Career Mentors Q & A

(1) How do I sign up?

  • It’s easy. Simply email Jack Wickens at drive.mentor@gmail.com, and please include your telephone number. After completing a brief profile, you will be recorded as a potential mentor.

(2) Can I control when I will be assigned as a mentor?

  • Yes. To assure that this fits in with your busy schedule, you will be given advance notice of a possible athlete/mentee assignment. You can accept or decline each assignment.

(3) What is expected of a mentor?

  • The athlete will be responsible for driving the mentor/mentee relationship, i.e., the athlete will be expected to schedule interactions and to take the lead in setting agendas & goals.
  • An effective mentor is as much a good listener as a communicator of advice and suggestions.
  • 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 have different outcomes….some 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.

(4) Will you necessarily want/need someone with my professional background?

  • We anticipate that athletes who pursue this mentoring program will have a wide assortment of career interests, so we hope to build a mentor pool that covers a wide spectrum of industries, disciplines, and professions - everything from coaching and teaching, to Wall Street and marketing.

(5) Do I need to be knowledgeable about Track & Field?

  • No. The whole point of this program is to prepare the athletes for their post-track & field life. The athlete will undoubtedly share insights on the realities of life as a professional athlete.
  • Obviously, it is important to recognize that an active, elite athlete will generally put their training ahead of all other priorities.

(6) What other career services will be made available to athletes?

  • Each eligible athlete who applies for career support and/or mentoring will 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).

(7) How will I be matched to an athlete?

  • You will always be approached privately about a possible athlete/mentee match (before athlete is notified), so you can decide if you want to accept the assignment.
  • Each athlete will undergo a thorough screening process to confirm commitment, and to assess career positioning and interest. A Lee Hecht Harrison career coach will sometimes spend time with the athlete to draft a rough career development game-plan, in advance of meeting with you.
  • Ideally, we will identify a strong match based upon field of interest, industry, or profession….and we’ll consider geographic proximity.

(8) How do I know if I’d be a good mentor and if the mentoring relationship will be successful?

The athlete has the most at stake, and thus, it is appropriate that the athlete has the primary responsibility for driving the mentoring relationship. That said,

  • 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.

Please note: 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 will be made available. It makes more sense to cut off a non-productive mentor/mentee relationship, than to prolong a time-wasting situation.

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For information about becoming a Mentor, please contact Jack Wickens, Director, USA Track & Field Foundation.