Why did we start Assisterhood?
Assisterhood was born in 2018 after Linh Diep – who was at Publicis Worldwide at the time – noticed a clear gap in the industry. While there were plenty of courses, initiatives, and pathways out there for aspiring comms industry professionals, none were explicitly prioritising underrepresented young people, especially those who identified as women.
Linh knew the industry needed a way for aspiring professionals with different backgrounds and perspectives to navigate certain stages of their careers. With over half of her workplace’s leadership team identifying as women, Linh and Publicis Worldwide created Assisterhood.
Assisterhood’s launch on International Women’s Day in 2018 saw Publicis’ Managing Director, General Manager, Digital Director, Head of Broadcast, and Senior Copywriter become the program’s first mentors.
Since then, the program has expanded to boast over 230 alumni, with 75 incredible mentors across two countries in 2024, and our impact has grown year-on-year.
Let’s keep the momentum going!
How do we mentor?
Everyone learns differently. That’s why each Assisterhood mentorship is tailored to suit each person’s needs and goals. We’ve crafted a detailed application process that uses a qualitative survey with multiple open-ended questions and sliding scales to determine the best personality and goals fit, taking into account the mentee’s desired mentor, of course. We also talk to our mentors about what they want to bring to the program and understand their goals to deliver a rewarding experience for both parties.
We provide mentors with these personalised applications to choose from, plus a guideline of topics, questions, and timings. While we work hard to set each pairing up for success, we understand the hectic schedules we all face. That’s why the program and meetups can be flexible. It’s up to both our mentor and mentee to find a groove that works for them.
Assisterhood mentors can provide their email or phone number, so organising catch ups is as easy and approachable as possible.
What does the program involve?
Over the past few years, our mentees have been able to experience ‘a day in the life’, find a new job, and even just have someone open and impartial to talk to about what’s going on at work. We also know questions can pop up. That’s why the Assisterhood squad is available 24/7 for any questions or confidential support needed along the way – no judgement.
Our mentors are our stars! They go above and beyond what’s expected in a traditional mentorship, building confidence and support for mentees to achieve their goals.
And once the mentorship finishes, it doesn’t have to truly end. Mentors are encouraged to keep in touch and connect with their past mentees days, months, or even years down the track.