Skip to Content

VWW's office remains closed as staff primarily work remotely. Please contact us in advance if you need to visit our Winooski office; our team is available via phone or email.

Career Mentor Network

Vermont Works for Women (VWW) recognizes just how important career mentorship is for women’s participation, retention, and advancement in the workplace.

We created the Career Mentor Network to give Vermonters access to a mentoring program where women and gender-expansive folks can empower each other to lead professionally and personally fulfilling lives. Our goal is to make meaningful, enduring career mentoring matches that are rewarding for both mentees and mentors.

The network is a volunteer-based mentorship program that connects participants looking for career advice with women and gender-expansive professionals from around the state. Our volunteer mentors come from a wide range of sectors and use their diverse professional backgrounds and industry experience to help participants pursue their career goals.

Whether it’s for a one-off meeting, for something like an informational interview, or meeting regularly for career advice, our Career Mentor Network offers Vermonters a flexible opportunity to grow and develop their professional skills.

We are temporarily pausing our Career Mentor Network program. We appreciate your patience as we work to incorporate feedback and improve our offering. Please stay tuned for future announcements of our next steps.

Mentoring Areas

Meeting with a mentor is a great way to get firsthand information about what a particular job is like, or how to get started in a specific career. You may even find out about career paths you didn’t know existed.

Help position yourself for success and connect with a mentor who can use their industry-specific knowledge to help you craft a well-written resume and cover letter. Mentors can also provide mock interviews and be a helpful resource for you to practice your interviewing skills and build your confidence.

Mentors provide a wealth of knowledge, networks, and resources for mentees to tap into. Meet with a mentor who can use their career insights to help you develop professional skills around self-advocacy, leadership, effective communication, and more.

Improve your financial literacy and connect with a mentor who can help you create pathways to feeling more financially empowered. Mentors can provide you with financial coaching around budgeting, debt management, building credit, creating a savings plan, etc.

If you’re interested in starting or growing your own small business, meeting with a mentor who has professional expertise in owning or working with small businesses is a great resource to have. Career mentors can advise you on how to create a business strategy, apply for business loans, grow a consumer base, and do internal planning.

How to Get a Mentor

We are temporarily pausing our Career Mentor Network program. We appreciate your patience as we work to incorporate feedback and improve our offering. Please stay tuned for future announcements of our next steps. 

If you’re interested in getting support from our statewide Career Mentor Network, we’ll connect you with a volunteer mentor who has professional experience in an area of your choosing. Whether you’re looking for your first job, contemplating a career change, or simply wanting some professional advice, a career mentor can help.

Along with providing guidance during the job search and application process, our career mentors come from a diverse range of backgrounds. If you want to learn more about a specific job or career field, it’s likely that someone in our network has relevant experience to help you.  

Any woman or gender expansive individual 16 years of age or older can participate. You’ll share a bit about yourself and what goals for mentorship you’re looking for, and we’ll take it from there!

 

Young woman looks at a computer screen representing how mentees can connect with Vermont Works for Women's career mentors.

Volunteer as a Mentor

We are temporarily pausing our Career Mentor Network program. We appreciate your patience as we work to incorporate feedback and improve our offering. Please stay tuned for future announcements of our next steps. 

VWW is looking for women or gender-expansive individuals to serve as volunteer career mentors. Our goal is to build a robust network of volunteers who represent a diverse range of careers, industries, and skills. Therefore, individuals with experience in any industry or profession are invited to volunteer.

The Career Mentor Network is designed to be a flexible opportunity for volunteers to lend their time and knowledge. Career mentors can meet once with a participant, on a regular basis, or somewhere in between. You can also decide to meet with mentees in-person or virtually depending on what works for you.

Once connected with the network, our mentors have access to VWW mentoring resources, quarterly newsletters, and networking nights to stay engaged! 

If you’d like to join the network, fill out our volunteer interest form and indicate your interest in becoming a career mentor. We’ll then ask you to attend a mandatory orientation before we add you to the network.

After receiving an initial orientation, you’ll complete an intake form that highlights all relevant information for matching you with a mentee. We constantly receive mentor requests and will notify you as potential matches arise.  

Two women talk to each other at a table with papers and coffee, an example of how Vermont women can connect through the Career Mentor Network.

Success Stories

“You brilliantly matched me with a mentor, and I am writing to thank you for that. I just had my first meeting and I am thrilled. I could not have found anyone more experienced, warm, and encouraging.”

- Mentee, 2022

Success Stories

“What I think is so great about this program is that whether you’re a mentor or mentee, everyone gets something out of this experience. My mentee was motivated and gave me hope for our future generations.”

- Mentor, 2023