Writing a request shepherds say yes to

Shepherds give their time for free, so the requests they say yes to are the ones that make it easy to help. A few clear sentences are all it takes.

The questions box

• Your questions need at least 30 characters: a sentence or two is plenty. The counter above the box, next to Your top questions for the session, counts down the characters you still need and then shows ✓ Enough to send. Until then, the button says how many more characters to add too.
• You can write up to 2,000 characters.
• Your shepherd sees it with your request, next to anything you share in step 3.

What a good request has

1. 1Step 1: Where you are now, in one line: "I'm a final-year economics student at Unilag" or "I've been an analyst at a bank for two years".
2. 2Step 2: What you're aiming for: the role, company or change you're weighing up.
3. 3Step 3: Two or three specific questions only this shepherd can answer well.

Vague or specific?

• "Tell me about your job."

  Try: "What does a normal week look like for a product analyst at a fintech, and which skills did you use most in your first year?"

• "Can you help me get into consulting?"

  Try: "I'm applying to strategy firms this autumn. How did you prepare for case interviews, and what would you do differently?"

• "Please review my CV."

  Try: "I've shared my CV. Does it make my internship impact clear enough for audit roles, and what would you cut?"

A few more tips

• Read their profile first, and ask about something on it: a past firm, a move they made, a topic under Can help with.
• Keep it to one main topic. You can always book another chat.
• Share your CV or growth plan in step 3 if your questions are about them. Sharing your CV, growth plan, career ladder or LinkedIn
• Be yourself. Warm and honest beats polished.