Mentorship FAQ
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What kinds of mentoring do you provide?
This is a challenging question to answer definitively because mentorship involves so much context.
There are three high level areas that I can help in:
- Technical growth: Discuss advanced topics, pair program, answers questions, provide feedback on ideas
- Career navigation: Prepare for promotions, interviews, or pivoting to new opportunities
- Accountability: Helping you stay disciplined and aligned to your goals
What are the sessions like?
Generally they are conversational. The details depend on the type of topic we’re discussing, but the general formula is:
- A bit of chit-chat
- Discussion of your topics
- Follow-up on previous action items
- Recap and scheduling logistics
The “Discussion of your topics” contains quite a bit of variability. Perhaps it’s us reviewing some of your code or working through an example problem. It can also be us talking about something more like a technical concept or software process. They can also be discussions about how to navigate your career and what you’re doing to achieve your goals.
I’ve had meetings where the entire thing is a pair programming session. I’ve had meetings where the whole thing has been discussing navigating code reviews and teamwork in the office. The sessions are meant to be a safe place to discuss the challenges you’re facing in a collaborative way.
Do I need to be a Django developer?
Nope! Definitely not a requirement.
Python and Django are where I’m technically strongest, but most software mentorship topics don’t involve specific code.
I have a manager / tech lead at my job, is there still a benefit to outside mentorship?
Perhaps not! It’s possible you have a mentorship structure at your job that has a strong focus on your goals and career growth.
That said, your conversations with colleagues are always seen through the lens of the company. There will be times when your personal goals will be at odds with the company’s. It can be challenging to get honest feedback from colleagues during those moments. There are also times when leadership at a company can’t share everything with you. Unfortunately, those can be moments where you most need support to decide what to do.
Since I’m outside your corporate structure, I’m able to provide feedback that is entirely focused on your needs and goals. There isn’t an outside pressure that may be influencing our discussions.
I am a manager, how does outside mentorship benefit my direct reports?
The easiest answer here is that a more confident, assured and knowledgeable engineer is a better engineer. My feedback and perspective can help your report see more things, process more information and implement better solutions without taking up your time.
A possibly uncomfortable answer is that sometimes an outside perspective just resonates differently. It could be the corporate environment, personality differences, or company politics, but nobody connects equally well with everyone, myself included. If I’m able to connect with this person in a way that helps them grow, that’s a win for them and for your team, regardless of who’s doing the coaching.
Is what we discuss confidential?
Absolutely! I won’t share your name, company, or details that could identify you. I’ve even signed NDAs with companies in order to work with their employees on real code, so I take discretion seriously.
What I will do is share generalities. For example, “I’ve worked with a person who wanted to improve their understanding of service layers in Django.” These anonymous, generalized examples help others realize they aren’t alone in what they’re facing.
Can my employer pay, or can I expense this?
Yes! If your company has an L&D or education budget, this often qualifies.
Keep in mind, if your company is paying for this, they likely have some stipulations on what you’re using it for. It’s best to start with a conversation with your manager about why you’re interested in this and what you’re looking to get out of it. They will appreciate having a chance to provide that internally before you solve it externally.
I’m ready, what do I do next?
Schedule our first meeting on the Let’s Meet page, and we’ll get started ASAP!