The mentor onboarding checklist.

Ten minutes of preparation that saves a fortnight of chasing.

• Agree who is eligible to mentorUsually anyone past their probation period. Set it once so managers do not have to decide case by case.Partner10 min
• Name an internal ownerOne person who answers questions and holds the list. Not a committee.Partner5 min
• Confirm your programmeGive, Grow or Redirect, and the target number of mentors for the first month.Partner5 min
• Decide whether under-18 mentees are in scopeIf they are, mentors need an enhanced DBS check or the local equivalent before their first session.Partner5 min
• Book the launch messageUse the wording in Messages to send, and put a date in the calendar.Partner10 min

The five minutes that create the account.

• Capture name, work email and roleThe work email is what confirms the employer, so use it rather than a personal address.Mentor3 min
• Pick the topics they will takeThree to five is plenty. Interviews, career change, and their own specialism are the usual three.Mentor3 min
• Accept the code of conductOne screen. It covers conduct, confidentiality and what to do if something is disclosed.Mentor2 min
• Run identity and employer checksWe confirm identity and that the mentor works where they say they do.mentorheroSame day
• Complete DBS or local equivalentOnly where the mentor will meet mentees aged 16 to 18. We tell you which mentors this applies to.MentorVaries

Mentees pick the route, not the job title.

• Write the route, not the CVWhere they started, the turns they took, and the thing they wish they had known. Six lines.Mentor10 min
• Add a plain photoA normal head and shoulders photo. It lifts booking rates more than anything else on the profile.Mentor2 min
• Name the industry in plain wordsSay what the company does, not the internal job family.Mentor2 min
• Set two or three slotsEnough to start. More can be added once the first session is behind them.Mentor3 min

Not training. Four short Academy guides.

• Running a good first sessionStructure for the 30 minutes, so nobody spends ten of them on small talk.Mentor4 min
• Asking better questionsUnderstand the situation before giving advice. Most bad sessions skip this.Mentor4 min
• Giving hard feedback kindlyHow to be honest about a CV or a plan without flattening someone.Mentor4 min
• Safeguarding basicsWhat to do if a mentee discloses something, and who to tell.Mentor3 min

Nobody should start cold.

• Read the briefThe mentee's question arrives before the session. Two minutes with it changes the whole half hour.Mentor2 min
• Test the linkBrowser only, no downloads. Check camera and microphone the day before.Mentor2 min
• Hold the 30 minutesTen minutes understanding, fifteen on the answer, five on next steps.Mentor30 min
• Agree one next stepOne specific action the mentee will take. This is the single strongest predictor of a useful session.Mentor5 min

Keep the mentor, and prove the programme works.

• Leave feedbackTwo questions. It tunes the next match and it feeds your reporting.Mentor2 min
• Check the mentor is still comfortableA one-line message from the internal owner after the first session keeps most mentors active.Partner2 min
• Add more availabilityMost mentors add slots after the first session, because it was easier than they expected.Mentor2 min
• Record the hoursVolunteering hours and topics are captured automatically and appear in your reporting.mentorheroAutomatic