Mentor New Employees by Using Current Employees as Peer Mentors
The third role for an employee in recruitment is with some kind of an employee sponsorship, mentoring or "buddy" system. Since most new employees feel stressed and unsure when starting a new job, a peer mentor can help new employees gain knowledge about what they're supposed to do, how they will fit in and the key people on their team.

Many large organizations, such as the U.S. Air Force, use this approach but the same method can be used by smaller organizations. Benefits include:

• New employees feel included and nurtured prior to day one
• The mentoring employee feels valued as a contributing member of the team
• The mentor is reminded of company polices goals, mission and vision
• Peer relationships are improved
• Employee communication skills may improve
• You can nurture a sense of community
• You help a new employee understand the big picture and how they fit in prior to their first day

Steps in an Employee Mentoring Process.
To start a basic mentoring program, send a letter and information packet from the mentor to the new employee's home address before the first work day. The package might include a wide range of information from the history of the company to welcome letters from relevant managers including the president and even area information such as maps, internet sites, restaurants, clubs attractions, if the employee is from another location.

The mentor can then personalize the package with a cover letter providing contact information, key dates and times for personnel processing and induction, and general comments.

How to Select a Mentor for the New Employee
Select mentors from the new employee's peer group. Ideally, find a different mentor for each new recruit, until everyone in the department has had a chance to mentor. This should be done at several levels of the organization. The introduction of the "buddy" will help the new employee feel welcome.