Applying Different Forms of Mentorship
This article is crossposted from IEEE Spectrum ’s careers newsletter. Sign up now to get insider tips, expert advice, and practical strategies, written i n partnership with tech career development company Parsity and delivered to your inbox for free! Asking someone to be your mentor is weird. Walking up to someone and asking, “Will you be my mentor?” has always seemed to me like the adult version…
Mentorship can be approached in various ways beyond the traditional, formal approach of asking someone to be your mentor. This article explores unconventional methods of learning from others in the tech industry.
One approach is the "Copy-Paste Method," which involves observing and directly applying the ideas of respected engineers to your work. This could include reading their books or blogs and implementing their successful strategies. The author also emphasizes the importance of shadowing talented engineers and emulating their problem-solving approaches, reading habits, meeting communication styles, and unique knowledge.
Another key aspect is curiosity. By asking questions, engineers can gain valuable insights into difficult conversations and problem-solving techniques. A simple question like "What are you reading right now?" or "What’s something you think I could do better?" can yield practical information. The author stresses that this method doesn't require formal mentorship, but rather a collection of knowledgeable individuals who can share their expertise.
The article concludes by inviting readers to submit career-related questions for potential future articles. By doing so, readers can benefit from mentorship without the formal commitment of asking "Will you be my mentor?"
Written by urgent.news from IEEE Spectrum's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
