Pathrise review: Worth it, or should you consider a top alternative?

Pathrise is a U.S.-focused mentorship program known for getting elite job placements for mentees. But is it personalized enough for those of all backgrounds to get powerful mentorship results? If you’re looking for a more flexible Pathrise alternative, you may want a mentoring service that lets you:

• Pick your own mentor based on transparent profiles, ratings and response times.
• Choose customized topics according to your needs.
• Leverage mentor expertise from anywhere worldwide (regardless of your work eligibility).
• Connect with your mentor 24/7 via unlimited messaging.
• Doesn’t lock you into a 12-month pricing commitment, but instead offers a no-strings monthly fee.

While Pathrise is a top-notch mentoring service for boosting your job search, you may be wary of its income sharing agreement. It’s also only available for U.S.-eligible workers and doesn’t offer customized topics beyond job hunting.

This makes Pathrise a no-go for many who work in other countries and want a more personalized touch during mentorship sessions. That’s where MentorCruise, a leading Pathrise alternative, comes out on top. Here we’ll compare Pathrise to MentorCruise, so you can find out which service may be best for your specific mentorship needs.

Key Differences of Pathrise vs. MentorCruise

1. MentorCruise is available to mentees worldwide, regardless of work eligibility. You don’t have to prove work eligibility in the U.S. Even though mentors may be working at top U.S. firms, mentees worldwide are welcome to participate – regardless of where they work and study.

In contrast, Pathrise mentees must be eligible to work in the U.S. That means if you work elsewhere, you’re locked out of participating in this program and leveraging mentorship advice.

2. MentorCruise offers customized help with mentorship topics of your choosing. You get to decide how to personalize your sessions. Perhaps you want to work on upskilling, developing a study plan or discussing career strategy with a mentor. You can also choose from more traditional job search topics, if you want.

Pathrise is 100% focused on your job hunt and related skills, such as resume, networking, interview prep, negotiation, etc. The program goes in-depth into how to enhance your job search, but doesn’t offer other customized topics.

3. MentorCruise lets you communicate with your mentor via video and unlimited messaging. It offers flexible communication choices. You can get in touch with your mentor through live video or use the platform’s 24/7 messaging system.

Pathrise mentorship is done exclusively through live video, though depending on your location you may be able to attend in-person events.

4. MentorCruise offers a transparent flat monthly fee that can be paused or canceled at any time. Every mentor charges a flat monthly fee that typically ranges between $39-$350 per month. You can pause mentorship (for example when you’re on holiday) or cancel your mentorship at any time.

Pathrise requires a longer commitment with a higher price tag. Though you pay $0 upfront, once you get a job Pathrise will take a cut of your first annual salary. Depending on your job level, this typically involves 5-9% of your salary. (So for a $100,000 salary, Pathrise would charge between $5,000-$9,000). This income sharing commitment lasts until you’ve gone 12 months without getting a job.

What is Pathrise?

Pathrise is an elite job search mentoring program founded in 2017 by a pair of San Fran engineers. Its mission is simple: offer one-on-one specialized mentorship for up to 12 months until you get a job. In fact, 96% of mentees get job placements during the program and credit Pathrise for their success.

For this reason, Pathrise mentorship is focused almost exclusively on job searching, but also has some interesting networking and community elements. The program’s mentor network involves 200+ companies from Forbes 500 firms such as Google, Facebook, Dropbox, Apple, etc.

What are the latest Pathrise stats?

The latest Pathrise stats are pretty impressive. The company has 2,115 placed fellows. The average junior salary is $83,307, while the average senior salary is $199,896.

On top of a 95% placement rate, Pathrise members are two-four times more likely to get a response to their application and a 10-20% negotiation increase. Participants in the program have also got a higher chance of impressing during interviews. All of these stats highlight the positive impact the Pathrise program has on its mentees’ careers.

What is the Pathrise fellowship application process like?

Not everyone who applies makes it into the Pathrise program. It has an application process which helps them decide who to bring into the fold.

Pathrise’s application process involves four steps to learn your starting point and what you hope to achieve. Once the team knows these, it establishes the quickest way for you to achieve these goals.

