Can I cancel my session and get my money back?
We cannot guarantee a refund if you decide to cancel a session. To reschedule, see FAQ “How do I reschedule a session?”.
How do I reschedule a session?
If you cannot attend the session you booked, please contact us via email (hello@chaperone.online), with a minimum of 24h prior to your booking time, so we can reschedule your session with the consultant.
Can I have my session without an internet connection?
No. Please take into consideration that for the session to run smoothly and with no audio and video problems, you must ensure that your internet quality is good.
Can I cover the costs of a session with my grant or fellowship?
It depends on your grant or fellowship. Most grants and fellowships have a budget category for training, participation in conferences or similar, and your expenses with career development services might be eligible to include in this category. Please read what kind of expenses can be included in this category. If you are not sure, please contact us and we will assist you with this question.
Can my institution pay for the sessions I do?
Yes, but we would have to sign an institutional agreement with your institution. If you would like your institution to support you and your colleagues with our career development services please contact us.
Will my supervisor or institution know that I’ve used your services?
When you book a session directly on our platform, your institution will not know about this, as we respect your privacy. In the case that your institution paid for the session via an institutional agreement, they might have access to a subset of information previously agreed upon, such as the number of sessions booked and the overall support topics that we provided.
Can my session be anonymous?
Your session can be anonymous for the consultant, but not for us for legal purposes. If you wish to have an anonymous session with a consultant, please send us an email (hello@chaperone.online) so that we can arrange your session. Please note that not all consultants are available for anonymous sessions – we will check that for you.
How do I ask my institution to enrol with your Institutional Plan?
Please contact us and we will assist you with this.
If my institution enrols, does it mean that I get my session for free?
It depends on our agreement with your institution. Some institutions decide to pay 100% of the session cost while others require a co-payment from the final beneficiary.
What are the differences between Career Advisors, Career Counselors / Specialists and Career Coaches?
We have three different types of career consultants, all with experience supporting scientists: i) Career Advisors, they have experience in achieving what you want to achieve. Get their insights; ii) Career Counselors /Career Development Specialists, they can help you explore your attributes and interests in relation to your career options. These are people who did their education in Human Resources, Psychology or Career Guidance. We also have included in this list people who do not have this education but have worked many years in scientific career development offices in prestigious institutions; iii) Career Coaches, they are certified in Coaching and apply that methodology. They are experienced in leading scientists to their career goals and excel at the highest level.
How many sessions will I need?
That depends on your needs and expectations. Some needs can be solved with a single session, others might require a more continuous type of intervention. Please email us at hello@chaperone.online, describe your needs and we can answer them by email, or even schedule a 20m free call to help you choose a consultant.
How are consultants selected to be on the platform?
Everyone in our platform was selected by us based on referrals from institutional board of directors and career development offices. We carefully reviewed their CV and experience and interviewed them at least twice before registering on our platform.