The DHS Mentoring Program is now accepting mentee and mentor applications for fiscal year 2021 until noon on Monday, Nov. 16, 2020. This nine-month program matches DHS mentees (GS-14/J band and below) with mentors (GS-12/H band through Senior Executive Service) across all occupational functions.
The DHS Mentoring Program has helped previous mentees acquire and build skills including managing change, communication, leadership, and time management. Mentees also learn more about DHS, take on new challenges and responsibilities, and secure new jobs and promotions. Mentoring relationships benefit the mentee as well as the mentor and the Department as a whole. Program goals include:
- Broadening the employee’s understanding of the DHS mission;
- Offering one-on-one career guidance for the mentee and a unique opportunity for the mentor to positively impact an emerging leader’s career;
- Helping employees build a career roadmap, individually tailored to meet specific professional goals; and
- Expanding employees’ knowledge, skills, and abilities through targeted professional training.
The DHS Mentoring Program pairs mentors and mentees based on a matching form, an application, and an assessment to ensure that participants achieve maximum results from the program. Potential mentors and mentees may apply by following the instructions below:
- Go to the DHS mentoring page.
- Log in if you already have an account.
- If you do not have an account, click on the “Not A Member Yet?” button on the bottom left of the page.
- Enter DHS as the group ID and click submit.
- Select your role: mentor or mentee.
- Complete your user profile and click Continue.
- Complete your application form and click “I’m Done” to obtain your supervisor’s endorsement.
To log back in after creating an account:
- Visit DHS mentoring page .
- Enter the user ID and password you created when you registered.
Mentors can gain personal satisfaction of giving back to DHS by sharing their experience and knowledge with others. Mentors may benefit from improved communication skills, increased job efficiency, and enhanced leadership skills. Participating as a mentor meets the 12-hour giveback requirement of the Cornerstone Program for supervisors and managers.