Esri Young Professionals Network Mentorship

Eventually we're no longer the young professional seeking mentorship but rather the experienced one passing along the advice.  Decades of experience might seem a far way off, but it happens faster than you might think.  As I closed out my military career I was asked the same question by many: how do I build my career and develop as a professional?

My name's Matt Hotovec, and here are the four key ideas that I used and passed along to many other successful professionals.

Don't pass up the opportunity to get connected with a GIS mentor or become a mentor yourself! The 2026 applications are available for you to join the GPN Mentor Network. Sign up to grow professionally, gain valuable insight, and build meaningful connections in the GIS field.

In a professional, relation-driven world that is heavily dependent on networking, the ability to consistently and reliably respond to communication is considered an absolutely vital skill. But people who habitually "go dark,” are risking the health of their careers, as this behavior creates long-term barriers to opportunities, destroys trust, and stymies conflict resolution. Sadly, it can ruin your reputation. So to help build the best reputation that you can, and that of your company, organization or agency... always RESPOND!

My name is Lisa Berry and I have been at Esri for 12 years as a cartographer, Product Engineer, GIS Engineer, and Evangelist over my career here. I have heavily leaned on my network and my mentors during my career to help me with growth, career changes, and challenges along the way. This short blog provides 5 basic tips for helping you navigate mentorship in your GIS career in order to expand your network and enhance your technical skills. 

Looking for GIS Volunteers

Hi everyone,
I am working on a public health project called Replenish NutrAI and we are looking for GIS volunteers who want to use their skills to make a real impact.

What We Are Building

We are creating a Clinical GPS that helps people find safe, clinically backed supplements based on their location, environment, age, and personal needs. Nothing like this has been done before. The system uses GIS, GeoAI, and public health data to map supplement access, quality, environmental influences, and accuracy across counties and zip codes.

Are you looking to grow professionally, gain valuable insight, and build meaningful connections in the GIS field? Now’s your chance to get involved in the Geospatial Professionals Network Mentoring Network . Applications are open for both mentors and mentees!

When you say you were a GIS Analyst, what specifically did you bring to the work?

Something I look for in resumes, cover letters, portfolios, and interviews is evidence of someone's contributions to a project or organization.

I am beginning to set my mind on earning a masters degree. I am two years removed from college and am two years wiser with GIS experience. I am starting to feel prepared for more education, but I have reservations...

Mastering the art of writing professional emails is crucial in today's workplace. Proper greetings, salutations, and formatting are essential for effective communication. Timeliness, proofreading, maintaining a professional tone, and ensuring confidentiality are also important. By following these best practices, you can enhance your professional image and achieve better results in your email communications.