Posting volunteer opportunities on LinkedIn is a great way to generate mentor applications. Below is some basic info about LinkedIn postings, followed by tempalte language we recommend using.

How many mentors might I get from this?

In 2014, the first year that the NYC team used LinkedIn for Good to post our volunteer opportunity, we collected over 100 applications from that source alone. To put that in perspective, our best corporate partnerships can bring in 70-120 applications per year.

How easy is it?

Very! Simply log into LinkedIn, choose “Job Posting” from your profile drop-down menu, click ‘Post a Job’ and follow the prompts. It takes about 5-10 minutes of time.

How often do you post?

LinkedIn posts are good for 30 days. You will need to repost after that time—posts do not refresh automatically.

How much does it cost?

‘Off the rack,’ it costs $500 to post. The NYC team, in partnership with the LinkedIn team, has negotiated a reduced rate. 

What else do I need to know?

1.  All LinkedIn Volunteer posts need to include the phrase “LinkedIn for Good” somewhere in the posting. The NYC team has chosen to place it at the bottom of the posting, but it can also be worked into the text of the ad.
2. LinkedIn will not allow gender-specific posts (posts that target only men) or posts targeting different ethnic groups. One way we’ve tried to attract these applicants while not explicitly calling them out is to list the ad with a career-specific title (such as “Mentors Needed, STEM High Schools”)  or a skill-specific title (“Mentors Needed, Spanish-Speaking a Plus!”) that is more likely to align with the interests of these groups. 

Volunteer Mentor

Job Description

The guidance of a mentor can empower a young person to graduate high school, succeed in college, and achieve their ambitions. [Mentoring program] is seeking college-educated mentors to match with students from public high schools in [your city]’s low-income communities. Mentors and students work together, in-person and online, to develop strong personal relationships, nurture a college aspiration, navigate the college application process, and build critical skills that lead to college success. Mentors devote 5-6 hours per month on mentoring, sending one weekly email and attending one in-person meeting each month. Through these activities, you will develop a supportive mentoring relationship that will last for 3-4 years and guide your mentee through [mentoring program]'s college-readiness curriculum and the college application process.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Eligible candidates must be at least 21 years old and be a college graduate (2 or 4 year degrees accepted).
• Since our partner schools are all within [your city], we recommend that mentors either live or work within [your city] limits.
• Mentors should possess strong writing and communication skills.
• Mentor relationships last 3-4 years; mentors should be reasonably certain of their ability to commit to remaining in the [your city] area during that period.