Dominique Carlo

If you follow our blogs you’ll know we’ve been getting to know members of the Meet a Mentor community through our series of Spotlight interviews. Whilst it’s fantastic to hear how much our group does for the mentees, we want to take things a step further, and understand, from the perspective of a mentor, what makes a great mentee? How can our mentees make the most of this opportunity? Is there a magic formula? Or are there some broad some hints and tips we can share?

With all this in mind we caught up with one of our long-standing mentors, Liliana Ziolek. Liliana is a software engineer with over 10 years’ Java experience, primarily in the big data space. She’s spent most of her career in financial institutions, and at the moment is just about to embark on the next step of her journey – becoming a CTO of a company she’s co-founding.

– What attracted you to become a mentor?

The idea of giving back to community. During my career I’ve come across people who helped me, even if it wasn’t any kind of formal mentor-mentee relationship. I try to pay this forward.

– What has been your proudest moment to date as a mentor?

When my mentee got accepted to talk at a conference (although I wasn’t directly involved in this). I even joked that we should swap places, with me becoming the mentee now, as I’ve not spoken at a conference yet!

– Broadly, in your experience, what makes a great mentee?

For me, it’s clarity at the very beginning of the relationship around what they’re hoping to get from me in practical terms; for example, would they like to meet, or chat online, or on Skype. Is it a one-off conversation, or something they’d like to work on with me for longer period? If it’s a longer time, how frequently do they think they’ll need me. Is it on ad-hoc basis, or would they like to have a scheduled time? Do they have any specific goal in mind? Are they looking for information or advice?

I think people may sometimes feel that expressing their needs may sound demanding – but for me personally, I would love to hear it explicitly. Without it, after I talk to someone and they thank me, I am never quite sure if they got all they wanted, or are they disappointed? Are they hoping for more but don’t feel comfortable asking? So overall, I’d say get comfortable asking for time from the mentor and be clear what about what you’d like – remembering that after all, the mentor can always say no if you ask for too much!

Several of my mentees have been rather short-lived. They seemed to be looking for an answer on one topic (e.g. know a bit more about contracting; salary negotiation and career progression; or tips about getting more technical). It might be a coincidence, but the longer lasting mentor relationships I had were with mentees that I met in person. I’m not sure if that’s a result of a F2F meeting, or if the F2F meeting was a sign that these mentees were more dedicated or, more aware of what they wanted.

I’m a big believer in direct communication, so phone (or Skype or something similar) seems to work well, but I also really enjoy meeting my mentees in person. I’ll usually chat a little on the slack channel, but once I see myself typing a lot, I’ll suggest some form of call

– Is there an issue with the shorter-lived mentees around a lack of prep? Or perhaps understanding who is responsible for driving the relationship?

My gut feeling is that it’s not necessarily lack of prep – I suspect it has more to do with personality, and not wanting to impose, trying to take as little time as possible, and not feeling comfortable asking.

Or maybe, sometimes people just have a fairly specific question they want to get an opinion on, and don’t really have a proper mentor relationship in mind?

– What would you say to someone who is unsure about signing up to be mentored?

It depends why they are unsure. It may sound controversial, but I actually don’t think that everybody has to have a mentor at every stage of their career; if someone is unsure because they don’t feel like they need it at the moment but feel that “everybody else is doing it so I should too”, I wouldn’t try to convince them. Maybe it’s just not the right time.

On the other hand, if they are unsure because they are shy, because they don’t want to “waste somebody’s time”, or whatever other reasons there are – but they do feel they need help, they absolutely should sign up. Being a mentor, especially in a programme like MaM and not at work place, is a completely optional activity – if someone signs up as a mentor it’s because they want to help.

– What are the essential skills to build a successful career in your industry and how does being mentored help you to build these?

I think one of the most important things is to never stop learning. Not just technology and frameworks- but also from broader perspective, different skills become useful at different stages of you career. For me MaM allows you to work on and learn some of the “softer” skills.

– What are your top tips for your mentees?

