Athlete Career Mentoring Program - Q & A

"BECAUSE THE DREAM CONTINUES AFTER THE RACE ENDS"

(1) I’m a little nervous about this. How do I know if this will be well spent time for me?

  • There are no guarantees in life! Go ahead, give it a try. The worst that can happen is that you decide after your first call that it’s not for you. On the other hand, this could be one of the most valuable steps you’ll ever take to enhance your ultimate post-athletic career.
  • An option you can consider to help prepare you for a successful mentoring experience is to first access the USOC career services program. Their program will help you to organize your career thoughts and questions.  For more information on the USOC career programs contact Beka at Sariyu.Suggs@usatf.org.

(2) Is this just for athletes who are at the end of their T&F competitive time?

  • No. This for athletes at all stages of their athletic life. For someone just out of college it may help you determine creative ways to build your skills and resume while focusing on athletic advancement. For someone near the end of their T&F time it may help zero in a specific career direction and give you a lift as you seek specific job opportunities.

(3) What if I have no clue as to what career I’d like to go into?

  • This program could be perfect for you to help you sort this out. Talking to a trusted mentor will help you evaluate the possibilities that are out there.  Alternatively, you could first access the USOC career services programs noted in answer #1 above. They have a program that is specifically designed to help you match your skills and interests to professional fields.

(4) What if you don’t have a mentor from the professional field or job type that I desire?

  • No problem. We’ll work hard to find someone who would be a great mentor for you.

(5) How do I sign up?

  • It’s easy. Simply CLICK HERE to complete the online application.

(6) Why is the application so long?

  • It should take no more than 20 minutes to complete. Completion of this application accomplishes a few things: a) it helps you begin to analyze your career thoughts, b) it will help us choose the best mentor for you, and c) it will begin to educate your assigned mentor about you.

(7) Who is eligible to be in this program?

  • Initially we are targeting active athletes who have been ranked in the top ten in the USA in their respective event in either of the past two years. Anyone who has been an Olympic team member also has lifetime eligibility.

(8) What is expected of me as a mentee?

  • The mentoring experience will be maximized if you take charge of it - - e.g. schedule the interactions and don’t be bashful about setting the agendas & goals. 
  • A reasonable expectation for a mentor-mentee relationship is to have monthly phone calls for 3 to 6 months. Obviously a face-to-face meeting, if feasible, would be a plus. An understanding should be reached early in the relationship about email and off-schedule phone calls.
  • Each relationship will be different….and that is OK. Whatever makes sense for you is fine.  Some mentoring relationships will focus on helping the athlete assess his/her direction and suitability for certain opportunities….some will focus on ways to prepare for a field/career through education and/or internships….some will help open doors to networking or even interviews.

(9) What other career services will be made available?

  • If you apply for career mentoring you will also be given access to top notch interviewing training, resume building support (e.g. how to maximize the value of their athletic experiences in their resume), development of a career game plan, career assessment testing (i.e. match skills and interest to various professions), and entrepreneur training – all provided by Lee Hecht Harrison in partnership with the USOC (U.S. Olympic Committee).

(10) How will I be matched to a mentor?

  • The application gives you a chance to define some of the characteristics of a mentor that you desire.
  • Ideally we will identify a strong match based on field of interest, industry, or profession….and we’ll consider geographic proximity.

(11) What can I expect of my mentor? And what if I’m not happy with how the mentoring relationship is going?

  • First and foremost the mentor should flex to your needs. He/she should be highly respectful of the fact that you are a professional athlete and the associated commitment you have to training and racing.

In addition, we advise the mentors to remember these things:

  • The best mentors gain the trust and confidence of their mentees so that candid, productive discussion can take place.
  • The best mentors do as much listening as they do talking.
  • The best mentors are honest and aren't hesitant to give constructive feedback.
  • The best mentors are a sounding board for the mentees' ideas as well as a catalyst to help the athlete identify new ideas.

We will provide some “ice breaker” guidance that can be used to help the first one or two interactions get off to a productive start. Despite all of this, there is no guarantee that a mentor-mentee relationship will be a winner, even after some coaching support that we will make available. It makes more sense to cut off mentor-mentee relationship then to prolong a time-wasting situation. We will not hesitate to assign you a new mentor.

(12) Can I work with more than one mentor, so I learn about multiple professions?

  • Absolutely! We expect this to be fairly common.

(13) What if I have more questions?

  • Email Drive.Mentor@gmail.com and Jack Wickens, Director, USATF Foundation, will respond within 24 hours. Or, you can contact Beka Suggs at the USATF office.

 

 

 

Please contact Jack Wickens, USATF Foundation Director, with questions about the Drive Program.

 

CLICK HERE to go to the main ELITE ATHLETE JOB PROGRAM page.