Pay Forward Coaching is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to provide free education and career services to anyone who needs it, to enable economic empowerment and create clear pathways to career success.
All of our services are completely free, provided by a team of amazing and experienced volunteers. We have all received so much help in our careers, and want to "Pay It Forward" to others!
We provide free 1:1 career coaching sessions. To date we have completed over 1900 sessions, with a 9.72 CSAT score and a 91.3 NPS.
We also run a free Slack community to connect job seekers with individuals who can help with all aspects of the process: resume reviews, networking, interview prep, warm intros, general advice, and much more.
Please join our community! Once you are in the community, you can immediately apply for a 1:1 coaching session in the #coaching-session-apply channel!
UPDATE: We are now partnering with EarnBetter! They are an amazing company that also provides completely free career services, including AI-powered resume reviews, cover letters, mock interviews, and more. And, free personalized job matching with over 6 million available roles! Check them out at www.earnbetter.com !
I've had 3 sessions with different coaches at PFC since my job was cut, and each coach offered helpful and impactful advice that has greatly improved my job search process. They help educate on the job market as well as share their own personal experience and advice on how to improve your chances as a candidate. I would recommend a session to anyone in my network that is searching for a new role - Sean Pinter
I got connected with Tara Ryan for a 45min (free!) coaching session. To be honest I didn't know what to expect from the call and then BOOM Tara joined and made me feel comfortable straight away! Her energy and curiosity was visible immediately. She was able to identify my 'area of opportunity' by asking insightful questions and guiding me through my stream of consciousness. I loved that she not only helped me analyze my issue but also offer practical, actionable advice. I also received a follow up email with a mantra relevant to our conversation that I find very helpful. I would really recommend connecting with Mike and Tara! - Gosia Cohen
In the midst of a challenging job market that resulted in my layoff, I had the privilege of working with PFC. Upon reaching out to Mike, he promptly and graciously made time to meet with me, demonstrating a strong commitment to helping me navigate my career transition. He then connected me with Victoria, whose expertise in interview preparation/feedback, resume and LinkedIn optimization proved immensely valuable. During a critical juncture in my professional journey, Mike and Victoria's unwavering support and guidance were instrumental in my success in landing a new role. I am profoundly grateful for their exceptional services - Anonymous
What a great experience I had with the Pay Forward team! In looking for a new gig early this summer, Mike was extremely giving of his time and knowledgeable – we had some great discussions, and I felt so much more confident about the paths I’m pursuing after talking with him. And what an aptly named firm – Mike is truly interested in giving back to the professional community around him, which is great to see. I highly recommend Mike and team if you’re at any sort of a professional crossroads or have career questions. - Craig Westmoreland
I was recently impacted by the wave of tech layoffs. I had been considering a career pivot into a customer facing role. I spoke with Mike at Pay Forward and he provided some great advice and ideas on how to better position my past experience and making it relatable for sales/customer facing positions. He also offered continued support as I explore new roles. This service is fantastic, especially at a time where everyone is trying to sell you something, it was really free, no gimmicks! Keep up the great work Pay Forward Coaching, services like these are need more than ever right now. THANK YOU! - Greg D
After several sessions with different advisors at PFC, I can confidently say that I feel more optimistic about my job search. I came away from my meetings with a better understanding of marketing myself and the ins and outs of navigating a job search in this tough market. I'm forever grateful for the team for their help and cannot recommend this enough to anyone back on the job hunt. - Ashwin Aravinthan
For the past few years, I had the goal of moving up into management. I've had mentors along the way, but I truly had an impactful session with Victoria. She was able to identify what my strengths are and coached through areas of improvement. A few months later, I received a promotion, and that one coaching session made me aware of areas for refinement. I highly recommend this to anyone seeking guidance to reach their fullest potential. - Dan Varteresian
Pay Forward Coaching is incredible! The coaches are thought-leaders, helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, gave excellent advice, offered excellent networking suggestions, and they listened to how and where I was struggling in my search. If you are in a job search...book a session, and good luck! - Rachel D
I had really amazing mentorship sessions with Mike helping me to provide clarity around both my short-term and long-term goals. Thanks for the support and time. I would highly recommend this service! - Vijay
I cannot express how grateful I am for the exceptional coaching service I received from Victoria. From personalized guidance to insightful strategies, she went above and beyond to help me navigate my career path. Thanks to her expertise and support, I now feel confident and motivated to achieve my professional goals! - Nick Stamboulis
I 100% advocate for Pay Forward Coaching. My advisor was well-prepared, enthusiastic, and eager to help me navigate the job market. We had a great conversation and she provided some industry insights that I otherwise wouldn't have had access to. She even went above and beyond to put me in touch with one of her friends so that I could expand my network even more. I recommend seeking resume help at the very least, as I was able to overhaul my existing resume and strategize a bit to help get my resume to stand out of the pack. - Pat Easley
Mike and his team were great, and I actually utilized their services twice. Initially I spoke to Yin who had great perspectives and advice during my layoff, and was super positive. I double dipped and spoke to Mike a few months later with some advice on an incoming offer and was super generous with his time, and perspectives. A great offering, with even better people. - Matt Hachey
I met with Mike a few weeks after being let go from my company for the first time. It was a super anxious time and I was trying to weigh my options of what to do next. I can't explain how helpful it was being able to pick Mike's brain, hear about his experience in such similar situations, and get his genuine opinions on potential next moves. Especially during this time where so many people are going through the same lousy situation, I'd really recommend trying to talk with Mike. - Zach M
My coach Tara has been incredibly empathetic, kind, and supportive from day 1. Her advice and listening ear during a transitionary period of my career have been a Godsend. I appreciate her willingness to work with me on an ongoing basis and how she's been willing to connect me with her own network and resources of value. I'm so glad to have connected with her through Pay Forward Coaching and would wholeheartedly recommend this organization to anyone seeking additional support in their career journey. - Doris
100% free! Our Career Advisors have all had the benefit of mentorship in their careers, and are eager to 'pay it forward' to others.
It started as an experiment and a way to do something good. The response was overwhelming; fortunately we found there are many people out there who are generous with their time and eager to help others as a Career Advisor or a Community Advisor!
To help as many people as possible, we aim to limit each member to a single 1:1 session with a Career Advisor. Recognizing that there is a need for ongoing coaching, we created an online community to provide access to all of our advisors and all of our other members! We can also refer you to paid coaching programs if you want to have ongoing coaching in your career (we do not get paid anything for this and it is not part of the Pay Forward Coaching offerings).
You can always refer people who may need career coaching to us! You can also donate using the link on the page header; we are a 501(c)(3) organization. You can also apply to be a volunteer Career Advisor, if you have bandwidth for 1-2 coaching sessions per week! Finally, anything to help us get the word out is great - follow us on LinkedIn, share our content, tell a friend about us.
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