University life, career aspirations, confidence building, your mentor’s career to date, organisational and industry changes, skills and competencies needed, further qualifications, company culture, day-to-day working life, your skills portfolio, CVs, interview techniques, assessment centres, the transition from being a student to professional life… You have lots to talk about really.
Example:
“Dear [Mentor's Name],
I hope you're doing well. My name is [Your Name], and I’m a student at/alumnus of the University of Warwick, participating in the Warwick Alumni Mentoring Programme. I came across your profile and was really impressed by your career journey and expertise in [specific industry or field].
I’m reaching out because I’m keen to gain insights and guidance from someone with your experience. I’m particularly interested in discussing [mention any specific areas of interest, such as career aspirations, industry changes, skills needed, interview techniques, etc.], and I believe your experience could be invaluable as I work on building my career.
If you’re open to it, I would be grateful for the opportunity to learn from your experiences through mentorship. Please let me know if you would be willing to connect, and if there’s a time that works best for you.
Thank you for considering my request. I’m looking forward to the possibility of learning from you.
Best regards,
[Your Name]”