When it comes to learning online, having a dedicated mentor and tutor makes all the difference. You get to study flexibly at your own pace, but with the added benefit of expert support, guidance, and feedback. It’s the best of both worlds.
But how can you be sure that the mentor and tutor you’re paired with are truly qualified? And what happens if you’re not happy with the support you receive?
At CareerFoundry, we know that mentorship isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a crucial part of the learning experience.
That’s why we have a rigorous system in place to ensure utmost quality — from how we select and onboard our mentors and tutors, to ongoing training, support, and performance management.
In this post, we’ll take you behind the scenes to show you how we:
- Hire and vet our mentors and tutors to ensure top-quality expertise
- Set our mentors and tutors up for success with onboarding, training, and a supportive community
- Monitor performance and address any concerns
- Foster a culture of transparency, feedback, and continuous improvement
Whether you’re considering a CareerFoundry program or simply curious about how it all works, we’ve got you covered. So let’s dive in!
How are CareerFoundry mentors and tutors selected?
Not just anyone can become a CareerFoundry mentor or tutor. We follow a rigorous hiring process to find experts who are not only highly skilled, but also passionate about supporting and empowering others.
When screening mentors and tutors, we look for a unique blend of qualities — it’s not just about job titles and on-paper credentials. Our mentors and tutors must have real-world industry experience, exceptional communication skills, and a genuine ability to connect with students.
To uphold these standards, we’ve developed a thorough screening process which includes:
- Interviews to assess expertise, teaching approach, and communication skills. We look for empathy and enthusiasm together with advanced technical know-how.
- Portfolio reviews. Mentors and tutors must guide students through the process of building their portfolio, so we carefully evaluate their own work to ensure they have the skills and experience to provide meaningful feedback.
- Reference checks. Towards the end of the process, we require strong references that demonstrate a track record of excellence.
We set a high bar for our mentors and tutors, and that starts with the screening process. Only the best of the best make it through the interview stage — and our quality assurance doesn’t end there.
Next up: how we ensure our mentors and tutors are equipped to succeed.
How do we set our mentors and tutors up for success? Onboarding, training, and a supportive community
After a rigorous selection process, the next step is to make sure our mentors and tutors are set up for success. This involves providing the training, support, and resources they need to excel in their role and guide our students effectively.
All CareerFoundry mentors and tutors receive:
- Comprehensive onboarding and training
- Ongoing support from our dedicated Instructor Team
- Access to a collaborative mentor and tutor community
Let’s take a closer look at how we equip our mentors and tutors for excellence.
Comprehensive onboarding and training
Before they start working with students, all mentors and tutors go through a structured onboarding process. This is where we set clear expectations, train them in the tools and methods they’ll use, and ensure they’re fully equipped to provide the best possible learning experience.
Ongoing support from our dedicated Instructor Team
Mentorship is a unique skill that requires continuous development — and we’re committed to supporting our mentors and tutors every step of the way.
We have a dedicated Instructor Team in-house who offer ongoing coaching, resources, and guidance to ensure that mentors feel confident in their role. Whether it’s navigating tricky student questions or refining their approach, our expert team is there to help.
At the same time, our dedicated Student Team is on hand to ensure smooth communication between students and their mentors/tutors. They’re available to handle queries, resolve concerns, and act as a bridge when needed — ensuring that every student gets consistent, high-quality support.
A collaborative mentor and tutor community
Beyond formal training and coaching, all mentors and tutors become part of a supportive community where they can connect, collaborate, and learn from one another. Through online forums, meetups, and informal check-ins, mentors and tutors can exchange ideas, share best practices, and support each other.
By investing in our mentors and tutors, we ensure they’re well-equipped to support our students throughout their chosen program.
How do we monitor performance and address issues?
Ensuring high-quality mentorship and tutoring isn’t just about hiring the right people. It’s about consistently holding our mentors and tutors to a high standard, and taking measures to improve if those standards aren’t met.
That’s why we have robust systems and protocols in place to monitor performance, gather student feedback, and address any concerns or issues that arise.
How we monitor mentor and tutor performance to ensure consistent quality
All CareerFoundry mentors and tutors are held to a clear set of performance expectations, including:
- Timeliness: Mentors and tutors must respond to student submissions and messages within a specific timeframe.
- Feedback quality: We regularly review mentor and tutor feedback to ensure that it’s thorough, personalized, and actionable.
- Responsiveness: Mentors and tutors are expected to engage consistently with students, and to collaborate with the Instructor Team if required.
