You’ve made a list of the mentors you’d like to talk to, but you are not really sure on how to proceed? Follow this guide and everything will be fine!
THE CHOICE IS YOURS
First things first: keep in mind that there are no good or bad profiles to start with. It all depends on what you’re looking for and on your current mood.
If you’ve never been in contact with a professional before, it may be a good idea for start with your school’s alumni and/or young graduates. They will definitely reassure you and help you get the confidence you need to move forward with your meetings.
By the way, don’t forget that you can use our filters to narrow down your search. For instance, you can choose to filter mentors based on their years of experience and on the school they went to. This way, you will easily identity your school’s alumni. If you need any advice on how to find the best suited mentors for you, have a look at this article!
However, if you’re already familiar and comfortable meeting professionals, you can decide to go for more experienced profiles right from the start by using our seniority filter. This will help you gather relevant information regarding the prospects of your professional development.
For example, you’ll be able to compare the different career paths of mentors who began at the same starting point or job position.
If the mentor you really want to connect with is not available right away, don’t worry. Go to his/her profile and add them to your favorites list. This allows to contact them as soon as they are free to chat! Meanwhile, try to send contact requests to other professionals working in the same sector or in the same company.
Don’t forget that you can use the Available now filter at the top of the page: you’ll end up with a list of professionals who still haven’t reached their monthly meeting quotas and who are more likely to accept your contact request. Once you’ve decided who you wish to talk to, you can send him a contact request and get your message ready. All you need to do is to click on the Contact button at the top of their profile.
CHECK THIS TO-DO LIST BEFORE SENDING OUT YOUR FIRST MESSAGE
Bear in mind that the content of your message will impact the mentor’s first impression of you.
That being said, if you want to increase your chances of landing a meeting with a professional, we suggest you make sure to go through these 5 steps before sending your message:
- Start with a good salutation.
- Then, write a short description of yourself. Here’s an example: “My name is Florian, I’m 23, and I’m currently studying political sciences at Lumière 2 University in Lyon.
- Add some details about your academic background, your previous work experiences, as well as your career goals (if you already know those). If needed, don’t hesitate to have a look at our How to know myself better article!
- Explain why you decided to talk with him/her, and ask them to meet with you. You want the mentor to understand why you’ve picked them among the different profiles. The mentor usually wants to make sure that your request is both logical and justified.
If you’re curious about a job outside your field of experience and that doesn’t seem to be in line with your studies, you can still contact the mentors of your choice. Just remember to explain your reasons and motivations to them.
For example, tell them that you’ve always wanted to know more about this area of expertise or that you’re currently considering retraining.
- Don’t forget about the closing formula!
To make sure to add the right finishing touch to your message, check out the templates we have written for you. To have a look at them, click on the Contact button at the top of the mentor’s profile.
Remember to customise your message the best way you can and try to avoid any spelling mistakes!
NOW, CHECK THESE RED FLAGS
The bad copy/paste: such a classic mistake! A bad copy and paste manipulation leading to a wrong name or job position. This will definitely send the wrong signal to the professional and he might not even respond to your contact request.
Ask for a job or an internship prior to the meeting. You need to realise that the main goal of our mentoring tool is not to help you find a job, but rather help you build and develop your professional network. In short, My Job Glasses is not a job board! This does not mean that if the meeting goes well and the mentor’s company is currently hiring, you won’t be contacted later on! Who knows what the future holds? Let the mentor know you are searching for opportunities, but do not ask him directly.
Imply that “you had no choice but contact them because it was requested by your school”. You’re basically saying that you’re not here because you want to, but because you have to, which is kind of disrespectful. It’s actually quite possible that the mentor won’t want to take the conversation any further. You have to remember that the mentors are here on their spare time because they want to help young people find their way in the business world. Also, avoid sending last-minute contact requests!
Give no explanation to mentors on why you decided to contact them. Remember this: all our mentors are keen on helping young people. However, it is important for them to feel that their experience and knowledge really correspond to what you’re looking for. Getting a message that is too generic might push them to favour a request from another young person who seem a better match for them. Not because they would rather not talk to you, but because they might feel like they won’t be able to help you!
Finally, don’t panic if a mentor does not reply in the few minutes following your request. Sometimes, it might take a little time for them to get back to you, especially if the timing is not convenient for them. If that happens, and you still haven’t heard back from them in a week or two, don’t hesitate to politely contact them again. The Response rate and Average response time located at the top of the mentor’s profile are also great indicators that should help you choose a professional that is likely to reply fast. If you want to set up your meetings with a professional quickly, we advise you to focus on professionals with a high “response rate” (70% minimum), a low Average response time (1 week max) and to use the Available immediately filter.
