The 2025 session of the Ponts Alumni mentoring program has already been running for a month! Time to establish initial contact between mentor and mentee, and above all to organize a first meeting. This is a significant step for the new pair. Trust can't be ordered, it has to be built up bit by bit. Without it, there can be no in-depth, fruitful exchanges, no authenticity. That's why preparing for the first date is so important.

The mentee reflects on his or her career path, the issues he or she wishes to address, the strengths he or she can build on, and the stumbling blocks that stand in the way of progress. The mentor, for his part, recalls the questions that animated him at the same age...

The state of mind with which mentor and mentee approach this first meeting is one of openness, a desire to share, a willingness to invest in the relationship. But it's also about gratuity: expecting nothing in return, except to learn from each other.

For this first meeting, the choice of location is just as important as the time you devote to it. To get to know each other and lay the foundations of the mentoring relationship, it's best to be in a quiet, friendly place and take your time, especially when it comes to agreeing practical arrangements for future meetings.

When mentor and mentee have found their feet and have been able to create a relationship of equals, then freedom of speech and the desire to experiment come naturally.

If you'd like to find out more, contact us at mentoring@ponts.org or visit our https://www.ponts.org/fr/les page .