Becoming a shepherd
For shepherdsUpdated 16 Oct 2026
Sign up as a shepherd, tell us about your work and skills, and what happens while we review your profile.
Shepherds are professionals who give a little of their time to people a step or two behind them, in short coffee chats. You don't need to be senior: if you've done something a talent is trying to do, you can help.
Sign up as a shepherd
- Step 1: Create your account with Continue with Google, or with your email and a password.
- Step 2: Under How will you use KoffeeChat?, choose I'm a Shepherd and press Continue.
- Step 3: Type your first and last name under First, what should we call you? Talents see this name on your shepherd profile, so use the one you go by at work.
- Step 4: Press Continue. We set up your shepherd profile and take you to your shepherd Home.
Did our team invite you?
If KoffeeChat set up a shepherd profile for you, sign up or sign in with the email address the invitation went to. We link that profile to your account the first time you open your shepherd dashboard, so any requests already waiting are there for you.
We review every new shepherd
Every new shepherd profile is checked by the KoffeeChat team before talents can find it. Until then a note at the top of Home and Your profile says your profile is pending, talents can't book you and your Talents list stays closed. We email you and let you know in the app as soon as you're approved. While your profile is being reviewed
Right after you sign up, we send you a welcome email. It shows how adding your LinkedIn gets you verified faster, and tells you about the Pioneer 100: our first 100 ambassadors, who each get their own link to share, such as koffeechat.com/faith, once they're verified.
Get ready while you wait
Everything you set up now is ready the moment you're approved:
- Set your weekly hours on Profile → Availability. Setting your availability
- Add a meeting link (Google Meet, Zoom and so on) in Edit profile, so talents know where to join. Editing your shepherd profile
- Pick the topics you Can help with, and add your experience and education.
- Answer the questions on Grow to build your own career ladder. Grow for shepherds
Speed up your review
Add your LinkedIn on Your profile: press Add LinkedIn under your name and paste your profile link. Our team checks it when we review your profile, so you get the blue Verified badge sooner. Talents see it on your profile too. A link you gave in the Grow questions stays private, and is offered there so you can add it in one tap. Your LinkedIn
What we ask of shepherds
- Describe your current and past roles truthfully.
- Be on time, and let the talent know early if you can't make a chat.
- Treat what talents share with you, including CVs and plans, as confidential.
- Share your own experience. What you say is your personal view, not professional, legal, financial or immigration advice, and you can't promise anyone a job.
Shepherds volunteer their time and aren't KoffeeChat employees. You can read the full rules in our Terms of Service.