Career Development Mentoring (CDM) Programme

The Association's Career Development Mentoring (CDM) Programme has two complimentary aims: First, the Programme helps recent LSE graduates, Mentees, to develop their professional careers supported by personal Mentors, who are fellow LSE alumnae and alumni with experience of one or several decades in their Mentee's chosen career field. Second, the Programme gives seasoned professionals a rewarding way to share their work experiences with those who are just starting on their career trajectory.

If want to be a Mentee or if you want to be a Mentor, please sign-up. The Association will try to match Mentees with Mentors.

  • With today's competitive work place, you will appreciate a little extra help to get your career going. As a recent LSE graduate, you may be looking for additional ways to develop your professional career. You may be considering a career move for which you would like to have a second option from a seasoned professional in your field. Learning about how others have progressed their career will give you useful pointers to empower your own professional development. Under its Career Development Mentoring Programme, the Association actively promotes long-run relationships between experienced professionals as Mentors and recent LSE graduates as Mentees.

    Log in as a member to sign up as a Mentee to attract a Mentor. Your Mentor is given the courtesy to control all aspects of her/his relationship with you as the Mentee. As a Mentee, you can expect career advice with a personal touch from a patient listener. You have to be an Ordinary Member of the Association to be eligible to become a Mentee under our Career Development Mentoring Programme. The Association currently has several dozen Mentors spanning a range of professions.

    Talking to another graduate of the School about your career can be for you and your Mentor a rewarding and an informative experience, and we encourage all recent LSE graduates to take advantage of the Programme.

    The Matching Process

    The way the Programme works is quite simple. You, as a prospective Mentee, log a request with the Association to be matched with a fellow LSE alumna/us as your Mentor. Interested alumni/ae will have signed up as Mentors. The Association then tries to match you with a suitable Mentor according to location and other criteria. Both you and your Mentor will be informed of each other's contact details, and it will be up to you and your Mentor to arrange the date, time and format of the first contact.

    The Contact Formats

    Contacts between you and your Mentor can follow a variety of successful formats. Your Mentor may choose to meet you over lunch or for an after-work drink. She or he may invite you to their home or to their place of work.

    You will be told up front how much time your Mentor can spare, and we request that you don't overstep the time limits.

  • Please choose to become a Mentor in the Association if you have more than 10 years of professional experience and would enjoy supporting recent LSE graduates in developing their career in your area of business.

    Many members of the Association have pursued successful professional careers but have no easy opportunity to share the experiences gained and the lessons learned with the younger generation. As a Mentor, you would be in an excellent position to give back in very personal way. Outlining how your own career evolved and what choices you made, will give insight and context to your Mentees in pursuing their own career paths. The Association encourages Mentor-Mentee relationships to be maintained over a number of years, with the Mentor helping her/his Mentees to progress through various stages of their career.

    As a Mentor, you should be a good listener and show understanding and patience with your Mentee. As a Mentor, you are in full control of your relationship with your Mentee, setting the agenda, times and dates of communications and personal meetings. Only Ordinary Members of the Association are eligible to become Mentors under the Association's Career Development Mentoring (CDM) Programme.

    The Association greatly values the contribution that Mentors make through generously giving their time, energy and intelligence. Being a Mentor in the Association can be immensely rewarding, and we are certain that you will greatly enjoy participating in the Programme. Log in as a member to sign up as a Mentor.

    The Matching Process

    The way the Programme works is quite simple. A prospective Mentee logs a request for a suitable Mentor. Interested alumni/ae sign up as Mentors. The Association then tries to match the Mentee with a Mentor according to location and other criteria. Both the Mentor and Mentee will be informed of each other's contact details, and it will be up to both to arrange the date, time and format of the first contact.

    The Contact Formats

    Contact between Mentor and Mentee can follow a variety of successful formats. You may choose to meet your Mentee over lunch or for an after-work drink. You may invite her or him to your home or to your place of work. Whatever setting you choose, what is important is that the meeting is personal.

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