FAQs:

About Mentoring

What is Mentoring?

Mentoring is a connection established to provide advisory guidance for the personal and professional development of the person being mentored. A mentor is not a potential employer, employment recruiter, coach or instructor. A mentor is a source of wisdom, not someone who observes and advises on specific actions or behavioral changes of the mentee’s daily work and correspondence. At Philo4Thought, we match young professionals with mentors within our network. For a list of available mentors, click here.
By contrast, Coaching & Instruction provide an immediate, temporary service to help build, improve or eliminate specific habits in targeted areas. A coach or instructor helps to correct behaviors that detract from one’s performance and helps to strengthen habits leading to productive performance. We offer monthly workshops and online tutorials as well as 1-on-1 tutorial services. For more information, click here.

An Employment Recruiters and other resources are available in our Resource Center and are not included in the direct services provided.

Choosing a Mentor

What is the difference between "Peer Mentor" and "Concierge Mentor"?

Peer Mentors are members of the young professional community who volunteer their time to provide guidance to students and young professionals transitioning from school to the workforce or from one type of job/program to another. They are peer advisors, not instructors or recruiters.

Concierge Mentors are available for 1-on-1 specified professional instruction. Philo4Thought Concierge Mentors are instructors who work with students and young professionals for a modest rate of $75 hourly ($40 hourly for all Philo4Thought Passport Members). These are trained instructors with advanced degrees in education, executive management, etc. Signing up for a Concierge Mentor is beneficial to those who are unable to attend our monthly small-group workshops.

Bilingual Mentors are available upon request. If you require either a translation of documents or a bilingual mentor, please email p4tinfo@gmail.com for help securing the necessary accommodations.

Networking

How do I connect with other young professionals?

The best way to connect with other young professionals in your desired profession (or area of study) is to join a professional organization, attend lectures and mixers, or to connect through introductions offered through organizations like Philo4Thought, which are designed to direct young professionals to affiliate professional and cultural groups, helping them build a stronger professional and social network.

If you'd like to be connected with a mentor or a current list of events in your area, please browse our list of available Peer Mentors and email your resume and mentoring request to p4tinfo@gmail.com.

Requirements

Do I need to be Greek to benefit from P4T events/meetings/services?

Philo4Thought is fundamentally Hellenic in spirit, based on the deep-seated humanitarian values at the heart of the classical Greek culture and teachings. Our primary viewership came together through a mutual interest in the philosophical values of Aristotle leading to excellence of character and the true spirit of compassionate community outreach (Philotimo). From this came our mission to provide aid to immigrant youth from Greek/Greek American communities who struggle to adapt to the endless demands of school, work, and life.

While we initially opened our doors to provide aid to members of a local Hellenic student community, we are an inclusive philanthropic group and will not refuse aid to anyone in need. The one thing we ask is that students be at least college-bound high school Seniors who are intent on attending school and/or building their future beyond graduation.

Our events, seminars and publications are available to all those in need.

Membership

What is the benefit of being a Student or HYP Passport Member?

We are constantly working to improve the quality and detail of the services we offer today's young professionals! Please click here for details on the benefits of being a Passport Member.

Philo4Thought is a nonprofit philanthropic educational foundation. As such, all memberships and sponsorships are tax deductible. A portion of all proceeds is allocated to the advancement of charitable causes to support the advancement of our young professional community. A list of collaborators and affiliates is available in the scrolling "Sponsors" banner at the bottom of this page.

Pricing

Why are your rates so low?

In the interest of providing proper career support to those in need our rates are significantly lower than the rates available through other advisory service providers. We do charge a small fee to cover the costs of our resources and services and depend on annual and seasonal sponsors to help keep our costs low.

Terms of Service

What are your Terms of Service?

Whether attending an MM, WW or CMS, Philo4Thought offers the perfect confidential "safe space" to discuss questions and problems related to your resume, job search and other career-oriented questions. Please click here for our Terms of Service.

Monthly Advisory Sessions

What is included in the virtual chats and workshops?

We are here to point young people in the direction of opportunities and to provide support to help them update their resumes, prepare their job applications, or practice their interview skills, elevator pitches, etc.

The monthly discussion forums begin with basic introductions and a short summary of what each person who signs up needs to discuss. To optimize the available time and resources, we often email registered participants a few days in advance to request this information so we are prepared for the discussion.

