Getting the most from a mentor

• Posted by Brian
• Posted on July 2nd, 2007
• View Comments

If you are like the vast majority of programmers or Web developers, then the skills you obtained are largely self-taught — the results of hard work, persistence, and the constant pity of mentors more talented than yourself. They might be bosses, they might be peers, they might be friends, but whoever they are, they are there often to bail you out. Although you may not have consciously considered how this professional relationship evolved successfully over time, you are thankful it did.

For those of you who have not yet had the privilege to undergo the transformation brought on by the guiding hand of a mentor, or for those of you who have trouble maintaining a mentor relationship, then this guide should come in handy. For the intellectual, well-studied, experienced mentors who take the time to read this post, feel free to dispense any further wisdom in the comments, or if you are so bold, to pass this on to the mentored who may be taking advantage of your sacred trust.

Start by asking the obvious

Do you have the time? Would you mind me asking a few questions about [insert techno-babble here]? You do not need a formal contract, or to put in a request to management for an appointed mentor. However, you do need some common courtesy. The mentoring relationship begins with the understanding that knowledge will be shared, and that it will be shared at a time most convenient for the mentor. Also, take note that not everyone will want to mentor. You may need to ask several people a series of questions before you are comfortable approaching them on a consistent basis.

Be humbled by criticism

There should be a willingness to accept criticism from a mentor, and they should be comfortable suggesting you take alternative approaches to your assignments. Call me sadistic, but I seriously love a good critique of my coding style and programming practices. For a short while it does feel awful to know I have been injecting heinous code into an application. Yet, that feeling eventual subsides, and I am grateful to be back on the right track. This willingness to change demonstrates the capacity to learn and grow from mistakes — an absolute necessity in this field.

Seek an explanation, not an answer

Do you remember the jerk in your CIS101 class who never paid attention, and then come exam time, was shoving his paper in your face for the answers? In the working world, you do not want to be that person. If all you are constantly after is a code snippet to save you from your own incompetence, then a mentor will see through you from day one. Programmers appreciate other programmers who want an explanation, not just an answer. They will be more willing to assist when they know you have done due diligence, and that you show an honest interest in practical concepts and problem solving.

Free up your schedule

You will find yourself in a precarious situation, when you choose to ask the most difficult questions a week before your project goes into quality assurance. Have the foresight to spot areas where you will need some assistance, and then ask a mentor when the time is right for them to begin tutoring. It could mean mornings before work, giving up your lunch hour, using e-mail in off-hours, or even taking suggestions for a good book to read in your leisure. Regardless, you should free up your schedule to suit the needs of a mentor, even if it means sacrificing your nightly WoW clan gathering.

Get to know them

Even if you strike fear into the hearts of children with your foreboding personality, you should still be personable with a mentor. Ask how they got into the field, or what they studied in college, or how they have adapted to changes in programming languages over the years. Ask about pictures on their desk, or what they do after work to relax. There is an unjustified stereotype of most developers that says we are a bunch of cantankerous Neanderthals, who want little to do with human interaction. This is not true ninety-eight percent of the time. Face-to-face dialog offers a welcome break from the blank stare of the blinking cursor.

If you have nothing to offer, then offer lunch

If you have nothing to offer in return for the wisdom imparted to you, then a simple gesture like offering to pay for lunch every so often will be well received. The last mentor I had actually bought me lunch. I gave him a few JavaScript and CSS morsels, and he gave me a buffet of Java. After all was said and done, I should have been treating him to lobster. This is not typical by any stretch of the imagination. Also, decide what constitutes the necessary knowledge transfer on any project, compared to an extra helping of programming goodness. Throwing around free lunches should not be a frequent gesture for any act of kindness.

Tags: mentor, programmer, programming