My mentees are primarily ladies, and some of common themes that come up would be:

* be bold, ask for what you want; whether it’s a promotion, a pay rise, a move to another project, attending a conference – even if it feels uncomfortable. Remember, if you don’t ask you almost certainly won’t get it (people are not great with reading minds…), and the worst thing that can happen if you ask is that someone may say “no, sorry”.

* be mindful of what you want to do – not what you’re being pushed to do. I’ve seen many female developers pushed into management and less technical roles. There is nothing wrong with these roles if that’s what someone wants – but that’s not always the case. If you want to stay hands-on technical, push back when you feel you’re being carried away from it.

* if you feel that your job/role isn’t suitable for you anymore, whatever the reason might be, don’t let your feelings get in the way of doing what’s good for you and your career. You may feel guilty about resigning, especially if you have good relationship with your team or manager, but you shouldn’t. Be respectful, be honest, be helpful and do your best whilst there – but ultimately, if you see a better opportunity, go for it!

If you’d like to get involved with the programme, and find yourself a great experienced mentor like Liliana, please visit our website @ meetamentor.co.uk

In our latest catch up with members of the MaM community, we spoke to Miguel Rodriguez who is both a mentee and a mentor. We discussed Miguel’s career journey, his experience to date with MaM and his advice for those new to programming. 

Miguel is passionate about technology and is a lifelong programmer. Starting out at the age of 13, his early interest in technology led him initially into a career in Artificial Intelligence and Web Development, and later into Fintech.

Miguel first met his own mentor about 18 months ago; he was already a member of the London Java Community but was keen to get involved in the MaM group to see if his career could benefit.

So far, Miguel has gained both long and short-term benefits from the community.  Long term, the group has opened his eyes to different career paths and in the immediate, Miguel’s mentor has supported him through his current challenges; in particular, how he can improve as a leader and how to develop his speaking career.

Thanks to his own positive experience, Miguel has now moved on to become a mentor. By taking this step, Miguel is now able to pass on the advice and encouragement that he’s received to his own mentees.

‘If my experience helps others, as other’s experiences are helping me – then I’m more than happy to provide a helping hand. It is actually a pleasure.’

We moved on to discuss the challenges facing new entrants to programming in today’s market. What stands out particularly as an issue is the constant and fast-paced evolution of technology. Frameworks rise and fall in the same breath, so keeping up can be a challenge.

‘Passion is the key to keep recycling your skills, especially for technical roles, but also for management.’

Another stand out challenge is the age-old dilemma – ‘No experience, No job. No job, No experience.’ But, there are ways around this for people looking to get into programming, and Miguel gave us some great advice;

‘Getting involved in open source, or a freelance project can give useful insights and valuable experience in the sector, since you will face similar challenges in the commercial environment. On the other hand, and as somebody involved in the recruitment process, professionals with side projects are more attractive because they show passion and initiative. Being pro-active and passionate are two things I value a lot in a professional. Sometimes, even more than experience, because technologies can be taught, but attitude is harder to encourage.’

If you like what you’ve read today, and you’d like to sign up to meet a knowledgeable and experienced mentor such as Miguel, whatever stage of your career you’re currently at, just visit the website at www.meetamentor.co.uk.

Ps. It’s all free!

In the next of our series of Spotlight blogs, I caught up with Iacopo Catalano, a Physics student from Italy, and a current Mentee on the Meet a Mentor programme.

Physics I hear you ask? I thought the programme was to support Java Developers? Well, if you’ve our previous articles http://meetamentor.co.uk/mentee-to-mentor-building-a-new-it-career-with-recworks-meet-a-mentor-programme you’ll know that the Meet a Mentor programme is designed to help everyone; and here’s a great example. Iacopo became involved in the programme when he was considering a career change from Physics to Data Science.

‘I was doing some research about career possibilities after my Bachelor’s degree, and I discovered Data science. I’d already taken a Programming class at my University and I decided to go ahead and study Python.’

Despite having a primary interest in Python rather than Java, Iacopo was linked up with 3 Mentors, who were all eager to help, and to give him invaluable advice about where to go next on his career journey.

