Pathrise may be a familiar name to the newly graduates of the techworld looking for a job. This San-Francisco based online mentoring program claims to help graduates to land high value jobs. And they do it for free too. You only need to pay when you get a job within the time period.
This must sound promising to aspiring tech professionals. Freshly graduated students need help with job advice, to excel at interviews and networking for jobs in tech. Pathrise promises online mentorship catered to those needs of job seekers. But does pathrise work?
Here is an in-depth Pathrise review with another alternative option to help you make the best decision. Let’s find out which career helping program is the one for you.
1. Pramp:
- Pramp offers a unique twist to career prep by focusing on technical interviews. With a peer-to-peer platform, it’s an excellent resource for tech enthusiasts seeking mock interviews and interview practice with real people.
2. Interviewing.io:
- Interviewing.io is a game-changer for remote interview practice. The anonymity feature fosters a judgment-free environment, and their interview experts provide valuable feedback.
3. CareerFoundry:
- CareerFoundry stands out for its mentorship-driven approach to tech and UX design courses. The one-on-one support ensures students receive personalized guidance.
4. Springboard:
- Springboard combines online learning with mentorship to help learners switch careers. Their career-focused courses, particularly in data science and UX design, have gained attention.
5. Thinkful:
- Thinkful offers a variety of tech and data science programs with flexible options. Their mentorship and project-based curriculum provide practical skills for job seekers.
6. Coding Dojo:
- Coding Dojo specializes in coding bootcamps with an emphasis on full-stack development. Their comprehensive curriculum and career services make them a strong choice for aspiring developers.
7. General Assembly:
- General Assembly is a well-known name in tech education. They offer a wide range of courses and workshops with a global network and a strong focus on job placement.
8. Bloc:
- Bloc’s mentor-led approach to web development and design education offers a personalized experience. The emphasis on building a portfolio is a plus for job seekers.
9. App Academy:
- App Academy is a top choice for coding bootcamps, particularly for those seeking deferred payment options. Their rigorous curriculum prepares students for software engineering roles.
10. Lambda School:
- Lambda School offers tech education with an income-sharing agreement. The immersive nature of their programs and the focus on job placement make them a viable alternative to traditional degrees.
What is Pathrise?
As we have mentioned before, Pathrise is a coaching company for graduates who want the best jobs the tech industry has to offer. The company was started by an ensemble of engineers and now offers mentorship from individuals working in companies like Google, Amazon, McKinsey and more.
Their 1-1 programs help graduates to be ready for the job world. Every week at a set time that works with the mentees’ schedule, Pathrise mentors will work with them to personalize the program. Along with providing necessary resources and tools, Pathrise program also offers helps with:
- Elite job searching
- Referrals & various networking and community elements
- Creating and building your online presence
- Interview preparations,
- Building up an impressive portfolio of projects,
- Salary negotiation.
Pathrise also claims that they offer interview techniques, including the actual rubric used by 60 different tech companies such as Meta, Google and others. They also teach the factors the candidates get scored by and the common mistakes often made by the applicants during the workshops. Basically, they understand the fears of graduates regarding job hunting, and they work to resolve those fears.
Pathrise Features, Pricing & Offers
To make an effective decision, you’ll be in need of more information on Pathrise Fellowship. Don’t worry as we’ve got you here with the information you need. The company prides itself as capable of getting their fellows placed within 4 months. In cases of delayed employment, Pathrise does offer a continuous weekly 1-1 session for the fellows.
The program has a specific curriculum as well as some key features integrated in it, such as:
Custom Curriculum
The courses are claimed to be tailored for individuals with specific needs and specific tracks. The company covers a range of career paths from the world of technology such as Software Engineering, Product, Strategy, & Ops, Product Design, Data, Marketing, Sales & Customer Success and many others.
The first eight weeks, Pathrise offers a number of workshops ranging from optimizing candidates’ profiles and online presence to interviewing frameworks and fundamentals. The program even continues further after those generic 8 weeks as 1-1 support is provided until the candidate secures a job!
Experienced Mentors
Pathrise hires their mentors and advisors from tech giants such as META, Google, Dropbox, and many more. They are the main form of contacts for the candidates with Pathrise. The mentors help the inexperienced graduates navigate various aspects of the workforce.
Job Requirement Aids
Jobs require a top-notch CV, personalized cover letter and a portfolio showcasing the best works of the candidate. Pathrise mentors review the resume, cv and cover letters and offer their expert opinions and guidance. They also help the fellows create a strong portfolio.
