Seeking career guidance? Consider applying for Peer Mentoring 

Diversifying development skills. Most protégés have five or fewer years of development experience, although we do consider individuals who are transitioning into the development field from other careers and individuals who are making mid-career transitions to higher level positions such as a first-time Director of Development or Executive Director at a one-person shop. Program participants often seek assistance in developing the necessary skills to advance to a higher-level position while performing their current role. A mentor can help provide information about training resources and discuss how one might approach a conversation with a supervisor to discuss taking on additional responsibilities. 

Building a professional network of colleagues in the nonprofit sector. A protégé may be new to Chicagoland or is looking to meet individuals beyond their work environment. A mentor often has an established network of individuals from which they can make introductions. Additionally, a mentor is someone the protégé can join to attend AFP Chicago events. Peer Mentoring Committee members also add support by engaging with Peer Mentoring program participants. 

Charting their career path. Peer Mentoring protégés often seek information about career options, expressing an interest in working more closely with individual donors or learning more about planned gifts. Other protégés want to explore a wide variety of career options and have had little exposure to the paths available in development. A mentor can share their own career journey and can introduce a protégé to individuals working in various positions in development who can also speak to their career path. These conversations can help the protégé consider their interests as they decide what next steps to take.