Here are the four steps in the application process:

#1 - Introduction survey: This takes around 15 minutes. It is a short survey asking questions about your goals and industry experience.

#2 - Industry assessment: The industry assessment stage takes around 30-45 minutes. In this stage, you will disclose more information about your skills and experience. This will help the Pathrise team develop your tailored plan of action.

#3 - Enrollment call: Lasting about 30 minutes, the enrollment call gives members the opportunity to learn about the processes and ask any questions they have.

#4 - Trial stage: New members get a two-week trial before officially joining the Pathrise fellowship. During the trial, you can have 1-1 coaching with a mentor. You can then decide if it’s the right path for you.

Pathrise emphasizes the importance of honest feedback. If you don’t get accepted into the program, you’re welcome to act on the advice the team gives and apply again.

Pathrise Key Features

Feature 1: Mentors come from an internal network of over 200+ companies.

The Pathrise program has an all-star mentor team from industry leading companies, such as Google, Facebook, Dropbox, Apple, and others listed above.

Feature 2: Get access to exclusive community forums, events and job boards.

Once you’re part of the program, Pathrise gives you exclusive access to forums, events and boards that can help you get peer support and find meet-up opportunities. This community element is an exciting aspect of Pathrise’s support system.

Feature 3: Make the most of extensive company guides for top jobs.

Pathrise also provides access to in-depth company guides that give the inside scoop into top companies, their unique interview process, typical questions and other behind-the-scenes info.

Feature 4: Live video sessions

Pathrise members can take advantage of live video sessions with their mentor. This provides a more personal experience with a chance to ask questions and learn from the experts face-to-face. Video sessions can be scheduled at days and times that suit you. Receive unlimited support to help you reach your career goals.

Pricing

How much does Pathrise cost? There’s no one amount. Pathrise has a unique pricing model that involves an income sharing agreement (ISA). Though you pay $0 upfront, you’ll pay back Pathrise once you get a job placement. Typically, you agree to paying 5-9% of your first annual income, though the exact cut will be stipulated during the Pathrise application process.

Remember that this income sharing agreement lasts for 12 months. You’re only released from this commitment after not accepting a job for 12 months. Pathrise lets you withdraw sooner but not without a hefty fee: $250 for every week you were in the program.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• $0 until you get a job
• Mentors from an internal network of over 200+ companies
• Access to exclusive community forums, events and job boards
• Extensive company guides for top jobs
• 14-day free trial

Cons

• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. (or Canada)
• No customized help with topics beyond job search
• Income sharing of 5-9% could mean a high price tag
• 12-month commitment before income sharing no longer applies
• No unlimited messaging (just video calls)
• Just individual plans (no teams plans)

Pathrise Alternative: What is MentorCruise?

How does MentorCruise compare to Pathrise? Let’s take a closer look at MentorCruise, a top Pathrise alternative. MentorCruise is a one-on-one mentorship service founded in 2018 and based in Switzerland.

This platform provides a hand-picked database of industry-leading mentors with a variety of specializations. Mentors work for top companies such as Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, GitHub, Airbnb, Uber, Stripe, Netflix, etc.

While results vary according to the mentees’ personalized needs, overall they’re six times more likely to reach their goals with MentorCruise. Mentees say the program was a “game-changer” or “huge step” for their careers. In addition, MentorCruise mentors receive an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.

As a Pathrise alternative, MentorCruise is a robust service, offering customized topics to individuals or teams from anywhere in the world.

MentorCruise Key Features

Feature 1: Pick your own mentor from a database, including Top Mentors.

MentorCruise gives you transparent access to a mentor database, so you can hand-select your own mentor. Filter by category, skills, services, price and more, so that you get the perfect fit. Top Mentors, the top 1%, are also available and offer 5-star ratings with 24-hour response time.

Feature 2: Get customized topics according to your needs.

A variety of topics and customized sessions are available, so you can build your own mentorship program. It’s easy – just look through the available options and discover mentors who offer that type of session.

Feature 3: Take advantage of unlimited messaging, in addition to video calls.

