The Benefits of Participating in Career Mentoring

As a student or graduate, there is a lot to gain from taking part in career mentoring.  Since the scheme started in 2008, our mentors have supported thousands of individuals to develop confidence, enhance their CV, apply for jobs, and progress their careers.

Through the university's scheme you will:

• Develop personal and professional competencies that will help you compete in the jobs market
• Gain a realistic insight into your chosen profession
• Receive advice on how you can access relevant work experience and expand your network.
• Boost your confidence.
• Learn how to build a competitive CV.
• Receive mentee training, resources and ongoing support from our dedicated team. 

Completion of the Career Mentor Scheme and its Feedback Form also counts towards The Exeter Award. 

Our dedicated Career Mentor Team recruit experienced professionals and industry-leading experts who can support you during your study and at the early stages of your career. These professionals volunteer their time to 'give back' and provide advice through online or in-person 1:1 sessions.

The university's mentors are:

• Experienced professionals at various stages of their career (including entrepreneurs)
• From a wide range of sectors and professions
• Based locally in the southwest, all over the UK, and overseas
• Ready to provide one-to-one careers advice, support and guidance into their profession and sector
• Able to provide monthly contact via email, telephone and online meetings

To get the most from the mentoring experience, you should be....

• Motivated to improve your knowledge, prospects, and employability.
• Open to ideas and feedback from your mentor.
• Committed to participating in the scheme for the full 6 months.
• Expected to take the lead by contacting and engaging with your mentor for at least one session per month.

All mentoring opportunities for the central Career Mentor Scheme will be advertised on Handshake, where you can view mentor profiles and search by sector, job title, and country. The video below will take you through the best way to search for your ideal mentor.

When you are ready to apply, you can submit one application which can include up to two mentors that you would like to be connected to. If your first choice isn't available, you will be matched with your second choice. In the event that neither of your chosen mentors are available, the team will contact you with recommendations.

The Career Mentor Scheme is a competitive process and you should therefore provide good quality answers in your application and adhere to the guidance provided throughout the form.  

To receive a notification when applications for the next scheme open, submit your details here.

Note for Graduates

You should check that the mentor(s) you are interested in have stated they are happy to mentor a graduate, as some of our mentors may prefer to work with current students only. 

Application process

• Log in to Handshake.*
• If you know the name of the mentor click on the 'Jobs' tab and type the name into the search box.
• OR click on the 'Jobs' tab and type 'Mentor + key word'
• OR click on the 'Jobs' tab and navigate to 'All Filters' then '+More' and click on 'Experiential Learning'.

• To narrow your results search for jobs by 'Job Role' or 'Industry'.
• When you have found a mentor you would like to apply for, click on 'Apply Externally' and you will be directed to the online application form.

*If you are a graduate and you are experiencing difficulties accessing Handshake, contact careermentorscheme@exeter.ac.uk and one of the team will be able to help you.

Important note for applicants

• The scheme works on a 'first-come-first-serve' basis, so you should apply as soon as possible to have the best chance of being matched with the mentor of your choice.
• Mentor profiles are removed from Handshake once they are matched with a mentee.  This can happen at any time before the closing date if a suitable application is received.
• Prospective mentees are NOT permitted to contact mentors outside of the scheme's application process (e.g. do not search and contact them on social media or elsewhere). Applications will be withdrawn from the scheme if we find out that the student or graduate in question has contacted mentors outside of the standard scheme application process.

The University's Career Mentor Scheme is proud to partner with external organisations to offer students a choice of specialist schemes which are supported through the central Career Mentor Scheme. We partner with the Environment Agency, J.P. Morgan, and the Junior Lawyer Divisions in Devon, Cornwall & Somerset.

One student who took part in a recent J. P. Morgan scheme, fed-back that a highlight for them was "Establishing a valuable connection with an experienced professional at one of the biggest investment banks." Tomi, Economics and Finance with Industrial Experience, 2nd year. 

If you have any questions about the specialist schemes, you can contact the team at careermentorscheme@exeter.ac.uk

An Ethnic Minority Mentoring (EMM) scheme was piloted during the summer of 2023, to Health and Life Sciences (HLS) students.

As a result of the pilot, EMM is now embedded in the central Career Mentor Scheme to support students who are navigating a foreign job market and want to overcome the challenges that are specific to them. The mentors taking part will identify as Black, Asian or from other minority ethnic groups. They have once been in your position and will have an understanding of the unique challenges you face in the UK.

Look for [EMM] in the title of the mentor profiles on Handshake to identify the mentors who can help students from an ethnic minority background.

