Ice breaker questions

Mentorship cannot work without rapport, and the best way to build rapport is to break the ice from the very first interaction! It is normal to feel nervous or awkward — your mentor might be feeling the same way simply because they’re interacting with you for the first time. In any case, take things into your own hands to put yourself and your mentor at ease.

Begin your interaction with some light-hearted questions such as:

• What do you love about being a Product Manager/Interaction Designer/ UI Designer?
• Why did you decide to become a mentor?
• How did you begin your career in this field?
• How did you get to where you are today?
• What’s it like to be a Product Designer/UX Writer/ Graphic Designer on any given day?^[1]

Asking these questions gets the ball rolling and can nudge you both to speak more freely.