Casual Mentoring – Informal mentorship or impromptu, unplanned instances where an individual offers knowledge, resources, relational connections (i.e., networking), or other development-related advice or opportunities to another individual. The impact of the casually-delivered advice or opportunity is also influenced by the timing of when it is received (i.e., casual mentoring can be pronounced if timed well, such as during certain career or life transitions, like entering the job market or negotiating salaries).
Casual Mentoring can happen at any time, at any place, and from any person. However, receiving casual mentorship at just the right time, in just the right place, and from just the right person can dramatically and importantly enhance the impact.
Casual Mentoring can happen at any time, at any place, and from any person. However, receiving casual mentorship at just the right time, in just the right place, and from just the right person can dramatically and importantly enhance the impact.
Cultivating allyship through casual mentoring to promote diversity
- In this commentary, Dr. Uddin and Dr. De Los Reyes discuss the benefits and potential found in Casual Mentoring, especially for individuals pursuing careers in science and academia.
- Casual Mentoring has the potential to improve the retention of minoritized academics (e.g., underrepresented scholars in academia, such as Black, Indigenous, queer, low-income, disabled individuals, etc.) and increase diversity among academics.
- Check out the article to read about potential bottom-up and top-down approaches—both for senior researchers to offer more and early career researchers to receive more easily—access to Casual Mentoring.