Guide to Finding a Mentor

We all know it’s smart to think proactively about finding mentors because the right people in your corner can really accelerate your growth.

If you’re just looking for someone to give you advice occasionally, I don’t think you need to formally ask someone to be your mentor. The cool thing about this industry is, it’s seems really easy to find people willing to give you advice.

• Once someone agrees to meet up to give advice, try to get on the phone or do a video call (or meet in person if possible) because those touch-points will make people feel more invested in you.

• Reach out to people you don’t know that share your alma mater that work at a tech company. Often, they will be glad to get the message, and some will connect you directly.

However, we know that it can be awkward finding and asking a mentor for help. The following articles go into detail on how to do just that:

• The Secret to Asking for a Mentor Is Not Asking, Period

• Moneyish's The Rules: How to ask someone to be your mentor

• How to Ask Someone to Be Your Mentor

• 9 Tips To Land A Great Mentor: How To Ask A Stranger For Career Advice

One of the most impactful mentors is the one that’s in the company that you work at, and Nick Caldwell (former CTO of Reddit) has an interesting take on thinking about mentorship vs sponsorship:

Stop asking for mentors and start asking for sponsors