Apply

You used to be able to apply at any time, why have things changed?

At The Lowdown our focus is on high quality matches, so it can sometimes take some time to make the right match. By moving to application windows, we hope to be able to make more timely matching, connecting mentors and mentees quicker. It also means mentors and mentees know when they’ll get a match which will make it easier to plan for it and make time for the process.

Can anyone apply?

Mentee applications are only open to those who identify as a woman. Anyone can apply to be a mentor.

Do I need to apply to be a mentor? Or do I only need to apply if I want to be a mentee?

Both mentors and mentees need to apply. Just select on the application form which applies to you.

What’s the application process?

You’ll need to complete an application giving us more information on your career background and what you want to get from mentoring. This is what we’ll just to match you with a mentor or mentee.

I applied previously to be a mentor / mentee, do I need to reapply?

No! As we move to this new model, we will roll forward all our historical applications and will include them in this upcoming matching window. We will contact you with the outcome from this, and then you will be able to decide whether you wish to apply for any future application windows.

I applied previously but I have now found a mentor / mentee how can I be removed from this matching window?

For all those individuals who we still have on hold to match, we will contact you directly and if you would like to be removed from this matching window you can just let us know.

I have already been matched with a mentor / mentee, will anything change for me?

For all those individuals who have already matched then nothing will change with your relationship, and we encourage you to continue to work together as you have agreed with one another.

Am I guaranteed to find a match with this new process?

At The Lowdown, we try our best to match mentors and mentees however given the focus on the quality of these matches, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to find a suitable mentor / mentee for everyone. If you are not successful in this matching window, we would encourage you to apply again in the future.

How do you match mentees and mentors?

At The Lowdown, we try our best to match mentors and mentees based on what each individual. For mentees, we want to know as much as possible about what you are looking to focus your mentoring on. For example, this could be focused on a specific industry and how to navigate this, in this instance we would look for a mentor from that industry and these will provide important experience and insights. Or a mentee may be looking to focus on building their confidence and communication skills, in which case the industry of the mentor is less important but experience and skills more so. To help us during the matching process, the more information you give on your application form the more likely it’ll be that we can match you with the right person.

How do I hear about the opening of the matching window?

The easiest thing to do is ensure that you have signed up to our newsletter. We will send a one-off alert to all subscribers to let you know applications are open. For the first matching window, we will also contact those who had previously applied to ensure they don’t miss out.

What are the deadlines for this matching window?

We are inviting new applications to be submitted by 14 December 2022 (applications open on 14 October 2022). Successful matches will be contacted in January 2023 and we expect you to begin your mentoring journey in January / February 2023.