It was a great experience to meet and interact with other women at the TU, this includes my mentor as well as other mentees. Careers are, in general, not linear and there are many hurdles to overcome. For me, this was much easier to do when knowing that I am not the only one facing this problem.

Sandra Müller

Assistant Prof. Dr.in rer.nat., FWF Start Award Winner 2022

Sandra Müller

© FWF/Luiza Puiu

Logo TUW Career Mentoring

Why Career Mentoring?

You are a Female Postdoc at TU Wien and strive for the next step within your scientific career? You seek for a second opinion regarding your career development and goals and would like to gain insight in personal journeys of an experienced scientist in your field or outside your field? You wish to expand your network and connections within the scientific community?

Then we invite you to reflect on who could be a perfect mentor (f/m/d) for you and afterwards apply as a mentee within our Career Mentoring for Female Postdocs 2023. Join our Info-Session (5.6.2023, 11 am - 12 pm, ZOOM, opens an external URL in a new window). 

In this program we define mentoring as a one-to-one relationship between one person (mentor) who accompanies the individual career path and personal development of the other person (mentee). The mentor provides feedback and career-related advice and a second opinion to that of the mentee's supervisor. Therefore your mentor cannot be the same person as your supervisor.

Mentoring involves:

  • tailored, personalized support
  • concrete formulation of professional goals
  • support in achiving these professional goals
  • strengthening professional self-confidence
  • gaining insight into the structures of the scientific community

But, mentoring is not a one-way street. Your mentor should also benefit from the process, for example, through the following aspects:

  • Opportunity to reflect on her/his own leadership behavior
  • Acquiring skills in the area of communication and conversational skills that can also be used in other areas
  • Expanding her/his own network by meeting other mentors

Key facts on the application process and program

  • 27.03.2023 - 31.07.2023    application period for mentees including proposal of 2 possible mentors by the mentee
    • 5.6.2023  11am - 12 pm  Info-Session, ZOOM
  • 31.07.2023 - 15.09.2023    clarifying initital individual interview with Program Coordinator, afterwards confirmation of participation and recruitment period of the proposed mentors by TU Wien‘s HR department organizational team 
  • 15.09.2023 - 09.10.2023    post-recruitment period in case of unsuccessful recruiting of mentors
  • Program duration 13 months (October 2023 - November 2024), detailed timetable
  • 4-6 individual meetings (duration of 1–1.5 hours) desirably in-person, or virtual are suggested for a succesful mentoring relationship
  • 3 workshops, networking events, self-organized workshops and peer councelling events

Framework program:

Mentees and Mentors:  

  • 10.11.2023   11.30 am - 1 pm   Joint Kick-Off Event with lunch│Boeckl-Saal TU Wien │compulsory
  •  23.09.2024   9 am - 12 pm    Brunch Conference │tba │(recommended)
  • 14.11.2024   2 pm – 5 pm    Joint Closing Event │ Kontaktraum TU Wien │ compulsory

Mentees only:

  • 23.10.2023  9 am – 5 pm   Introductory Workshop│Seminarroom HR Dev., Resselgasse 4 │ compulsory
  • 23.10.2023 - 10.11.2023   Individual Potential Analysis │online, individually executed │ (recommended)
  • 13.11.2023  9 am - 12 pm  Group Evaluation of Potential Analysis │Seminarroom HR Dev., Resselgasse 4 │ (recommended)
  • 20.03.2024  9 am – 5 pm   Workshop „Leadership“ with Dr. Martina Friedl │ Seminarroom HR Dev., Resselgasse 4 │ (recommended)
  • 27.+28.05.2024  9 am – 5 pm  Workshop „Appointment training for prospective professors“  with Dr. Ute Riedler │ Seminarroom HR Dev., Resselgasse 4 │ (recommended)

Mentors only:

  •  10.11.2023  10.30 am - 11.30 am Uhr  Introductory Workshop │ Boeckl-Saal TU Wien │ (compulsory)

 

For further questions and support (coaching or supervision inquiries) please contact Stefanie Madsen (stefanie.madsen@tuwien.ac.at, +43158801410686) 

How to apply

If the program has caught your interest, please send us the following application documents until September 11, 2023 (11.59 pm) to stefanie.madsen@tuwien.ac.at

Selection criteria in case of more applications than available mentee places:

  • Preference will be given to Female Postdocs in advanced stages of Postdoc tenure.
  • We pay attention to a balanced ratio of mentees across all faculties of the TU Wien

Mentors act as role models, advisors, and are available to reflect on issues affecting your career. Depending on your interests and current needs, very different forms of support may be relevant in the mentoring process.

