Why did you decide to become a mentor?
Becoming a mentor can be a fulfilling and rewarding experience, both for the mentor and the mentee. There are several reasons why I decided to become a mentor.
First of all, mentoring allows me to share my knowledge and expertise with others, thereby helping them to grow and develop in their personal and professional lives. Mentoring also offers the opportunity to give back to one’s community or industry, and to make a positive impact on the lives of others.
Being a mentor can also help me develop my own leadership and communication skills, as I work to guide and support their mentee.
Mentoring also provides me a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, especially when I see their mentees achieve their goals and succeed in their endeavors.
Ultimately, becoming a mentor can be a meaningful way to connect with others, build relationships, and make a difference in the world.
How did you get your career start?
My career start more than 11 years ago. Since Day 1 I was always moved by “curiosity” and “learning from the best”.
When in 2016 I received an offer from Amazon to move to Dublin I was beyond excited but also scared in getting out of my comfort zone, leave my country and start a completely difference life. I chose the hard path and left behind all my certainties to build new ones.
Thanks to that move, I met brilliant people who mentored me and coached me. Working next to these people, being open and ready to listen their advice has been tremendously important for me.
Amazon has been the best PhD in Software Engineering and Leadership I could ever get.
That is why it is important, I believe, to get out of your comfort zone and seek for advice from expert people through mentorship.
What do mentees usually come to you for?
In the past, I’ve mentored a lot of people. One common factor they all shared is the lack in having a clear career path. Most of the times we focus on short term wins, we get worried by short term goals but we don’t really think on the big picture.
My advices have been usually quite successful in helping people with motivation, setting up the right direction and fix a clear set of goals (short-, mid- and long- term ones).
What’s been your favourite mentorship success story so far?
I have many stories to tell, but one that I really enjoy was related to a fellow colleague who had
software engineering visions contrasting with mine. Setting up a positive, constructive conversation path was therefore tough.
For that, I had to work hard in order to lead by example and prove with data when I felt I was right. In other words, I had to feel the gap in the lack of trust they had in me.
The story turned successful because of one episode occurring during an important design system review in which other senior engineers attended. My mentee was there and they were struggling in presenting their review. Not only I helped them in getting out from the difficult situation, but they also could verify that the other senior engineers were supporting my point of view.
In the end, when trust started building up, I was enabled in giving them my best advices and after one year this person got promoted.
As you can see, trust plays an important role between mentors and mentees.
What are you getting out of being a mentor?
As a mentor, there are several benefits that I gain from this experience. Firstly, mentoring can be a great way to develop my own skills and knowledge. Through working with mentees, I learn new things, gain new perspectives, and develop a deeper understanding of their field or industry.
Mentoring can also provide a sense of personal satisfaction and fulfillment. Seeing my mentees grow and develop over time can be incredibly rewarding, and knowing that I have played a role in their success can give you a sense of purpose and meaning.
Finally, being a mentor can be a way to give back to your community and make a positive impact in the world. By sharing my knowledge and expertise with others, I am helping to create a more skilled and capable workforce, and contributing to the success of the next generation of professionals.