To uphold these standards, we conduct:
- Onboarding performance checks: Once a new member or tutor is onboarded, we review the initial feedback they provide to their first students. If we find that their response times are too slow or that their guidance falls short in terms of quality (e.g., lacking in detail or a supportive tone), they do not pass the onboarding check and receive additional training/support from the team to ensure their feedback quality improves before they can support additional students
- Ongoing performance monitoring: Every month, we conduct spot checks on active mentors and tutors. We assess their response times, review student feedback, and evaluate ratings from mentoring calls or submission reviews.
- Student surveys: We actively collect feedback from our students to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and any potential issues that need to be addressed.
Together, these measures allow us to quickly get a handle on potential issues and make sure our quality standards are continuously met.
How do we address issues and negative feedback?
While we have systems in place to proactively monitor performance, we also encourage our students to come to us directly if things aren’t working out. And we take student feedback very seriously — whether it’s a general suggestion or a direct complaint.
If concerns arise, we follow a structured process to resolve them as quickly as possible. This might include:
- An initial review and assessment where we analyze student feedback, investigate concerns, and determine what further action is needed.
- Mentor/tutor check-ins: If necessary, we have direct and constructive conversations with mentors and tutors to clarify expectations, provide guidance, or offer additional training.
- Performance reviews: In cases where performance issues persist, we conduct a formal review to set clear actions and guidelines for improvement.
- Enforcing our official code of conduct: If a mentor or tutor breaches our professional standards, this can result in immediate termination.
We also understand that, sometimes, it’s not about performance — it’s about a mentor/tutor just not being the right fit for a particular student. If a student requests to switch mentors or tutors, we carefully assess the situation to determine the best course of action.
In some cases, all it takes is providing feedback to the mentor/tutor and helping them better connect with their student. Otherwise, if we think it’s beneficial for the student’s learning experience, we’ll pair them up with a new mentor or tutor.
Our commitment to transparency and continuous improvement
As you can see, we take quality assurance very seriously, and we have a solid system in place — but we also recognize that no system is perfect. That’s why we’re committed not only to maintaining high standards, but also to continuously improving.
And transparency is at the core of what we do: we want our students, mentors, and tutors to know exactly how we uphold quality, address concerns, and take steps to improve based on the feedback we receive.
How we use feedback to drive improvement
We know that change comes from action — and feedback is our most valuable resource when it comes to improving the student/mentor experience.
We actively track student and mentor feedback, including common complaints and trends, to ensure we’re always learning and adapting. For example, if we notice an increase in concerns about mentor/tutor response times, we don’t just address individual cases; we roll out broader initiatives to improve the experience for everyone.
Just recently, we introduced our automatic reminder system which alerts mentors/tutors if a student submission has been waiting longer than it should.
We periodically conduct a thorough check of all of our instructors — their response times, feedback quality, and student reviews — to ensure that we maintain quality across the board.
We take negative reviews seriously — and act fast
Part of our commitment to quality means tackling negative reviews head-on. We don’t shy away from criticism; we embrace it as an opportunity to improve.
And, while they may not be great from a PR perspective, negative reviews ultimately help us identify gaps and make meaningful changes. Fortunately, we’ve got a solid team and system in place that enables us to act fast.
So fast, in fact, that reviews can quickly become outdated. We’re always working on improvements behind the scenes, so concerns raised in negative reviews may no longer reflect the current reality of our program.
No matter where the feedback comes from or how it reaches us, our focus remains the same: listening, learning, and adapting to provide the best possible experience for our students.
That’s a wrap
We hope you’ve enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at our quality assurance practices. Our goal is to ensure that every student receives the best possible support — and we’ll never stop working to raise the bar and make improvements.
If you’re considering a CareerFoundry program, you can learn more about our dual mentorship model here, discover how our Job Guarantee works, or check out what some of our graduates have achieved since completing their programs.
CareerFoundry mentors and tutors FAQ
Is CareerFoundry worth it?
If you’re looking for a complete career-change package then yes, CareerFoundry is worth the investment. In particular, students praise the tailored support they receive from their mentors and tutors, together with constructive and detailed feedback on their coursework.
What is the success rate of CareerFoundry?
90% of CareerFoundry graduates get a job within 180 days of completing their program, and they report an average salary increase of $15,000 per year. Under CareerFoundry’s Job Guarantee, you may be eligible for a refund if you don’t land a job within six months of graduating.
Are CareerFoundry mentors good?
All CareerFoundry mentors and tutors go through a rigorous screening process. They must demonstrate industry expertise, excellent communication skills, and a passion for teaching and empowering others. Mentors and tutors are held to high standards when it comes to providing personalized, in-depth feedback, and they are subject to regular performance monitoring.