1. Pre-hire Mentoring Program Prochrt

2. objectives Mentoring program goals Mentor roles and responsibilities
Business items
Staffed by volunteers
Allowed to contact candidates during normal work hours
Hiring Process

3. Why mentoring? Addresses recruitment and retention issues
Helps candidates navigate the extensive hiring process
Provide candidate with contact person
Reduces intimidation factors
Establish relationship with candidate
Provides candidate with expectations
We have a reputation for “eating our young” – peer relationships can be difficult to develop because of the agency culture
Expectations for both hiring process and job functions

4. Why mentoring con’t. Acts as a trusted counselor or guide
Becomes a safe, non-judgmental sounding board for candidates
Remains a consistent contact through hiring and training

5. Reasons to be a Mentor Has a direct impact on candidates/trainees
Promotes a positive culture
Serves as a role model
Shares knowledge and experience
Promotes mentor’s career development
Talk about order of hiring testing, process – large agency vs small agency. Civil service, more removed from candidae?

6. The Role of the Mentor
Mentors will guide new candidates through the process by:
Offering advice and information
Providing encouragement
Addressing candidate concerns
Mentors will serve as an advocate by:
Bridging communication gaps as they move from candidate to new hire
Providing input about the candidate/new hire’s learning style, etc.
A good place to consider starting the process could be right when they receive their background packets, and continue the momentum through the hiring process. There are a lot of starts and stops to navigate. The Mentor can serve as a laison between the candidate and HR or the Backgrounding unit.
While you will form opinions of your candidate and their suitability for this job, remember you are their champion

7. Mentor Responsibilities
Mentoring procedures may vary, but suggested ways to track candidate progress are:
Initiate contact
Provide contact information including duty hours
Maintain a contact log including date, time and form of contact
Report to candidate in a timely manner
Keep consistent and regular contact

8. Mentor Responsibilities
As a candidate progresses to a new hire, adjustments to the mentor process may be made. Suggestions include:
Communicate learning style to training department
Introduce them to new peers
Alert them to guild/union (if applicable)
Advise them of certain industry nuances
Emotional upheavals
Varying pace of work
Extended exposure to stress
Maintain confidentiality

9. Enter the Mentor
There are varying times when assigning a mentor may be appropriate, depending on your hiring process
Assigning a mentor too early may tax your mentors and be ineffective
Mentors are often most effective when assigned during extended wait times (background investigation, etc.)
Your agency gets to decided at what point the Mentoring program kicks in.

10. Example Hiring Process
Application process
Skills test
Initial interview/oral board
Background investigation
Dispatch sit-in
Final interview
Conditional offer of hire
Polygraph/CVSA
Psychological exam
Medical, drug, and hearing exams
Final offer of employment
What does your program look like? Where are there built in delays that extend the hiring processes? This is when a mentor can keep the candidates interested in your agency, and excited about the process..
Assist in completion of background packet if needed
If they haven’t told their current employer they are applying for this job, they probably want to do so at this point!
Formal interview – dress appropriately
One-on-one question/answer
Any red flags in their background will be addressed again
If interview goes well, a conditional offer of hire will be given at the end
Plan for two hours – candidate is only “hooked up” for about twenty minutes
Verbal interview will cover all questions previously answered in the background packet, as well as any red flags that may have arisen during the course of the background investigation
There are no surprise questions on this test!
1 – 3 hour appointment located in Federal Way
Candidate completes written test battery
Written tests are analyzed
Meet with a clinical psychologist
We will not challenge the results of the psych or medical exams!
Administered by Health Force – 5 different locations
Basic health exam
Questions about preexisting conditions or disqualifying conditions? Contact Dion at Dr. Wilson’s office:

11. Prep Candidate on Etiquette
Address people by title
Arrive at every appointment early
Dress appropriately
Leave electronics in vehicle/bag
Types of dress

12. Etiquette continued Phone Calls Emails Social Media Phone Calls Emails
Identify yourself immediately, then ask your question
Keep voic messages professional and brief
Keep personal voic greetings appropriate s
Avoid using slang, abbreviations, or acronyms
Use complete sentences with proper grammar and punctuation
Social Media
Keep in mind that employers may check sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
Phone Calls
Identify yourself immediately, then ask your question
Your voice mail messages s
Avoid using slang, abbreviations or acronyms
Use complete sentences and proper grammar and punctuation

13. Additional Resources for mentors
Mentor program introduction letter
Candidate contact information
Answers to FAQs from candidates
Introduction script
Hiring Process Flow Chart
Contact Log
Document examples are available.
Hand out Contact Log, Introduction script for the first phone call, copy of sample letter sent to candidates; then open up for questions and answers.

14. Thank you for joining the mentor program!