You’ve decided to apply for our mentoring program? Fantastic! But you are not entirely sure how the application works? We’ve got you covered!
In this blogpost you’ll find a step-by-step guide on how to apply to the female factor mentoring program and you can also follow Anna through her application process – from filling in the questionnaire, to her motivational letter and video.
And the best thing? You can be sure that this post contains some tips on how a great motivational letter and video can look like!
But let me introduce you to Anna first. Like you, she has decided to apply for the mentoring program. Anna just recently got promoted into her first leadership position in a corporate company and is looking for a mentor to support her with the transition phase and with developing her own leadership style.
Curious to see what Anna's application looks like? Read along!
So that it does not catch you by surprise, we are sharing what you’ll need for your application:
Your CV
A motivational letter
And an optional introduction video (to make your application stand out!)
All ready? Click here to apply!
Following the above application link, start your application by inserting some basic personal information. Anna is also an inner circle member, enjoying all the membership perks of the female factor including the 6-month mentoring program. Not a member yet? Go on and apply here to join!
TIP #1: YOU MUST BE AN INNER CIRCLE MEMBER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MENTORING PROGRAM
TIP #2: YOU CAN SAVE YOUR APPLICATION AND COME BACK TO IT LATER
Starting off with the basics...
First off, we will ask you about your motivation for applying for the mentoring program. The main reason for Anna to apply to the mentoring program is personal development. She wants to develop and improve her leadership skills & capabilities and increase her confidence as she works in a male-dominated industry and most of her employees are older than her. Further, she’d like to learn from her mentor’s knowledge on other topics as well and is therefore keen to exchange experiences.
Anna is currently not working on any specific project, but in case you do, be prepared to answer some more questions on your project/business, like in what stage it currently is and so on.
Anna also inserted her LinkedIn profile link into the questionnaire, so her mentor can look her up on the platform.
As you know by now, Anna was recently promoted to team leader and she is also sharing this information during her application, as it is important for the mentor to know where she currently is in this stage of her career.
In case you’d like to meet up with your mentor for a coffee (if Covid-19 allows), it is important to know your location. Anna currently lives in Vienna and it is her first time applying for a mentoring program - how exciting!
Now the fun part begins - time to pick your mentor!
After looking at the mentor profiles on the website, Anna felt a bit overwhelmed, but the blogpost on “how to choose the right mentor” got her covered.
She has now identified her dream mentors - Yay! Ranked first is Khady Gaye, who holds a management position in a male-dominated industry. TIP #3: STILL NOT SURE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN MENTORING AND COACHING? CHECK OUR POST HERE.
TIP #4: HAVING TROUBLE DECIDING ON A MENTOR? OUR MENTORING LEAD, LOUISE, IS HAPPY TO HELP PROVIDE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, CLICK HERE.
Her motivational letter is covering the essentials:
A little bit about herself, her experience & her story
The areas where her mentor could support her
Her goals for the mentoring program
Why she expects Khady to be a perfect fit
Something she brings to the table as exchange
Maximum 400 words
CLICK HERE to see some more examples of application letters. As you can add up to three mentors in the application form in order of preference, Anna has identified Gabriele Muz as her second choice, because she has experience in corporate companies and working with international teams. Last but not least, Anna uses the opportunity to select a third potential mentor, which is Ania Radziszewska, who has a strong background in leadership development.
Of course, Anna made sure each of her motivational letter is tailored to the potential mentor.
Don’t worry, your introduction and goals can remain the same, but...
TIP #5: MAKE SURE YOU HIGHLIGHT WHY YOU'D LIKE TO WORK WITH EACH MENTOR AND WHY THEY WOULD BE A GOOD FIT. Anna is primarily looking for regular check-ins and to monitor progress, for example on how it is going with experimenting with different leadership styles.
Accountability circles
At this point, Anna can decide whether she'd like to join an accountability circle to help keep her motivated for her mentoring journey.
A mentoring accountability circle is for mentees who are looking to make more connections or be held accountable for their goals throughout the course of the mentoring program :)
Anna will be matched with 3 other like-minded mentees with whom she'll meet with throughout the program to chat, discuss goals and share inspiration.
Almost done! Now it is time to attach some files...
Anna made sure she attached her CV in a pdf format and in english, because the first impression counts 😉 And of course she recorded a short introduction video!
TIP #7: THE VIDEO IS OPTIONAL BUT IT’S A GREAT WAY FOR MENTORS TO SEE YOUR PERSONALITY
Your personal introduction video should:
introduce yourself and your goals
show your personality
be max 90 seconds long
It should NOT repeat your CV or motivation letter!
Before submitting her application, Anna is asked to agree that her data will be passed, she fully commits to the mentoring program and that she understood the general terms & conditions of the female factor.
...and like that you have successfully applied for the mentoring program
Register your interest in our mentoring program HERE.
What's next?
We will review your application and match you to your dream mentor. Shortly, we will announce who your mentor is going to be, so you can start the mentoring program according to the timeline on our website.
Any questions left? Reach out to our community team directly here!