Mentoring Program 

Frequently Asked Questions

More FAQs will be added to this page as questions arise. 

• It's been three weeks since the application deadline and I have not been notified that I've been matched with someone. -OR- I received an email that I was matched with someone, and I reached out to them, but I haven't received a response. What do I do?
  First, check your spam folder or filter. Increasingly, legitimate emails from outside of your organization are being flagged as spam. SQA hears this over and over again when there are communication issues - someone's emails (sometimes ours!) are going into someone else's spam folder. So please check it regularly! If you've been paired with someone, your next step should be to visit the SQA Member Directory on the SQA website and search for your partner there - see if they have an alternate email address or a phone number that you can use to reach out to them. If you have not received a message pairing you with someone, it's possible that we haven't been able to match you yet - feel free to reach out and ask [email protected]. Similarly, if you've tried contacting your mentoring partner several different ways and are checking your spam folder with no results, reach out to [email protected] - we will also attempt to contact them, and if they don't respond to us, either, we will discontinue the partnership and match you with someone else if possible.
   
• Do I have to be a subject matter expert to be a Mentor in the SQA program?
  Subject matter expertise helps, but to mentor a junior-level QA professional, you only need to know what resources are available and where to direct the Mentee.
   
• What is the difference between a Mentor/Mentee partnership and a Peer partnership?
  A Peer partnership is a mentoring partnership between two experienced QA professionals who would benefit from a parallel information exchange, as opposed to the “teacher-student” model of a traditional Mentor-Mentee partnership. While the SQA Mentoring Program Committee is not currently accepting applications for Peer partnerships, the Committee may sometimes determine that a Peer partnership is a more appropriate type of match for two particular candidates.
   
• What is the difference between training and mentoring?
  Training is generally delivered according to a predetermined curriculum, with the trainee carrying the burden of meeting the curriculum's deliverables.  Mentoring is a more customized activity, that assigns deliverables to the Mentor as well as to the Mentee.  In addition, the role of Mentor may be to serve as a "role model," whereas the role of a trainer is generally to deliver a specific content without having a "partnership" with the trainee.
   
• What is the difference between consulting and mentoring within the context of this program?
  Mentoring, in the context of SQA's Mentoring Program, is structured with the intent to provide guidance to the Mentee that is aimed at their personal development. Consulting involves a contractual agreement that generally revolves around specific tasks to be performed for the betterment of a company. The Mentoring Program is not intended to be used to provide no-cost advice at the company level.
   
• How are mentoring matches made?
  As of 2019, mentoring partnerships are made three times per year via electronic application and matching procedures. Mentors and Mentees apply using the interest form linked on the Mentoring Program page. Every Mentor-Mentee and Peer partnership is confirmed by the MPC: MPC members review both potential partners' applications to ensure they would be a good fit according to the information available. After the MPC makes the matches, SQA Headquarters sends an email to both partners, introducing them and providing additional information and instructions for their partnership.
   
• What is the duration of an SQA mentoring partnership?
  Mentoring partnerships are actively supported by SQA for six months.  The time spent on deliverables is dependent on the goals and availability of the participants.  Participants may choose to continue their relationship beyond the SQA-supported time frame on their own.
   
• As a Mentor, how many hours am I expected to spend communicating with my Mentee during the six-month partnership?
  There is no set requirement; however, in Program evaluations, Mentors have indicated that they typically communicate with their Mentees from one to four times per month. Seventy percent report spending less than 1 hour per week in communication, research, and preparing materials for their partnership; thirty percent report 1-2 hours weekly.
   
• How will I communicate with my partner?  Will we need to meet face-to-face?
  Communication may be in person, via phone, e-mail, video chat, text or instant message, or other form of communication.  The method of communication will be determined by the partners involved, and communications are at the expense of the participants. Examples of communication methods that partners have used include: Skype, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, GoToMeeting, SMS text messaging, WhatsApp, AOL Instant Messenger, and more.
   
• Do I have to be an SQA member to participate?
  Yes, you may participate if you are an Active, Student, Outreach or Emeritus member of SQA.
   
• Do you offer mentoring in groups?
  The Mentoring Program was intentionally designed to operate in an environment of one-on-one interaction. Other resources such as SQA Specialty Sections and listservs/discussion forums are available for group exchanges.
   
• Will the personal and professional information I share through the Mentoring Program be kept confidential?
  Yes. All program applicants are required to sign a confidentiality statement at the time they apply. In addition, confidentiality statements are built into the MPC Standard Operating Procedures. Finally, all participants should adhere to all applicable privacy policies and procedures instituted by their employers.
   
• Where can I find the documents and information I need during my Mentoring Program partnership?
  All current Mentoring Program participants are given access to a private page on the SQA website as well as to the Mentoring community on SQA Connect.  In SQA Connect, Program participants will find important and helpful documents as well as a discussion forum they can use to communicate with other Program participants about mentoring matters.  Instructions on accessing these resources are given via email when you are matched with a partner.
   

What if I still have questions or challenges?

The MPC is here to help! Contact us:
[email protected]

Mentoring Program Main Page

(Visit the main Mentoring Program page to access applications for the next partnership cycle!) 

Mentoring Program Troubleshooting Guide

This document was prepared by the SQA Mentoring Program Committee to help facilitate a productive and empowering mentoring partnership. The ideas provided in this guide have come from actual SQA Mentoring Program partnerships – from past (and present) Mentors and Mentees. We hope the ideas shared here make your mentoring partnerships more fulfilling. If you have ideas to add to this document based on your experiences, email us at [email protected] – our intent is for this to be a living document, and we will add to it as needed. The document contains information on Communication, Organization, and Motivation; Establishing Clear Goals; and Establishing Mechanisms to Address Goals.

Mission and Vision

The Mentoring Program Committee’s mission is creating connections between QA professionals to share knowledge, information, skills and perspective across a range of professional experiences, empowering them to reach their full potential.

The Mentoring Program Committee's vision is to enable every QA professional to develop positive professional relationships that empower them to promote and advance the ethics, principles, and knowledge of quality assurance.

No person, organization, or other entity is permitted to reproduce any part of the SQA Mentoring Program without the express permission of SQA.