What is Pair & Share?
Pair & Share is the latest addition to an expanding line-up of our services to support members’ professional development needs. It is an online tool – including a searchable database – that facilitates the establishment of coaching relationships. It is user-driven, allowing registered Advisees to search among registered Advisors using specified criteria to find individuals whose experience and expertise match areas in which they need assistance. Likewise, registered Advisors can search for and identify potential Advisees.
Is there a fee associated with using Pair & Share?
Pair & Share is a benefit of membership and is available only to members. There is no extra charge to use this resource.
How are Advisors and Advisees matched?
Members must first enroll as an Advisor, Advisee, or both. During the enrollment process, members will select preferences for various demographics (including Venue and Topics) to establish their personal criteria.
A registered Advisee will visit the “Find an Advisor” page and fill in their search criteria to search for possible Advisors. The Advisee will click the names of the potential Advisors to view their profiles. Once the Advisee has decided on a Advisor, they will click on the Advisor badge (seen below the registered Advisor's profile picture) to request that person as their Advisor. An e-mail will be sent to the Advisor alerting them that they have been requested to be an Advisor. The Advisor will be able to accept or decline the request.
A registered Advisor will visit the “Find an Advisee” page and fill in their search criteria to search for possible Advisees. The Advisor will click the names of the potential Advisees to view their profiles. Once the Advisor has decided on an Advisee, they will click on the Advisee badge (seen below the registered Advisee's profile picture) to request that person as their Advisee. An e-mail will be sent to the Advisee alerting them that they have been requested to be an Advisee. The Advisee will be able to accept or decline the request.
FOR ADVISORS
How do I become an Advisor?
If you are a member, click here to enroll as an Advisor. You will be instructed to choose your preferences for various demographics and also to complete your member profile.
Who are the Advisees?
Advisees are other members who need you to help support their careers.
Can I have more than one Advisee?
While there is no limit to the number of coaching relationships you can establish, we recommend that you be judicious in selecting only Advisees who are most suited to learn from your expertise and experience. You can limit the number of Advisee requests you are willing to accept on the Advising enrollment page.
How do I find Advisees?
Once you have enrolled as an Advisor, go to the "Find an Advisee" page and select the criteria you want to use for your Advisee search. Click on the Advisees' names to view their profiles. Once you have found a good match, click on the Advisee badge (seen below the Advisee's profile image) to send the Advisee an email request.
How will I know if an Advisee has selected me as their Advisor?
You will receive an e-mail from the Advisee requesting you to be their Advisor. You will be prompted to accept or reject the request.
Is it okay to reject a request?
Yes, but there should be a good reason to do so. We encourage you to at least have an initial conversation to explore whether the relationship would be mutually fulfilling. If a potential Advisee has misinterpreted information in your profile, you may find him/her to be an inappropriate match. If you want to decline a request, go to the "My Pair & Share Relationships" page and check the “decline” button next to the specific request.
What if I’m going to be on vacation or unavailable for a period of time?
Go to the "Advisor Enrollment" page, click the “Advisor Status” link then click on the check-box next to “Temporarily Not Participating.” Doing this will indicate that you are not accepting any Advisee requests at the moment, and your advising profile will not be included in an Advisee’s search for an Advisor. It is your responsibility to communicate your availability to your existing Advisees.
How do I end an advising relationship?
If the advising relationship is complete, go to the "My Pair & Share Relationships" page and mark the relationship as “completed.”
If the advising relationship isn't working out, please kindly discuss your decision to end the relationship with your Advisee. Go to the "My Pair & Share Relationships" page and mark the relationship as “completed.”
What are the expectations for participating Advisors?
We expect that you will fulfill your commitment to developing at least one advising relationship. We expect you to respond to initial requests from Advisees in a timely manner, and that you communicate with your Advisees as agreed upon by both you and your Advisees.
How much time will I need to invest as an Advisor?
We recommend that you and your Advisees agree on a schedule that works best for both of you. The most important thing is to discuss your mutual expectations about time, goals, and communication at the start of your relationship. Keep in mind that advising doesn’t necessarily require large amounts of your time. Even brief phone calls or e-mail exchanges with you can make a big difference to your Advisees. The annual Convention also offers a convenient venue for getting together with your Advisees over coffee or lunch.
What benefits do I receive from the organization if I participate as an Advisor in the program?
All Advisors are volunteers. As an active program participant, you will receive a ribbon identifying you as an Advisor. You will develop new relationships, and have the satisfaction of knowing you have helped fellow members to improve their skills! You gain valuable feedback on your skills as an advisor and can hone your presentation skills in a one-to-one environment.
FOR ADVISEES
How do I become an Advisee?
If you are a member, click here to enroll as an Advisee. You will be instructed to choose your preferences for various demographics and also to complete your member profile.
Who are the Advisors?
Advisors are other members who have volunteered their time to support other members' careers.
Can I have more than one Advisor?
While there is no limit to the number of advising relationships you can establish, we recommend that you be judicious in selecting only Advisors who are most suited to your mentoring needs. Please keep in mind that Advisors have limited time to offer and may have other Advising relationships.
How do I find an Advisor?
Once you have enrolled as an Advisee, go the the "Find an Advisor" page and select the criteria you want to use for your Advisor search. Click on the Advisors' names to view their profiles. Once you have found a good match, click on the Advisor badge (seen below the Advisor's profile image) to send the Advisor an email request.
What should I do if I don’t hear from the Advisor I requested?
If you don’t hear from the Advisor within one or two weeks, feel free to contact them using the contact information found on their profile page.
What if the Advisor isn’t the right “fit” for my needs?
Sometimes, regardless of the information provided, Advisors and Advisees don’t always "fit." If this happens, we suggest that you discuss your decision honestly and kindly with your Advisor; thank them for their time then start a new Advisor search.
How can I meet with my Advisor?
It is up to you and your Advisor to decide how, when, and where you want to pursue your advising relationship. It is likely that most of your communication will occur by phone or electronically. The annual Convention offers a great opportunity to meet in person.
How long does the advising relationship last?
We recommend that you and your Advisor agree on a schedule that works best for both of you. The most important thing is to discuss your mutual expectations about time, goals, and communication at the start of your relationship.