The female workforce is still bouncing back after the pandemic’s initial impact in 2020. According to the State Department of Labor, more than 4 million women left the workforce in the U.S. from February to April two years ago. A bit more than half of that number has bounced back since this past summer.

There’s an event to help women get a leg up in the job market. Mentoring Monday is an event for women to meet other professionals and build a network. This is the fifth year of the Syracuse event, and it's the first year back in person. Some people who attend are about to graduate, are moms, or are making a career switch.

“It really gets us a chance to all meet each other and learn from each other, because even though we all might be at different phases and different career paths, there’s an awful lot to learn in our shared experiences as women," said Lindsay Marlenga, senior director of marketing for Advance Media New York.

The main portion of Mentoring Monday is speed networking. Participants spend around seven minutes with a mentor before moving on to the next one. For the first time, they are offering headshots at the event, as well as a round table discussion option.

“Open, hospitable type of environment where people feel free to have these very deep and open conversations, and I’m really proud that that event has fostered that type of collaboration and conversation in the community," said Marlenga.

Any woman is welcome to come to the event, but you do have to get a ticket. You can buy one online or at the door for $25. The two-hour event begins at 5 p.m. at Drumlins Country Club in Syracuse.