While you gain a variety of technical and managerial skills in class, your mentor is there to answer questions that may not get answered in a lecture. Questions like: “How did you know what you want to do?” or “How can I tell X company is right for me?”
Having a mentor means having a lifeline through the difficult career decisions you’ll make as an undergraduate student. Your mentor can be a guide and sounding board for you especially as you choose your electives, internships, student organizations, and job offers.
Remember that however successful your mentor is, she is a normal person who has been through similar experiences when she was younger! Whether you ask about her professional or personal life, try to find some common ground.
Try lunch! There are several places on University where she could meet you if you have an hour or two between classes. Go somewhere quiet enough to talk - places like Paradise Bakery or Beyond Bread can be good venues.
"What should I look for in a company?"
"How do I know what field is right for me?"
"What was your biggest challenge when you started out?"
"How did you find a balance between work and life?
For a compiled list of our recommended questions (and why to ask), please see below:
Gervais, Bert. “10 Killer Questions To Make The Most Of Your Mentor Meeting.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 2 Sept. 2015, www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2014/02/28/10-killer-questions-to-make-the-most-of-your-mentor-meeting/#59116ba71481