Placement Assistance
Placement is the most important aspect of the job hunt, isn’t it? One needs to know the right places to offer, the right person to get referrals from and the right skills for the job. Pathrise, hence, offers a comprehensive job search support that includes:
- Job Sourcing Guidance
- Personalized Recommendations from Industry Professionals
- Help with Offer Evaluation, Interview Scheduling & Negotiations
- Valuable Connections
Exclusive Materials
The materials and resources provided by Pathrise such as interview questions and notes are said to be based on real interviewing rubrics used by 60 different leading tech industries. It provides the fellows with details on interview behaviors, do’s and dont’s and not to mention the perfect elevator pitch.
And all of these are customized and tailored. For example, software engineering tracks, Pathrise will help with CS foundations, search algorithm fundamentals, binary trees and others.
Contingent fee System
This payment system lets the candidate start their course without a penny, meaning without paying anything upfront. So, how much does pathrise cost? Well, the candidates pay an amount of 5-9% of their annual income depending on the application process.
If the participant doesn’t successfully get a job within the 12 months, then they are released from the agreement of payment. One can get an early release if they decide to pay $250 for each week they are with Pathrise.
Also, the first 2 weeks are offered as free trials during which the applicants can drop the program without any penalty.
Scholarship
Pathrise also offers numerous scholarships in different categories. According to the official website, Pathrise offers scholarship for women in tech, job seekers with disabilities, members of LGBTQ+ community and veterans applying for jobs.
Pathrise application process
Pathrise doesn’t offer their service to everyone who applies for the course. Instead there’s a rigorous screening process to find the prospective applicants who will be a great fit for the program.
The process includes:
- An Initial Survey
- Industry Track Assessment
- Enrollment Offer
- Trial Period
- Commitment
The initial step involves a 15 minute short survey where the applicants are asked about their goals, and experiences. The next stage is for finding the right career track for the applicant. It takes about 30-45 minutes where the relevant skills for the job are assessed and a decision is made depending on it.
Once the experts at Pathrise conclude the applicants are the right fit, enrollment offers are made. Upon acceptance, an applicant takes part in 2 weeks of trial period during which they can drop out of the program at any time. If the applicant decides it’s the right program for them, they can commit.
What needs to be Considered before Joining Pathrise?
Before choosing Pathrise, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of the program. One such factor is their income share percentage. It’s crucial to understand that the income share percentage is applied at pre-tax income, meaning your salary before paying taxes.
What it means for an applicant is that they can end up paying anywhere from 120-14% of their income! They are also reported to be understaffed by many pathrise reviews. Ultimately, Pathrise’s marketing doesn’t match their offers. And it may not be worth the percentage for the limited referrals.
Suitable Alternative of Pathrise
It is always wise to compare the service, cost and opportunities offered by Pathrise with other suitable options to find the better one. This is where we introduce MentorCruise.
Mentor cruise is also an online platform that connects applicants with industry professionals for mentorship. It offers flexibility and personalization allowing candidates to choose their own mentors.
Some offers are similar features to Pathrise but participants claim the experience is more tailored to suit their needs. The platform has a handpicked database of industry leading mentors with previous experiences for working with top companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, GitHub among many others.
It has a subscription based model that offers a more predictable and upfront payment structure that helps candidates make informed decisions. So should you choose it over Pathrise? Yes and here’s why:
Top 3 Reasons to choose MentorCruise over Pathrise
First, MentorCruise offer a variety of features to choose the mentor with detailed categories, expertise and availability. The top 1% of the members with 5 star ratings offer 24 hours response time!
Second, Messaging is available along with video calls 24/7 unlike Pathrise. It allows you to stay in touch with your mentor. They also provide the candidates with premium subscriptions of various tools that help with productivity, job search, etc.
Third, MentorCruise’s case studies show that 88% of mentees experienced a rise in productivity and 93% of mentees found their experience useful. 71% of the mentees also reported that they received career advancing opportunities.
Conclusion
Job seeking is harder for anyone, but in the tech world, it is hardest to make it big. Your success depends on the mentoring program and mentor you choose by a great deal. So do your own research before committing to a job placement program.
If you decide to work with Pathrise, it’s a great option. But if you prefer a different approach, MentorCruise can help you to be successful in your job search. Many mentees report that MentorCruise is a “game changer” as well as, “huge stop” for their careers.
So, the choice is ultimately yours. We hope the information provided here is useful to make the correct decision for your career.
