This post has been republished via RSS; it originally appeared at: New blog articles in Microsoft Tech Community.
Good news! We've just released Version 3.1 of our Community Mentors app that includes new features such as the ability to create mentorship goals and track your growth. These exciting new features will help you connect more effectively with other Humans of IT on our mentorship platform.
IMPORTANT: Make sure you're on this latest version of the app to gain access to all these new features. You can check your app version in your app store, and update it accordingly.
Just getting started on the app? Watch our brand new walkthrough demo to learn how to navigate the Community Mentors mobile app where we empower Humans of IT like you to get mentored and be mentored by other tech professionals around the world! In this video, we will walk you through how the app works, and ways you can get all set up so you can dive into the world of mentoring!
NOTE: You can also find out your current app version right in the app itself by tapping Profile > About > Version Number. Keep in mind you'll need to fully shut down and restart if you are on a version older than v3.0.
Here are some highlights of the new features in v3.1:
Enhanced Goal Setting
Mentorships are often most successful when both parties are on the same page about goals. The existing goal setting feature will now be more visible as all users will be encouraged to add goals when requesting mentorship. Goals are not required to request a mentorship by default; however, some mentors may prefer having that information before getting started, and can now require goals to be predefined by anyone looking to request mentorship from them. This setting can be turned on by editing the mentorship preferences section of your profile.
Mentorship goals can be managed at any time from the goal manager within the mentorship chat. The goal manager also features expert guidance on the six ingredients for a successful mentorship. Users are encouraged to go to the goal manager throughout the mentorship period to add, edit, or mark goals as complete and interact with these videos.
[NEW] My Learning Tab
The My Learning Tab is an exciting new area of the app that features specially curated content around mentorship and personal and professional growth. This free resource library gives users the opportunity to explore at their own pace and access the content that is most helpful in their own journey.
[NEW] Direct Messaging
We are excited to add direct messaging capability to allow users to connect more informally while they look for a mentor. We have learned that many users may want to have a brief exchange in assessing fit before deciding whether to formally request a mentorship. This update gives users the ability to reach out to someone when viewing their profile or posted reflection.
Reimagining the Mentorship Tab
The mentorship tab is a central communication hub within the Community Mentors App where you can access all your mentorship chats and direct messages. When you have incoming mentorship requests and offers, they will be the first thing you see at the top of the page.
Have ideas on new features you’d like to see, or experiences to add? Submit your ideas here, or feel free to drop us a note at msftcmp@microsoft.com.
Become a mentor/mentee on our Community Mentors app today!
- Go to https://aka.ms/communitymentors and download our mentorship app.
- Watch our newly released Community Mentors App: Walkthrough Demo
- Once you’re in the app, explore new featured stories, mentorship enhancements, reactions, and notifications.
We hope that you enjoy exploring these new features!
Happy Mentoring!
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