You can help build a more equitable world of work.

Create opportunity for others by opening up your network and sharing career advice.

You can help build a more equitable world of work.

Create opportunity for others by opening up your network and sharing career advice.

LinkedIn members living in the lowest income ZIP codes in the U.S. receive 43% fewer invitations to connect than members living in the highest income ZIP codes.

Latino members’ LinkedIn networks are 20% smaller than white members’ in the U.S.

Black members’ LinkedIn networks are 13% smaller than white members’ in the U.S.

There is good news, though. Having a large, diverse professional community benefits everyone in the long run. In fact, LinkedIn data shows that an acquaintance is more than twice as likely to lead to a job opportunity than a close friend.

Ready to diversify your own network, meet people from different backgrounds, and help other professionals access meaningful opportunities? It all starts with a career conversation.

Career coaching benefits everyone

When we help others grow, we grow, too. Here’s how opening your network can positively impact your own career:

• Strengthen your leadership skills
The best leaders are able to support team members at various stages of their career. Coaching conversations provide an opportunity to build this skill set in an informal setting.

• Grow and diversify your network
Being open to career conversations can help you meet professionals from beyond your typical circle, expanding your network in new directions.

• Embrace the power of reflection
Reflecting on your career journey not only helps others to follow in your footsteps — it can help you take stock of how far you’ve come and where you want to go next.

3 ways that you can help

Whether you have 15 minutes to spare or are looking to build a long-term mentoring relationship, there are lots of actions you can take to help close the gap between talent and opportunity. Here are three ways to get started:

1. Respond to people seeking advice

LinkedIn members regularly post about professional challenges and ask for help and advice. Depending on their needs, here are some steps you can take when you encounter these posts on your feed:

• Reach out privately or comment on their post to let them know you’re open to a coaching conversation.

• Provide a relevant resource or an example from your own career that might help them overcome a barrier they’re facing.

• Share any open roles at your company that sound like a good fit for their unique interests and skills.

2. Signal that you’re open to career conversations

Let professionals outside of your network know that you’re open to having a career conversation or even becoming a mentor by taking the following steps:

• Include a few lines in your “About” section about being open to coaching or mentorship.

• Create a LinkedIn post about encouraging people to reach out if they need help or advice.

• Accept connection requests from people asking for informational interviews or guidance.

Top tip: Add your coaching skills and relevant volunteering experience to your LinkedIn profile to let people know you're committed to coaching. This can also make your profile stand out to potential employers.

3. Sign up to be a mentor

Find virtual or in-person mentorship opportunities to suit your schedule and preferences. Check out these organizations that can pair you with people looking for mentors:

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Braven

Braven supports first-generation college students from college to career.

Looking for: Leadership coaches, professional mentors, and mock interviewers.

Commitment:
Ongoing engagement.

Location:
New York, Chicago, San Jose, Atlanta, Virtual.

Learn more
Center for People in Need

Center for People in Needs provides services and programs to people from low-income backgrounds. Join their volunteer programming and help their participants achieve economic independence.

Looking for: Volunteers who can conduct a mock-interview, provide resume feedback, or coach a job-seeker on professional acumen.

Commitment:
One-time engagement.

Location:
Virtual.

Learn more
Climb Hire

Climb Hire is a skills-based training program that places diverse talent in entry-level roles.

Looking for: Volunteers to help Climbers build social capital.

Commitment:
One-time or ongoing engagement.

Location:
Virtual.

Learn more
COOP

COOP connects underemployed college graduates to in-demand skills and networks. For more information, please email partnerships@coopcareers.org.

Looking for: Volunteers to help COOPers practice their interviewing and networking skills.

Commitment:
One-time or ongoing engagement.

Location:
New York, Los Angele, San Francisco, Chicago, Virtual.

Learn more
Global Mentorship Initiative

The mission of the Global Mentorship Initiative (GMI) is to enable thousands of students to launch successful careers. GMI prepares underserved college students for their job search by providing them with the tools and guidance needed to be successful.

Looking for: mentors who can provide guidance and support to underserved college students, refugees, and early career candidates around the world.

Commitment:
Ongoing engagement.

Location:
Global.

Learn more
JVS

JVS transforms lives by helping people build skills and find work to achieve self-sufficiency.

Looking for: Bay Area professionals, especially corporate groups, to participate in volunteer activities such as mock interviews, resume feedback, and guest speaking.

Commitment:
One-time engagement.

Location:
San Francisco, Virtual.

Learn more
NPower

NPower creates pathways to economic prosperity by launching digital careers for military veterans and people from underserved communities.

Looking for: Volunteers willing to commit to one to two hours a month in the NPowerMATCH program.

Commitment:
Ongoing engagement.

Location:
Virtual.

Learn more
StreetWise Partners

StreetWise Partners advances economic equity by connecting underrepresented talent to mentorship and career opportunities.

Looking for: Volunteers to mentor and conduct mock interviews.

Commitment:
One-time or ongoing engagement.

Location:
Virtual.

Learn more
Year Up

Year Up strives to close the opportunity divide for young adults without a four-year college degree.

Looking for: Volunteers for local chapters across the country.

Commitment:
One-time or ongoing engagement.

Location:
Various locations.

Learn more

Resources for getting started

Get the most out of every coaching moment with these resources for you and your mentees:

• A guide for mentors
• A guide for mentees
• Career conversation guide

LinkedIn Economic Graph, Demographic disparities in U.S. economic network formation are sizeable but decreasing over time. Science, A causal test of the strength of weak ties.

You can help build a more equitable world of work.

Create opportunity for others by opening up your network and sharing career advice.

You can help build a more equitable world of work.

Create opportunity for others by opening up your network and sharing career advice.

Insights ↓ Benefits ↓

Get Started ↓ Resources ↓

LinkedIn members living in the lowest income ZIP codes in the U.S. receive 43% fewer invitations to connect than members living in the highest income ZIP codes.

Latino members’ LinkedIn networks are 20% smaller than white members’ in the U.S.

Black members’ LinkedIn networks are 13% smaller than white members’ in the U.S.

When we help others grow, we grow, too. Here’s how opening your network can positively impact your own career:

Whether you have 15 minutes to spare or are looking to build a long-term mentoring relationship, there are lots of actions you can take to help close the gap between talent and opportunity. Here are three ways to get started: