Why did you decide to become a mentor?
Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to receive guidance from incredible mentors who helped me navigate career transitions, technical growth, and leadership challenges. Their support was instrumental in my success, and I wanted to pay it forward. As a hiring manager, I’ve seen talented candidates struggle with interviews not because they lack skills, but because they don’t understand what companies are looking for. That’s why I focus on efficient, targeted preparation—helping mentees maximize their strengths and improve where it matters most. Mentoring allows me to give back while staying connected with the evolving challenges engineers and managers face in today’s job market.
How did you get your career start?
I studied math and computer science in college. After graduation, I joined Google, where I worked on large-scale distributed systems. After 1.5 years, I moved to New York to join Two Sigma, gaining firsthand experience in quant trading and hedge fund operations. Later, I transitioned to Citadel to immerse myself in a fast-paced, high-performance environment. Over time, I moved into leadership, eventually becoming the U.S. engineering lead at Nium, a fintech unicorn. In this role, I built and managed global engineering teams, leading critical infrastructure projects. My experience across big tech, finance, and startups has given me a broad perspective on both technical execution and career growth—insights I now bring to my mentoring.
What do mentees usually come to you for?
Most of my mentees come to me for interview prep and career strategy. Whether they’re engineers aiming for senior/staff roles or managers looking to level up, I help them refine their approach. For engineers, I provide mock interviews, focusing on system design, algorithms, and behavioral questions. For managers, I guide them through leadership principles, cross-functional collaboration, and management interviews. Beyond interviews, I also help with resume reviews, negotiation strategies, and career transitions—whether moving into leadership, breaking into quant finance, or switching industries. My goal is to make the process as efficient and effective as possible, cutting through the noise to focus on what really moves the needle.
What's been your favourite mentorship success story so far?
Recently, I helped several new grads who’d been applying to hundreds of roles—often with no response—finally break through that barrier. We focused on refining résumés for each application, networking strategically, and reaching out to the right people at target companies. Over time, they secured interviews at major tech giants as well as top quant firms, including Citadel. Another standout success story was guiding a highly capable individual contributor through an internal transition into a management role. It wasn’t just a title change; we worked on team leadership skills, conflict resolution, and prioritizing team outcomes. After proving their leadership capabilities internally, I continued to mentor them until they eventually landed an Engineering Manager position at a well-known tech company. Watching them grow into an accomplished team leader has been immensely rewarding.
What are you getting out of being a mentor?
Mentoring has enriched my professional life in ways I never anticipated. First, it forces me to distill complex topics into understandable terms, sharpening my ability to communicate and teach. It also pushes me to stay on top of industry trends—my mentees often look to me for the latest insights on technologies or best practices, which keeps me continuously learning. Second, guiding individuals toward their goals has boosted my leadership skills. I’ve become more empathetic, learning to tailor advice to each person’s unique background and ambitions. Finally, there’s a deep sense of purpose in seeing others achieve milestones they once thought were out of reach. That sense of collective progress is motivating—both for my mentees’ careers and for my own ongoing development.