‘My “main mentor” focused on helping me to learn Python… Another mentor gave me some career advice, around how to prepare for an interview, and how to go about switching fields from Physics to Computer Science. The third mentor gave me suggestions on other things I can start getting familiar with, if I want to start working as a Software Engineer. They are all really helpful and it was great to get some insights from people that are much more experienced than me.’

Feeling that he’s already gained so much from the programme, Iacopo is really keen for more people to get involved.

‘I only hope they’ll keep getting more Mentees because what they do is amazing.’

We’d love you to get involved with the programme. Here are a few things we’d like you to know about it:
– It’s free
– It really is for everyone. From aspiring Java/JVM software developers to CTO’s
– We’ll match you with a Mentor, or Mentors, based on what you need; and if we don’t have someone already signed up who is a great match, we’ll reach out across our network
– It’s really easy to get involved. You can sign up here: http://meetamentor.co.uk

This week I caught up with another of our Meet a Mentor Mentees, Chris Sewell. We discussed Chris’ experiences as a new Mentee, his advice for aspiring Java Developers and his hopes for the industry as a whole.

After graduating from the University of the West of England, Chris worked across several technologies ranging from mobile apps to enterprise applications. He’s now a Software Developer and Co- Founder at BigAvocado, a Technology Consulting start-up where he helps other start-ups use technology to grow.

• What was your first impression of the Meet a Mentor programme?

It was great, everyone was really friendly. The introduction process has been well thought out and it attracts some brilliant professionals.

• How well did the team match you to a Mentor or Mentors that meet your needs?

I think they’ve done a really good job; they’ve really understood what I’m looking for and helped me to narrow down my options.

• Can you tell me specifically how the programme has helped you so far?

It’s already connected me with a fantastic CTO mentor who has shown me how varied the role of CTO can be under different circumstances. He’s helped me understand what options and different paths I could take with my career. To pace myself and a few things to avoid. I’m really interested to see where his business goes and what great things come out of it. Potentially it’s something that my own company could become in the future, so being able to see his journey and learn from it is a huge gain.

• What do you wish other people knew about the Meet a Mentor Programme?

How rich the pool of members is and also, how motivated and organised RecWorks are at ensuring people can get value from the group. For me this really sets the group apart from others, the connections I’ve made given how little time I’ve really had to put in is amazing.

• What’s been your proudest moment to date as a mentee?

I think it’s being told to keep doing what I’m doing and receiving encouragement from people with much richer experiences than me.

• Is there an error you’ve made in your career to date that you’d be willing to share?

I’ve made plenty of mistakes, no one thing springs to mind. It’s a bit cliché, but I think the important thing is that you grow from it and try not to let it happen again. Careers are long, often I think you have a lot more margin for error/pivoting than it seems. A few people I’ve met from the Meet a Mentor group have bravely come into Software Development as a career change from something else which shows how it’s possible to change and grow at all stages in life.

• What are your top tips for people looking to get into Java Development as a career?

Java is a popular language but there are many others too. I would say try and learn as much as you can of other languages, it will make you a better Java programmer.

• What are your hopes for your industry?

I really value education; I’d like to see more tools and initiatives in this area. I think things like CodeClub, STEM ambassadors and Amal Africa are great for this. I’d love to see more individuals get involved in teaching technology.

And finally, just for fun…

• Which 3 words best describe you?

Outgoing, independent and a bit geeky.

• Do you have a favourite quotation?

This is a difficult one! Probably… “You only get out of life what you put in”.

Chris has enjoyed his experience as a Mentee so much, he’s now signed up to be a Mentor. If you’d like to get involved in the programme and get the support of Chris, or one of our other amazing Mentors, it’s really easy – you can sign up here http://meetamentor.co.uk

As we continue on our journey to get to know our Meet a Mentor participants, I quizzed Andrei Bogomja to get his view on all things MAM.

