You should make a general plan of the mentoring sessions at your first session with your mentor/mentee. How often will you meet? Where and when would you like to meet? Regularity of mentoring sessions is crucial for a quality relationship between mentor and mentee. The optimal meeting frequency is once per month. Always arrange your session a couple of days in advance: the exact date, time and venue, as well as the topic you would like to talk about, so both of you will have enough time to think about and prepare for the mentoring session.

During the session, always have a pen and paper, a phone or a computer so that you could write down important thoughts or information. A 90 minutes long session usually follows this scheme:

• What’s new compared to the last time you have met – 15 min;
• Selected topic / question of the day – 60 min;
• Summary; ideas and a draft plan for the next session – 15 min.

Always try to reflect on the progress of the mentoring process and discuss it with your mentor/mentee. This will help you to avoid misunderstandings and to direct the process on the expected and desirable course.