I-DEEP doctoral pilot mentoring programme
Here are some examples of the themes, questions and discussion topics that may be discussed during mentoring meetings. The topics and discussion may vary based on experiences of the mentor and needs of mentees and you can always modify themes as needed or discuss topics of your own preference.
This section focuses on career paths in industry, on the connection between doctoral studies in the field and employment, career advancement, and the factors that influence them.
- The significance of doctoral studies in relation to requirements at work
- Developing field specific expertise (substance) during doctoral studies
- Developing “work life skills” during doctoral studies
- Career advancement
- Work opportunities in the industry
How can a doctoral degree benefit your career in industry? How can pursuing a doctoral degree change your career goals? Which specific skills or knowledge gained during studies are particularly useful in industry? How can you integrate theoretical knowledge with practical experience?
How has your career progressed so far? What kinds of opportunities have arisen?
What factors can promote or limit your opportunities?
How can you plan your career? How may your career plans change?
What should be considered when evaluating whether to seize unexpected opportunities?
This section focuses on Finnish working life, including job seeking and career prospects in Finland, as well as the factors that influence them.
- Integration in Finnish society
- Finnish work culture
- Finding work in Finland
- Connections and networks
- Having an international background (challenges and benefits)
- Role of Finnish language
Example questions to be discussed:
What kind of impressions do you have about Finnish work culture? What are the good and not so good sides of Finnish work culture? Are there similarities of differences with other cultures? You may discuss Finnish work life hierarchy, worktime, obligations, expectations and rights. Is there something that should be be avoided and what is important to know (industrial work life “dos and don’ts”)?
How to get to know your field and the job market? What opportunities there are in Finnish job market or outside Finland? How to find work in Finland? What channels can be used to find work?
What should be considered when making and improving job applications and CVs? How to perform well in job interviews?
Is it important to know Finnish when working in Finland? What are the benefits of an international background?
This section focuses on general perspectives on working life and the skills involved, as well as the factors that influence them.
- Effective communication
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Building a professional network in the industry
- Staying updated with industry developments and improvements
- Managing projects with industry partners
- Leadership and team dynamics in an industry setting
Example questions to be discussed:
How to communicate effectively in different work settings? What should be taken into account in oral and written communication? What about the cultural differences in communication? Is there difference if you communicate within and outside the company setting? What kind of role do on-line and face to face meetings have? How have you given positive input in your work community?
What to consider when introducing yourself and your ideas/research (pitching) in industrial setting? How to bring up your own ideas and how to react to other people’s ideas? How to give and receive feedback constructive ways?
What kind of roles and expectations there are in different work roles? How are leadership practices and team dynamics maintained and built in industry settings?
How to prioritize tasks in rapidly changing environments? How to make decisions with limited time and information? What is to be taken into consideration in project management? What is the role of documentation in industry work?
This section focuses on examining personal development, including exploring values and strengths and their significance.
- skills and characteristics
- values (can be anything you consider important related to company or personally)
- motivation
- strengths
- things to develop
- history-future aspect
Examples of questions to be discussed:
How have you improved in your work? How can you learn at work? How have your technical skills developed during your career?
What are the main personal characters that have helped you to create an interesting career? How would you describe yourself professionally, as an expert? What motivates you? How to set goals and what kind of goals do you have?What is important to you in work and in life in general? Are your values in line with those of your company/ the industry? Are the possibilities at the job market in line with your skills and interests? What are your best skills and what would you like to still improve?
This section focuses on entrepreneurship and the factors related to promoting and understanding an entrepreneurial mindset.
- Entrepreneurial mindset
- Understanding the market
- Marketing
- Principles related to startups
- Business development
- Awareness related to legal issues
Examples of questions to be discussed:
Does the entrepreneur mindset differ from a researcher mindset? How to get ideas and put them into action?
What needs to be known about finance, HR and marketing in relation to startups? How to understand the customers and “fit the market”? What do you need to know about legal issues (contracts, incorporation, intellectual property rights)?
What kind of support is available for startups? How to build a team that works?What kind of networks and relationships help you to grow together (e.g. with other entrepreneurs in the field, investors, mentors, customers)?
How can communication, learning to sell your vision and telling stories build your brand? How to deal with uncertainty and learn from mistakes?
This section focuses on examining aspects of well-being and their significance from the perspective of working life.
- Physical wellbeing
- Psychological wellbeing
- Social wellbeing
- Professional wellbeing
- Balance between work and other areas of life
- Resources and resilience
Examples of questions to be discussed:
How do you take care of exercise, nutrition and sleep to support your physical wellbeing? How does physical wellbeing affect your wellbeing at work?
What creates meaningfulness to work? What helps you to learn new things and grow professionally? What helps you to create feeling of community and belonging at work? What makes you feel safe and productive at work? How can you feel inspired and how to maintain motivation at work? What kind of role do feelings have and is how to express them in constructive way at work?
How to live in harmony and have balanced life (e.g. work/family/hobbies) and still work efficiently? What gives you energy and what kind of internal or external resources help you to feel holistically well in life? How do you relax? How do your personal relationships and interactions effect your wellbeing at work?