If you have any questions about EMM, you can contact the team at careermentorscheme@exeter.ac.uk

Timeframe: The Summer to Autumn scheme runs from June 2025 – November 2025 for 6 months.

Who can apply: 

The scheme is open to:

• Current UK and International Exeter University students
• UK and International Exeter University graduates (who have graduated within the last 3 years)
• UK and International graduates from other UK-based universities who have secured a role through the Graduate Business Partnership scheme.

When to apply: Applications will be open from Monday 3rd March to Monday 5th May 2025.

Level of contact: At least once a month for 1-2 hours, via email, messaging, phone, in person or online. 

Expected timeline summary:

Timeframe: The Winter- Spring scheme runs from December 2025 – May 2026 (6 months duration).

Who can apply:

 The scheme is open to:

• Current UK and International Exeter University students
• UK and International Exeter University graduates (who have graduated within the last 3 years)
• UK and International graduates from other UK-based universities who have secured a role through the Graduate Business Partnership scheme.

When to apply: Applications are now closed and will open on in September 2025.

Level of contact: At least once a month for 1-2 hours, via email, messaging, phone, in person or online. 

Expected timeline summary:

 Career mentoring is: 

• Valueable 1:1 careers advice, support, and guidance delivered over a 6 month period.
• An opportunity to work with an experienced professional in your chosen sector.
• A chance for you to expand your horizons and thought processes so you can make informed decisions about your future.
• A personalised experience that is focused on your interests, whatever stage you are at on your career journey.

Career mentoring means you can focus on your personal and professional development with input from your mentor.  

Career mentoring isn’t: 

• Direct sponsorship 
• Always task focused 
• A mentor doing work on your behalf 
• The mentor making decisions on your behalf
• An opportunity to ask for ‘favours’, for example asking directly for a job/work experience/internships, an introduction to hiring managers, access to your mentor’s network contacts etc.
• A form of therapy for personal issues.
• A tutor-student relationship with the main focus being on producing an academic outcome.

The main focus should be on your personal development outside of work. We recommend that you avoid making any connections on personal social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram etc.  Connecting with your mentor on professional platforms such as LinkedIn is perfectly acceptable.  

 What you can request:

• You are able to ask your mentor for advice on how to look for jobs, internships, and placements, and how to expand your network.
• Please do not ask your mentor to provide these opportunities directly i.e. ask for an internship working for the mentor. Some mentors are in the position to provide these opportunities, but it is for them to offer this freely and not as a result of a direct request

All mentees and mentors will be invited to attend a networking event (usually based in Exeter City Centre) throughout their time on the scheme. This is an opportunity to hear updates about our schemes, celebrate the successes of your partnership, and meet other mentees and mentors over refreshments. 

We also run online networking sessions giving mentees and mentors from across the globe a chance to hear about the schemes, and widen their networks by speaking with others during an online networking event hosted on Zoom. 

• Applications are open to all current students (undergraduate and postgraduate) and graduates and GBPs who have graduated within the last three years.
• Mentees may submit one application only, where you will be asked to select one first choice and one second choice mentor. If your application meets a minimum score criteria, your application will be considered successful and we will do our best to match you with your first choice mentor.
• The scheme works on a 'first-come, first-serve' basis, which means a mentor profile will be closed once we have received a strong application (please note, some mentor opportunities will stay open for up to 3 student applications if that mentor has confirmed they are able to support more than one mentee).
• Successful mentees will be invited to complete a compulsory training session before the scheme begins, failure to do so will result in them being removed from the scheme.
• Successful mentees will be expected to participate for the full duration of the scheme by actively staying in touch with their mentors at least once per month and providing feedback to staff when requested. 
• You may participate in the Career Mentor Scheme multiple times, though you cannot apply to be mentored by the same mentor more than once. When submitting an application, you will be asked if you have previously participated and if so, why you feel participating again will be of benefit to you. The Career Mentoring Team reserve the right to reject a repeat application based on a mentee's conduct during a previous partnership. 
• Mentees are not permitted to search for a mentor’s contact information or directly contact a mentor outside of the scheme’s standard recruitment and selection process. Applications will be withdrawn from the scheme if we find out that the student or graduate in question has contacted mentors outside of the standard scheme application process.

Please see our  FAQs for more details.

The Career Mentor Team

From left to right Career Mentor Coordinators Abigail Smith, Paula McDonald, Sarah Hood, and Employment Schemes Manager, Andrea Hodges.

You can contact the team at careermentorscheme@exeter.ac.uk

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