careerMe Mentoring

The ‘Career Beyond Academia’ programme track is aimed at advanced doctoral candiates and postdoctoral researchers who wish to gain insights into careers outside higher education and receive support with their career planning and development in this area.

Mentors are usually PhD graduates working outside higher education (e.g. in business, foundations or NGOs).

For mentees:

• Strengthening and guidance at each stage of one’s career
• Support in achieving individual career goals
• Gaining informal knowledge about structures and processes at the mentor’s place of work
• Gaining insights into different fields of work and discovering career opportunities outside the university
• Building professional contacts and relationships

For mentors:

• Individualized, targeted, yet interdisciplinary support for postgraduate researchers
• Further development of one’s own counseling skills
• Gaining new insights to inform one’s own work
• Reflection on one’s own career path and leadership experiences
• Insights into current higher education processes

The careerMe mentoring programme focuses on personal interaction between mentor and mentee. 
A mentoring agreement, drawn up at the start, serves as the basis for the relationship and sets out both substantive and organisational aspects, such as the frequency of meetings.
Within the mentoring relationship, the mentee takes on an active role.
To ensure optimal preparation for this role, a mandatory coaching with an external coach takes place. 

The start date of the mentoring is flexible. The programme runs for one year. 

In addition, a networking event is held at least once a year to encourage exchange with current and former programme participants and to build a lasting network.

Interested individuals may apply as mentees if at least two years have passed since their acceptance as a doctoral student at the time of application, or if they are postdoctoral researchers. In addition, participants must plan to remain at the University of Erfurt for at least one year.
All interested parties must first complete an online application form (see “Getting started with mentoring”). However, this does not automatically guarantee participation in the program.
After a successful application, participation in a preparatory coaching session (max. 1 hour) is mandatory (Appointments available from June).

Mentors should generally hold a Ph.D.

Before applying to be a mentee, please read the guide to learn more about how the mentoring relationship works and your role as a mentee.

You can find the guide here.

1. Application

By completing the online application form (see below), you will be added to the pool of applicants.

2. Preparatory coaching

Once we have confirmed receipt of your application, you will take part in a preparatory coaching session (Appointments available from June). During this session, you will receive support in clarifying your goals for the mentoring programme, be prepared for your role as a mentee, and receive tips on finding suitable mentors.

3. Finding a mentor yourself

Once you have completed the preparatory coaching, you can start looking for a suitable mentor. 
As soon as you have some suggestions, please let us know their name and contact details.

4. Programme Coordination contacts the mentor

We will contact the potential mentor. This is intended to increase the likelihood of them agreeing to take on the role.
We will let you know whether they have agreed. If you have provided us with several potential mentors, we will work through the list in the event of a refusal.

5. Mentee contacts mentor

Once the potential mentor has agreed to take on the role, you can arrange an initial meeting.

6. Mentoring Agreement

During the first meeting, you will go through the mentoring agreement together. This involves setting out organisational and content-related aspects and formulating mutual expectations within the mentoring relationship.
You will then send us the agreement (to akademische-qualifizierung@uni-erfurt.de).
The date of signing marks the start of the mentoring relationship.

7. Individual mentoring relationship

You arrange appointments with your mentor on an individual basis.
The duration is one year. If both parties are interested, the relationship can continue privately.

Please read the privacy policy for careerMe mentoring before applying.