The tasks of mentors often include the following:

  • Sharing experiences on their own career path, dealing with difficult organizational cultures, etc. 
  • Supporting networking (e.g., establishing concrete contacts)
  • Providing feedback (e.g., on the mentee's development over the course of the program)
  • Imparting concrete knowledge (e.g. on an appointment procedure, on acquiring third-party funding)

Both sides contribute to the success of the process. As a mentee, you are responsible for the following points:

  • Making appointments with sufficient lead time, binding nature of agreements (e.g. dates)
  • Preparation of content for each meeting
  • Respectful handling of the mentors' resources and the effort to contribute something for the mentors as well
  • Sole responsibility for all decisions and results in the process

In addition, regular, two-way feedback on the process is recommended.

The following topics are frequently dealt with in mentoring programs: 

  • Reflection on career planning
  • Discussion of specific job opportunities
  • Improving self-presentation skills
  • Gaining insights into the everyday life/culture of other organizations
  • Concrete support in building networks
  • Tips for further education and personality development
  • Dealing with family and career (keyword family work-life balance)
  • Exchange on different career paths, dealing with detours, defeats and setbacks

  • Personal problems that do not directly relate to career development
  • Personal and professional problems with your supervisor or team
  • Issues of discrimination and harassment, in these cases please contact our Committee on Equal Treatment at TU Wien (AKG)
  • Administrative problems and complaints

1. Selection and recruitment of mentors

Please consider for yourself, depending on your personal goal/question, which person could be your mentor. If you need further guidance in this regard, please use the specially prepared self-reflecting tool for finding your perfect mentor. You do not have to know your mentor personally. The program coordination of the TU Wien HR development (Dipl. Päd. Stefanie Madsen, opens an external URL in a new window) will take over the contacting and clarify the readiness and availability for the mentoring program. It would be desirable if you could suggest a second person in case your preferred candidate cannot take on the role.

2. Getting to know the mentors

During a kick-off event, all mentoring tandems get to know each other personally, agree on the goals for the mentoring and plan the first meetings.

3. Mentoring tandem meetings

The duration of the mentoring program is one year (October 2023 - November 2024). Over the course of these twelve months, four to six meetings (approximately 1.5 hours) are desirable. You will arrange the meetings directly with your mentor. You are free to schedule more meetings or decide whether you want to hold the meetings virtually or in-person.

4. Framework program

In addition, a comprehensive framework program is available to you throughout the year:

  • Initital Interview with Program Coordinator Stefanie Madsen
  • Joint Kick-off Event: getting to know the program and the mentoring tandems, first target agreements
  • Introductory workshop to meet the other mentees and for an optimal start to the program
  • Potential Analysis (individually conducted) and Joint Group Evaluation of Potential Analysis
  • Workshop on leadership in science with Dr.in Martina A. Friedl
  • Workshop on the topic of application and appointment procedures with Dr.in Ute Riedler
  • Joint Final Event to celebrate and reflect the outcome of the mentoring program 

In addition, the program management supports the networking of the mentees in peer groups. This topic is discussed during the introductory workshop. All events - as far as possible - take place in presence at the TU Wien. Alternatively, each event can also be held virtually.

All dates and a schedule for the program can be found here (soon).

Contact person at TU Wien HR development:

For questions in the context of registration, application and contact with the mentors, please contact Dipl. Päd. Stefanie Madsen, she is happy to help you with any questions and concerns.

Stefanie Madsen, opens an external URL in a new window

stefanie.madsen@tuwien.ac.at

+43 1 58801 410868

Moderation and workshops:

Dr.in Martina Friedl , opens an external URL in a new window

Workshop on the topic of application and appointment procedures:

Dr.in Ute Riedler, opens an external URL in a new window