What is Working Circuit mentoring?

Working Circuit provides career mentoring through a developmental relationship with its clients. An experienced professional (mentor) provides guidance, support, and advice to help another person (the mentee i.e. the client) achieve their professional goals. Career mentoring builds over time, helping mentees navigate challenges and discover their own solutions..

Who can benefit from career mentoring?

Career mentoring is beneficial for professionals at all levels looking for clarity and direction:

• Entry-level employees looking for career direction

• Mid-level professionals seeking growth, transitions or pivots

• Individuals facing workplace challenges

• Those aiming to build leadership skills or industry expertise

Note: Career mentoring is just as effective for high performing individuals as it is for those at a career landmark but lacking clarity. Mentoring isn’t about fixing, it's about accelerating your growth and building your further foundations.

What’s the difference between mentoring and coaching?

Mentoring focuses on long-term development and guidance based on the mentor’s experience for a mentee to achieve specific goals or objectives. Coaching is more performance-driven and may not involve shared industry experience. There is typically more specificity of experience between a mentor and a mentee than a coach has with their client.

How does the mentoring process work?

It is important that there is a fit between the mentor and mentee before any agreement is entered into. Working Circuit therefore undertakes a 3-step process

1. Discovery Call:

Before any significant undertaking commences, a 30-minute discussion is held to understand the career challenge in some more detail and to determine potential ways forward through formal mentoring. Prior to this call, Working Circuit will provide a few questions to consider in advance of the call to make the time as productive as possible and to provide some guidance as to how mentoring may be a helpful process. A write-up of the call will be provided for the prospective mentee to review and form the basis of the next step should you wish to proceed.

2. Determination Meeting:

This next step serves as the first formal mentoring session and is a 2-hour meeting, typically online. Following on from the write-up provided after the Discovery Call, the mentee will be asked to prepare information for this meeting so that the discussion can go deeper and elicit the guidance being sought. We will discuss your goals and objectives in more detail as well as identify a timeline over which these are being looked at to be achieved. We will also agree how you want the Mentor to operate in the interactions – different people appreciate different styles of mentoring (this can also be discussed in the Discovery Call).

3. Career Mentoring Programme:

Building on the Determination Meeting, should you wish to undertake a programme of career mentoring, we will agree on a style, schedule and frequency of interaction suited to your needs and lifestyle. This will be undertaken via a co-signed agreement clearly stating how each party (Mentor and Mentee) will operate through the period of the engagement.

This is a frequently asked question?

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

How long is a typical mentoring engagement?

Mentoring relationships vary in duration and frequency of interaction – each mentee has different requirements so there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Existing clients are typically working to a programme of at least 3 months and a frequency of interaction no less than monthly. We would recommend at least 3 months for a programme in order that results can be seen from the work being put in and can therefore be used as a basis for moving forward through or past the career situation being negotiated.

What topics can I discuss with my mentor?

Anything related to your professional life: career planning, leadership development, workplace dynamics, cultural adjustment, goal setting. The Working Circuit’s broad corporate experience positions mentors to understand diverse challenges and offer clarity

Are the mentoring sessions confidential?

Yes, all discussions between mentors and mentees are strictly confidential, fostering a safe space for honest conversations.

How much does it cost?

Discovery Calls are free. The cost of the Determination Meeting will be discussed during the Determination Meeting or can be requested in advance of the Discovery Call if preferred. The rate for all meetings after the Discovery Call is the same for all clients.

What preparation and follow-up work will have for/from each meeting?

Clients will be required to show commitment to their goals throughout our agreement, part of which will involve preparing information before meetings and following up on ideas or actions afterwards. In the first instance, this will involve providing details of your specific circumstances and how you would like to work through them; later in the mentoring work this will go into more detail as required.

Clients should also be prepared to ask questions and be open to feedback throughout our discussions so that the meetings are open, honest and highly productive. Commitment and consistency on the part of both Mentor and Mentee are critical success factors.

Ultimately, you as a Client own your own development and growth.

How is success measured?

Each session concludes with concrete next steps, and progress is reviewed over time to track momentum – ultimately you will own the success of your goals and objectives as you will determine the success criteria, elicited in part from the discussions with the Mentor. The Mentor will not formally assess your success or achievement; only you can determine if you have reached a point where you can feel that you have got to where you intended to at the beginning of the programme. It is the Mentor’s role to help you achieve clarity in these goals.

Feel free to send any other questions you may have through the Contact Form