Career Guide Tips & Tricks
Thanks for raising your hand to be a Career Guide! We need individuals like you who are willing to #PayitForward and support women in technology by sharing your lived experience. We know that your time is valuable, so Chic Geek has gathered some resources for you to get and give the most out of your conversations.
Request for Coffee Response
LinkedIn is the networking platform, which can make the requests for coffee in your mailbox add up quickly. But going back and forth with someone to find a time and place to meet often takes longer than the meeting itself. So feel free to direct them towards Career Pathing with the below message.
We will not only handle the intake and introductions for you, but also keep your time commitment to 30 minutes per month, while helping these eager individuals find other connections in our network.
Thanks for your interest in connecting! I’m a Career Guide (mentor) with Chic Geek’s Career Pathing program and I donate 30-min every month for a conversation with someone new. I recommend signing up for their program at thechicgeek.ca/career-pathing and make a note that you’d like to connect with me! Chic Geek will also connect you with other individuals who can help in your career journey, so it’s a great opportunity to build your network.
Share Your Career Guide Status on Linkedin
Add Your Mentorship to Volunteer Experience
Click “Add Profile Section” in your bio
From the dropdown menu, select the “+” beside “Volunteer Experience”
Fill out the Volunteer Experience section form and hit “Save”. Here’s a sample!
Add this blurb to the description section (or change it up to make it more personal to you!)
Volunteer LinkedIn Blurb
Career Guide (Mentor)
Chic Geek exists to build gender diversity in technology, a sector that’s shaping the world we live in. Mid-career women are most likely to leave technology companies and careers because they don’t see a clear path to advancement. This is why I donate 30 minutes of my time each month to meet with other women in tech as a Career Guide (mentor) with Chic Geek’s Career Pathing Program.
Other Snippets of Advice
Open-minded and conscious: Focused on peer elevation and mutual encouragement, you are non-judgmental and insatiably curious to understand the needs of your Path Finder. You sometimes wear the hat of coach, asking questions to help your Path Finder discover their own solution and you sometimes wear the hat of advisor, sharing your own experience as a learning opportunity.
Introduce yourself: Help the Path Finder understand your background and what you’re trying to achieve in your career now. This is an opportunity to share your key career challenges or questions. Channel your inner Brené Brown and let your Path Finder know what some of your own vulnerabilities are.
Body language: Showing up in a video call can be different than an in-person meeting. Nonverbal cues to show that you’re listening like smiling, nodding, making eye contact and leaning in during the conversation are cues that you’re engaged.
Get personal: Be willing to share openly and authentically. Candid and connected relationships are the best. Honesty and integrity when sharing our experiences always, don’t worry about sugarcoating our narratives; we are human and we hope you will learn as much from your career pather, as they learn from you!