The Power of Mentorship: How Guiding Others Boosts Your Engineering Career

Hi! Mentorship is one they key expectation from mid-level and senior engineers. I would like to share my experience of being a mentor for the first time. I truly believe every engineer should become a mentor to their less experienced colleagues. It can shift your perspective, help you grow, and give you a deeper understanding of your work. Below are several reasons why mentorship can boost your career. You will find there are 7 bullets why it could boost your engineering career, along with some tips on the process.

One day after the Christmas holidays, I saw an email from my lead offering me the opportunity to mentor an intern in our team. This seemed exciting, but at the same time, it brought a lot of uncertainty. I had never mentored an intern before. I felt nervous and didn't know what to expect. I was also unsure of my abilities, because I had had a difficult experience with a junior developer in our team before. They were unmotivated and irresponsible. After a three-month probation period, they were under-performing. My lead and I discussed this and decided to give them another chance, but after five months of wasted time, they were let go

I thought about this new opportunity for the whole evening and decided to give it another try. The next day, I said, "Yes, I accept, and I would like to try being a mentor."

Shortly after, my lead introduced us, and we got started. In this first week, I held 30-minute meetings every day. But soon, we ran out of things to discuss, so in the second week, I reduced the meetings to twice a week, with additional ones as needed. My intern was very smart, sp by the third week, switched to a weekly 1:1. They worked at a great pace and learned quickly. By the end of the second month, they had exceeded expectations. These four months flew by, and when I wrote their final feedback, I couldn't believe how successful they had been. They were offered a permanent contract as a junior engineer, and I couldn't have been happier for them-or more excited about my first successful experience as a mentor.

I reflected a lot on this experience and came to several conclusions, which I'd like to share with you.

1 Deepens technical knowledge

Teaching someone else forces you to understand some concepts clearly and identify gaps in your own understanding. It reinforces your expertise and proficiency in technologies and tools you are using. It's similar to the Feynman technique for understanding:if you can explain a topic clearly to others, you truly understand it.

2 Boost problem-solving ability

When your intern asks for help with debugging, you have two options: solve it yourself quickly or take the time to teach them. Mentorship helps you develop soft skills like coaching, giving feedback, and leading by example, which are critical for senior positions.

3 Enhances understanding of company processes

Intern often ask fundamental questions about processes and workflows, pushing mentors to think critically about why things are done a certain way, potentially leading to process improvements.

4 Improves team collaboration

Mentoring could develop a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration, helping to build stronger teams and making work environment more open and supportive.

5 Improves leadership and communications skills

Guiding someone through technical problems can expose you to fresh perspectives and encourage

6 Career advancement

Demonstrating mentorship skills is often seen as sign of leadership potential. It is a key factor when considering promotions to senior or lead roles. It is easy and safety opportunity to manage a "team" with one person.

7 Gives a sense of accomplishment

Helping someone grow in their career can be deeply rewarding, especially when you see them succeed.

Although I was nervous at first, mentoring turned out to be an incredibly fulfilling experience. Not only did I see my intern succeed, but I also noticed growth in myself. My technical knowledge deepened, my problem-solving abilities sharpened, and I became more confident in leading others. Mentorship gave me the chance to develop soft skills like communications and leadership, which are essential for a senior roles.

If you ever get the chance to mentor someone, I highly recommended it. It may seem daunting at first, but the rewards far outweigh the challenges. Not only will help you someone else succeed, but you'll also find yourself learning and growing in the process. Mentorship isn't just about giving back; it's also about becoming a better engineer - and a better leader.

Have you ever been a mentor for someone? Do you agree with me or not? Feel free to tell your story.