With MentorCruise, you can communicate with your mentor in your preferred method, whether live video or 24/7 messaging. It’s easy to stay in touch and get quick responses from your mentor.

Feature 4: Enjoy lots of perks

Our partnerships allow us to treat our members. They get access to lots of juicy perks and discounts. How does 20% of Savvy Cal scheduling software sound? Or three months of To-Do List Pro completely free? We’ve carefully selected our perks to help you with your professional (and personal) growth. Here are the areas that our perks can help you with:

• Marketing
• Tech
• Coding
• Productivity
• Business

So, whether you want to boost a business or keep yourself organized, there are lots of great deals for our members to enjoy.

MentorCruise case studies

Mentoring can have incredible advantages to your career. Whether you want to change course completely or break into the market in a new country, mentoring provides accountability and support all the way to success.

To drive home this point, Gitnux has a page dedicated to some eye-opening stats. Referring to several different studies, it writes that 88% of mentees experienced an increase in productivity because of their mentorship. Furthermore, 71% of employees thought that they received good career-advancing opportunities as a result of their mentorship. And, 93% of mentees found their experience useful.

Of course, your success will depend on the mentor you choose and the program you sign up to. MentorCruise members have achieved tremendous success with their careers. Let’s take a look at a few inspiring case studies:

Nelson Remetz - From architecture to UX design

Nelson Remetz had a career in architecture before reaching out to the MentorCruise team. Keen to pursue his personal interests, Nelson signed up to our UX design bootcamp and mentorship program. As well as learning new skills with the bootcamp, Nelson’s mentor coached him thoroughly on the interview process.

Nelson appreciated the opportunity to have someone there to ask questions, bounce ideas off of, and learn from. This is invaluable in an industry that moves so fast. Nelson has received praise for successful projects at his new job and is keen to continue growing in his new career.

Ryan Wilson - From professional basketball player to cybersecurity

Ryan Wilson’s career did a complete 360 when he joined our mentorship program. Having retired from professional basketball, he considered new career opportunities that could ignite the same passions.

Ryan chose cybersecurity because of his interest in ethical hacking. He made impressive progress. Ryan’s goal was to find a position within the cybersecurity industry within a year. He nailed it in just three months with a job as a penetration tester.

In his interview with us, Ryan talked about how his mentor challenged and supported him. He also noted his positivity and interview advice, which he found really helpful. Our mentors are flexible in their communication methods, as Ryan found out. He explained he didn’t enjoy phone calls so they had regular Skype chats instead.

Bassma Hefni - Offered three jobs in a new country

Bassma Hefni took advantage of our mentorship program in a different way to our previous two case studies. Instead of a change of career, Bassma wanted a change of scenery. Although she had a year’s experience as a product designer, Bassma knew that her portfolio - as it was - was not going to get her where she wanted to be.

That’s where our mentor came in.

With the help of our mentor, Bassma got stuck into her job search and started to test her portfolio. She was able to sharpen her skills and adjust her portfolio to better reflect her abilities. Bassma received three job offers in Germany, which was more than she originally hoped for. She still has mentoring sessions for guidance and plans on continuing this as she relocates and embarks on her new adventure.

Pathrise vs. MentorCruise: Feature Comparison

3 reasons why mentees choose MentorCruise over Pathrise

✔️ 1. Flexible to your specific needs, with customized topics for individuals or teams from anywhere in the world.

✔️ 2. Choose your own mentor and use transparent ratings and feedback to learn more about each.

✔️ 3. You’re not locked into a 12-month pricing commitment. Instead you can pause or cancel mentorship whenever you want.

Boost your career with MentorCruise today

Mentorship can make a difference to your career, which is why it’s important to find the right mentor fit. While Pathrise is great for a U.S. job seeker who wants to get an elite position, you might also consider a Pathrise alternative like MentorCruise.

MentorCruise is great for anybody who wants to boost their skills and industry know-how, with a top mentor of their choice – and a no-strings flat monthly fee. To kick off your career, check out the top mentors on MentorCruise and book an introductory call today.