During seasons when we have returning workshop participants, we try to incorporate special topics and guest speakers based on the needs and interests of returning participants.

We are not recruiters and are not paid by any of the companies listed on our Job Board.

Monthly Advisory Sessions

Topics covered at monthly/annual/seasonal events include (but are not limited to)...

Building a Confident Professional Networking Style
Building Strong Interview Skills
Business Communication Protocols
Choosing a Career Path
College Applications & Essays (Fall)
College-to-Career Pathways
Effective Job Search
Elevator Pitches
Empowerment
Entrepreneurial Startups
Financial Planning/FAFSA
HR Policies (Conflict of Interest, Intellectual Property, Harassment, etc.)
Personal Branding
Professional Development
Professional Etiquette
Resume/Cover Letter Bootcamp
Team Building Strategies
Work-Life Balance & Planning

Registration

Do I have to register online?

Yes! All participants are asked visit our Events Page to register online. Online registration also serves as a confirmation that you understand and agree to our Terms of Service and will respect the privacy of all participants. All questions and materials shared in this monthly forum are strictly confidential and not to be shared outside the safe space of the discussion group.

Summer Tutorials

Are all services available in the summer months?

No. The monthly meetups run from September through May, but Concierge Mentoring is still available in the summer months.

Concierge Mentoring

Is one-on-one advisement available?

Yes, Concierge Mentoring Sessions are available year-round. Private career tutorials are available at the hourly rates indicated at the top of this page.

Becoming a Mentor

Are there different mentoring levels? What would my responsibilities be ? How do I apply?

Overall Duty: While representing Philo4Thought, mentors are asked only questions that you know for certain. If a question comes up that you feel you aren't qualified to answer, a Mentor many choose to redirect the student to the P4T Admin to be connected with a senior mentor.

Peer Mentoring is when an undergraduate/graduate student, new graduate or newly-established young professional connects with their peers to discuss one another's questions and experience in reaching a common goal (e.g., their experience of a particular program, who they liked working with as an advisor, etc.). While every concern might not be 100% resolved in these discussions, the act of sharing common stories, questions and interest helps build the young person's confidence and choose a career path with more deliberation. Students are connected with Peer Mentors by introduction through one of our Board Members. Qualifications: Mentors at this level are students, new graduates or burgeoning young professionals who do not necessarily have previous formal mentoring experience but do embody the spirit of Philo4Thought's Mission of serve and assist others. Responsibilities: Typically Peer Mentoring doesn't take up a lot of time, and often the young people paired for this initiative strike up an organic conversational friendship, so it's does not conflict or interfere with your existing schedule. Stipend: This is a pro bono (free) service requiring 30-45 minutes of volunteer time. Peer mentoring helps to build a young professional's resume and experience in offering public service; it is also a great way for seasoned young professionals to give back to the community.

S.N.A.P. is our Student Networking & Advocacy Program. Advisors at this level provide targeted assistance to students and new graduates with specific inquiries. Qualifications: Mentors at this level have earned their terminal/graduate degrees, a more specific commitment and training and prior experience teaching and mentoring students/young professionals and embrace the spirit of the Philo4Thought Mission of serve and assist others. Responsibilities: Typically S.N.A.P. Mentoring doesn't take up a lot of time; it is more of a professional lifeline help a young person address specific problems or questions. In some cases focused follow-up is required to provide a valuable resource for student advocacy, support or a professional introduction to an opportunity. Stipend: There is no fixed stipend entailed for preliminary consultations, however should a student require extended professional consultations that are only directly available through the mentor's professional office (e.g., advocates or mental health specialists) the S.N.A.P. Mentor may require the coverage of basic professional fees in return for their services, assistance with document filing, etc., which is the responsibility of the individual being mentored. (Mentors must clarify the list of administrative and counseling services that require payment; they typically allow short free consultations and a courteous discount to Philo4Thought Passport Members in good standing.)

Concierge Mentoring requires a time commitment and involves a particular technical skill set. Prior experience tutoring, mentoring, coaching or counseling is required. Qualifications: In addition to the requirements for S.N.A.P. Mentors, those serving the community at this level have a more specific level of technical or public service training. Responsibilities: Typically those entrusted with this level of mentoring have highly-specialized training to provide professional counseling, coaching, career training, etc. Stipend: Since sessions at this level require over an hour of time and repeated consultations, a small hourly stipend is entailed.