Share your expertise in championing good work
How you can use your experience and insight to help those facing the biggest barriers to work
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Help people tackle the barriers to good work
Getting into work or returning from a career break can be daunting for anyone. For some it involves overcoming significant barriers. And it can require a level of self-confidence and self-awareness that is hard to find for those lacking recent work experience.
That’s where you come in. As an expert in the recruitment process, who knows what employers are looking for, who is better placed to help others navigate their way into good work, step by step? You can give a jobseeker or returner the inside track on the practicalities – job search, CV, application and interview skills. And you’re equipped to ask the questions that raise self-awareness, boost confidence, tap into potential and prepare someone to give their best at work.
You can share your expertise in two ways:
- As a job search coach, we’ll connect you with jobseekers aged 18-30 on our Get into work programme.
- As a mentor, we’ll connect you with parents and older returners on our Return to work programme.
Whichever you choose, you’ll give structured, online support for up to 22 weeks. You can work with up to three mentees at the same time. And you’ll be doing what our profession does best – helping people who face some of the biggest barriers share their skills and passions in the workplace.
I had recently graduated from university and was looking for a job when I was recommended this mentoring program to help with my search. My mentor was very friendly and very engaged with what I had to say and with finding ways to help me. The most valuable thing I learned was to broaden my search and be open-minded when looking for work. Sometimes the road to where I want to be may not be simple.”
Sajid, Trainee CAD Designer
Make the most of your expertise
We welcome CIPD members as job search coaches and mentors. And we look for people working at different levels in different organisations and sectors.
What matters most is that you know your way round the recruitment process, so that you can support jobseekers and returners as they:
- find opportunities, assess their suitability and access them
- identify their essential, transferable skills and their unique talents
- write their CVs, job applications, cover letters and personal profiles
- prepare for interviews and build their networks
- manage their confidence and prepare for employment.
If this is you, we’ll provide the training to get you started, connect you with a mentee, and support you in making the most of your valuable expertise.
Sign up to find out more
Coming next
We’re here to connect people facing the biggest barriers to good work with people professionals, leaders, organisations and partners. And we’re currently adapting our well-established programmes to support:
- people with experience of the criminal justice system looking to develop in work
- refugees looking to transfer their experience or transition into a new career
- people over 50 who want to return to work or transition into a new career.
Looking for another way to get involved?
Help us make a bigger difference
The expertise of our community of people professionals sets us apart. And it shows. 60% of our mentees go on to get a job, apprenticeship or internship.
And we maximise our impact by working in partnership with other charities and government agencies. If the jobseekers or returners you work with would benefit from direct access to the expertise of our people professionals, get in contact.
Our mentors’ stories
Frequently asked questions
What can I gain from becoming a mentor or job search coach?
Increased awareness of jobseeker and returner challenges.
A new challenge and the chance to change someone’s life.
The satisfaction of using your expertise to help people find good, fair work.
Opportunities to meet new people, broaden your network and gain new perspectives.
Practice your mentoring and coaching skills.
Support for your Continual Professional Development (CPD).
What is the commitment?
The expertise of our community of people professionals sets us apart. And it shows. 60% of our mentees go on to get a job, apprenticeship or internship.
-To maintain a minimum 12-month involvement in the programme
-To be available to support at least one mentee within three months of joining
-To be available to mentor at least one mentee every 12 months
-To remain a CIPD member
How does it work?
Once you have registered, your application will be approved and you will gain access to the Steps Ahead portal. From here you will see anonymised profiles of available mentees and choose one to match with based on their needs and your expertise. Once you have matched with a mentee, you will contact them to arrange an initial conversation. From there you and your mentee will agree how often you want to meet and for how long. The frequency and duraction of meetings will depend on your mentee’s needs and your availability. Steps Ahead allows mentors to work with mentees over a period of several weeks, having a lasting impact by helping someone on their journey to start their career of choice.
Any questions?
Send us your question, along with your contact details, and we’ll get back to you very soon.
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