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Your Mentorship-Request

If you are registered, you have the possibility to fill out your mentorship-request under "My Data" (segment "My Mentoring") in your profile. You can cache it and edit it step by step.

Your request consists of three open text fields:

1. My current situation 
   Describe where you are in your career path right now: 
   Are you still about to graduate and if so when approximately? 
   Have you already graduated?
   Do you already have a plan on where you want to go professionally?
   What situation is it that made you decide to participate in alma mentoring?
   Are there certain challenges for you that should/must get space to discuss during the mentorship?
2. My goal(s)
   Describe here what your goals are for mentorship:
   Would you like general guidance?
   Would you like to find more clarity about what you're already good at or in which areas you need to brush up on your knowledge?
   Do you just want to find a job that you can make a living from?
   Do you have a specific career plan and need support in implementing it?
3. What help do I want?
   Describe here what support you hope to receive in the mentorship:
   Do you need help creating application documents?
   Want to know how a certain industry works?
   Would you like to have space to reflect on your plans?

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Tips for Writing Your Mentorship-Request

Your mentorship-reaquest is meant to help mentors understand what the mentorship should be about and what is important to you. The request is not an application: You do not have to present yourself in the best light possible. The clearer you manage to describe what your current situation is, where you want to go and how you thin a mentor can help you, the better.

BUT: Please be respectful: Mentors volunteer their time and knowledge! Take your time to write a proper application. For example, watch out for typos and careful wording that presents your situation as succinctly and clearly as possible and as comprehensively as necessary. 

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If Your First Language Isn't German
 

If German is not your first language, but you need to write your request for your preferred mentor in German, there are three different approaches:

1. Have your request corrected by someone whose first language is German if you have access to a person who will help you out. This shows mentors that you are making an effort to make them as comfortable as possible in working with you. However, be sure to mention that your first language is not German, as this is important information for mentors. 
2. If your English is better than your German: Set the alma website to English (top right). Fill out the request in English and, to the right of the respective text fields, click on "Translate" and select "German".
   When you now switch the website back to German, you will see automatic translation suggestions for your English texts. However, please still revise them - the automatic translation function of the system is good, but not perfect.   
3. Openly write in your request that German is not your first language and apologize for making mistakes when writing. (Feel free to refer to this tip here.) It is also informative for mentors to know what level your German writing skills are at, so don't worry too much. After all, these skills will be taken into account in the job market and mentors can then take this into consideration and adjust the mentorship to the fact that this will most likely be a topic that will have to be dealt with. 

Any of these ways are fine, but there is one thing you should absolutely do: Don't send an text that likely has mistakes in it without commenting on it. This can be irritating to mentors and give the impression that you have tried less than you have.