Why did you decide to become a mentor?
I've always loved learning new things and teaching them to others.
My mentoring journey started way back when we got our first computer, and I found myself teaching my family how to use it—even though I was just figuring it out myself!
That spirit of sharing knowledge has stuck with me, and now I try to pass on my experiences to help others grow in their own careers. I've faced a lot of challenges along the way, and it feels great to help others navigate their paths a little more smoothly.
How did you get your career start?
I landed my first freelance project around the same time I started university, and I kept freelancing for years. My first project was a Windows application built with WinForms and C#, which I developed with a friend.
To gain experience on bigger projects, I joined a software company working on web-based systems. That was back in the days when ASP.NET Web Forms ruled the world, and jQuery was the king. Frameworks like we have today? They didn't even exist!
Over the years, I've learned a lot—and even had to "unlearn" some things along the way. And honestly, that learning process never really stops.
What do mentees usually come to you for?
Mentees usually ask me for help with their career paths and how to advance in their jobs.
Some want to level up their technical skills, too. In our mentoring sessions, I like to get our hands dirty with some coding.
I'll often give them homework, recommend articles or books, and then we'll discuss them in our next session.
For each mentee, I try to tailor a unique path that fits their needs, and we plan our sessions together to make sure they're as effective as possible.
What's been your favourite mentorship success story so far?
One of my most rewarding mentorship experiences was with a recent university graduate who was fresh out of computer science school and ready to take on the tech world.
But like many new grads, she quickly realized that while she had aced her exams, she needed a bit more real-world experience to stand out in the competitive job market.
When she first reached out to me, she was feeling a bit like a fish out of water—eager but not quite sure which way to swim. So, we started by taking stock of her strengths and figuring out where she could use a boost.
It was clear she had the brains, but she needed to get her hands dirty with some real projects and modern development tools. We decided to roll up our sleeves and build a few small projects to showcase her skills.
Over the next few months, we tackled everything from setting up her development environment (because nothing says "I’m a developer" like getting Git to behave) to building RESTful APIs and even creating automated tests.
What really blew me away was her determination and eagerness to learn. No challenge was too big, no bug too small—she attacked everything with the enthusiasm of someone who just discovered the "dark mode" 😁 setting.
We also worked on her soft skills, helping her nail technical interviews and communicate her ideas without sounding like she was reciting a textbook.
Watching her transform from a fresh graduate to a confident, skilled developer was truly one of my favourite success stories. When she landed that first job, I couldn’t help but feel a little proud, knowing I had a hand in her journey. It’s moments like that which make mentoring so incredibly fulfilling.
What are you getting out of being a mentor?
The most important thing for me is the joy of teaching and watching others grow.
Beyond that, being a mentor has boosted my confidence in my own career. Explaining complex concepts to others reinforces my own knowledge and skills, reminding me of how much I’ve learned over the years.
This newfound confidence doesn’t just stay within mentoring; it spills over into my daily work, making me more assured in my decisions and approach to problem-solving.
Mentoring has also made me a better team player. The skills I’ve developed—like clear communication, patience, and empathy—have greatly improved my collaboration with my teammates. I’ve learned to simplify things more, which has made a big difference. Breaking down complex ideas into simpler concepts has helped my mentees and made me more effective in my own work.