Real jobs, few insiders.
Sunderland has automotive manufacturing and a growing software sector, and very little of the informal advice that makes applications work.
- Session length
- 30 minutes
- Cost to a mentee
- Free
- Local time zone
- GMT/BST
The people who arrive stuck.
Students and recent graduates
Applying into automotive and manufacturing and software and it services around Sunderland against people who already had someone make the call for them.
Job seekers who keep reaching the last round
Strong applications, no useful feedback, and no one in Sunderland who can say what the shortlist actually turns on.
People early in a job here
First or second role in Sunderland, working hard, with nobody explaining how progression or pay is decided.
Career changers
Moving out of health and nhs careers or into it, with a CV that still reads like the last job rather than the next one.
The fields our mentors work in.
Mentors volunteer 30 minutes. Matching is cross-border, so a mentor outside the city is normal and often the point.
Automotive and manufacturing
Software and IT services
Health and NHS careers
Logistics and distribution
Public sector and local government
Retail and consumer services
Four steps, one half hour.
- 01
Tell us what you are stuck on
A short sign-up: where you are, what you want next, and the one thing blocking it.
- 02
We match you
You are matched with a mentor who has done the job you are aiming at, wherever in the network they sit.
- 03
Pick a time that suits you
Times are shown in GMT/BST, so a mentor in another country never means an awkward hour for you.
- 04
Thirty minutes on video
Free to you, on the platform, with a written summary of what to do next.
The questions we hear most in Sunderland.
These come up again and again from people sitting in Sunderland, whatever stage they are at.
How do I get into automotive and manufacturing here without knowing anyone in it?
Is software and it services worth moving into, and what does the first year really look like?
What does a strong application for health and nhs careers look like from Sunderland?
Should I stay in Sunderland, move, or work remotely for an employer somewhere else?
How do I explain my Sunderland experience to an employer who has never heard of my last one?
Who funds the sessions here.
Employers running Give across their workforce, with people mentoring from Sunderland and beyond
Universities and colleges buying career access for students in and around Sunderland
Local authorities with social value targets
Employers running Redirect for the candidates they turn down
Ready to start in Sunderland?
Book a free 30-minute session, or tell us what you need and we will match you with a mentor who does the job you are aiming at.
The things people ask first.
Do I have to live in Sunderland to book?
No. Matching is cross-border, so a mentor is chosen for the job they do rather than the city they sit in.
Is it really free?
Free to you. Sessions are funded by our employer, university and public-sector partners.
How soon can I get a session?
Sign up, tell us what you are stuck on, and pick a slot in GMT/BST once you are matched.
Can I be matched with someone in automotive and manufacturing?
Yes. Automotive and manufacturing is one of the areas Sunderland mentees ask about most, and mentors in it volunteer across the network.
Will my mentor understand the Sunderland job market?
Often, yes. Where the better match sits elsewhere, you still get someone who does the job you are aiming at, and the advice is set against what you are facing in Sunderland.
Get unstuck from Sunderland.
Thirty minutes with someone who has already done it. Free to you, wherever you are sitting.