills and confidence necessary to excel.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is SEMI Mentoring?  SEMI Mentoring is a free online, on-demand flash mentoring program that connects you to current industry professionals. As a program of the SEMI Foundation, participating mentors are all part of the largest global semiconductor industry association.
• What is flash mentoring?  One-time or flash mentoring allows mentors and mentees to schedule meetings on a one-off basis to discuss specific topics. Flash mentoring allows students to meet multiple mentors for short periods of time (30 minutes or less), enabling students to broaden their network and access a broader range of mentors. Mentees and mentors complete matching questionnaires that connect users with common interests and objectives. Scheduling and topics are driven by the mentee, ensuring the conversations always address student needs.
• What am I expected to do?  Mentees drive this mentoring process. After completing your profile and reviewing your matches, mentees should review match profiles and determine which mentors to reach out to and what topics you want to discuss with those professionals. Remember, this program is meant to help you explore careers, expand your network, and learn from mentors, and the effort mentees put in will determine the benefits they reap from the mentors. Be sure to ask specific questions to make the most of your time, seeking feedback related to finding jobs, general career advice, information on higher studies, technical information, personal encouragement, and so on.
• How much time am I committing per month?  We ask that mentees commit at least 30 minutes in preparation for each flash mentoring meeting. Remember that scheduling and topics are driven by you, the mentee, so set aside some time to manage those items and make the interaction as easy as possible for the professionals you are learning from. We also want students to focus on the quality of the conversations they have with mentors, and that means you should be prepared to come up with questions and topics that invite conversation and will be helpful for your path.
• How should I best prepare for a meeting?  To get the most out of your mentoring interactions, seek out resources that guide students on mentoring and informational interviewing. There are good resources that can be found online. However, we encourage you to reach out to your college or university’s Career Services department or center to get individualized support catered to your needs.

Mentee DO's

1. Take a proactive role in shaping the relationship.
2. Understand what you want from the mentoring relationship and communicate your goals and aspirations to your mentors. 
3. Set aside time for the mentoring process and keep all scheduled appointments with your mentors.
4. Put the time with your mentor to its best use. Come to your meetings with planned topics for discussion.
5. Respond on time to your mentor's feedback. Respond to emails from your mentor within two days of receipt.
6. Be open and honest with your mentors about your challenges and weaknesses. 
7. If something concerning the mentor needs to be discussed with others, it should first be discussed within the mentoring relationship.

Mentee DON'Ts

1. Ask for advice on everything. Have a purpose for each request.
2. Expect the mentor to know all the answers.
3. Commit yourself to obligations you cannot keep.
4. Cancel meetings/visits with your mentors at the last minute.

"The value that is received from this program, when paired with a knowledgeable and engaged Mentor, is excellent. Definitely worth the time."
- Mentee, SEMI Foundation Mentoring Program