Except for basic communication tools (telephone and emails), mentors may choose from a range of options, such as social networking, online collaboration and productivity platforms. Group chatting, video conferencing and document collaboration are easier than ever, and are useful in many areas of our life — both private and professional.
Video and web conferencing provide a way to have face-to-face meetings without the need for travelling. Personal communication is crucial in creating a bond between the mentor and the mentee. Video and web conferencing tools include Google+ Hangouts, Skype, Zoom, Ring Central and many more.
For those mentors, who try to reach a wider community, social networking sites might be the most effective tools. Commonly known sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedln, YouTube, and many more, are great channels for marketing and sharing useful content.
The last set of tools (productivity platforms) should be chosen depending on our personal preference, needs and goals. Google offers a wide range of products that enable collaboration via the internet. G Suite set (that includes Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, Google Drive, Google Calendar etc) might come in handy while organising the work between the mentor and the mentee. Another well-known, similar option is Office365/ Office online. Slack, GroupMe or Google Hangouts provide a space for online chatting between co-workers, as well as file sharing, storage, video calling etc. Calendar tools (Google Calendar, Doodle, Outlook…) are great for time management and scheduling team meetings. When it comes to managing projects, progress and teamwork, applications such as Trello, ClickUp, Any. Do and many more are known to be reliable tools.
