Profile Suggestions from ACDA Apprentices

We recently asked apprentices who had worked far enough through the process to be matched with a mentor about their suggestions for mentor profiles. Suggestions from that survey have been incorporated into mentor guidelines. Following is a little more detail. 

All apprentices said that the professional experience and the choral fields of interest listed on the mentor profile were in the top three reasons they selected their mentor. 

Next most important in selecting their mentors were either the mentor’s academic training and focus, or the mentor’s geographic location. 

Their suggestions for mentors regarding their profiles include the following: 

• “Include more discussion of your conducting philosophy.” 
• “Be direct and to the point as far as education and experience, but when it comes to interest and things that you are passionate about, show your personality.” 
• “Show who you are by adding a small description. The dropdown boxes can only say so much.” 
• “Mention trials and tribulations you have overcome. I seek a mentor because life is hard and I want someone who has had similar troubles, and succeeded, to guide me and lift me up. Just talking about accomplishments feels unrelatable to where I am at the moment as a professional. I’m interested in how you got there.” 

When asked what had deterred them or given them a negative impression of a mentor’s profile, they responded with comments like the following: 

• Not enough information (stated in a number of ways in multiple responses) 
•  “Lack of background about their career.” 
•  “Information worded in an overly boastful way.” 
•  “Not enough teaching experience.”