Having worked for many years in the media in Latvia, Andrei moved to the UK to study Publishing, and graduated with a BA degree. However, in his spare time, Andrei’s favourite hobby has always been Computing. Due to this Andrei became engaged in the vibrant London IT community. When it came to graduation, and considering his future career options, Andrei made the decision to turn his hobby into his career and began a BSc in Computing at the University of London.

Andrei became aware of Meet a Mentor via an email circulating around the London Java Community and immediately applied; his primary motivation was to improve his software skills alongside his degree studies. Following Andrei’s application to join, the MAM team got straight on the case and matched him up with not one, but a selection, of great Mentors to give him the guidance he needed.

‘My first area for review with my Mentors was to explore specifically which programming skills, languages and practices I needed to develop in order to get a great job after graduation. Alongside learning Java, I was advised to learn JavaScript and CD/CI. In fact, the advice I received was so comprehensive it took me a whole year to work through it all! They’ve helped me so much by showing me the areas I need to develop.’

As well as steering Andrei in the right direction, his Mentors have helped him to avoid any major errors. In particular by providing him with guidance on Test-Driven Development and functional Java.

Finally, in the spirit of Meet a Mentor, and in the interests of spreading the love, I asked Andrei for his words of wisdom for anyone else looking to build a career in Java Development.

‘Start your own software project, large or small. Try to make it production-ready as much as you can. Learn best practices, join the London Java Community, and get the advice of a Mentor.’

In case you’ve not read our other Spotlight interviews, here are a few things we’d love you to know about Meet a Mentor:
– It’s free
– It really is for everyone. From aspiring Java/JVM software developers to CTO’s
– We’ll match you with a Mentor, or Mentors, based on what you need; and if we don’t have someone already signed up who is a great match, we’ll reach out across our network
– It’s really easy to get involved. You can sign up here. http://meetamentor.co.uk

Marcin Kruglik is a Software Developer with Push Technology in London; he won’t mind me telling you this, but he’s 37, and this is his first IT job.  

Having started out on another career path, Marcin wanted to make a change, building a career in an industry that he feels a real passion for – so four years ago he went back to University to re-train in IT. Within five days of completing his last exam, he’d landed his first job. He told me all about his experience, and how this has helped him to achieve his career success to date.

At the outset of his degree, Marcin became involved in the London Java Community (LJC) and was introduced to RecWorks’ Meet A Mentor Programme; thanks to finding the Meet A Mentor programme at the start of his student life, Marcin has been able to use the expertise of its Mentors to really shape his career. He goes as far as to credit his involvement in the community as one of the deciding factors for the hiring manager when he was offered his first role.

As well as being able to use the programme as a tool for learning from the successes and experiences of others, Marcin’s Mentors have also been on hand to give him great pastoral advice, helping him to manage the stress of his first software development role.

“About 3 months after I started my current role, just before the end of my probation period, I became very stressed about whether I was doing a good enough job. I asked my Mentors for advice; I wanted to know how they cope with the pressure of their roles. They told me to ask for feedback from my supervisor. In my previous jobs, I’d really felt that no-one cared about me as an employee, so this approach was new to me, and I felt very unsure about it. But after a few chats with my Mentors, they convinced me to give it a go. I received great feedback and my stress disappeared.”

Although Marcin was fortunate enough to find the programme at the outset of his career, it really is for everyone, no matter what point you’re at, from graduate through to CTO.

“Meet a Mentor is a great source of knowledge and an inspiration which has helped me to make better decisions about my career; it’s open to anyone, irrespective of your background, culture or experience. It’s a place for anyone who is eager to learn; it’s a great initiative, which came from people who love to help others succeed.”

Marcin feels he’s gained so much from the programme, he’s now a Mentor himself; as well as this being a fantastic opportunity for him to give something back, he’s also taken a lot from being a Mentor. “It gives me a different perspective on problems. I think it’s a great exercise for anyone who wants to better understand other humans and be a good leader.”

The Meet a Mentor programme has evolved a great deal since its creation 4 years ago. When Marcin first became involved, it was run as a series of cyclical events; now, when you sign up to be mentored, you have the opportunity to select the kind of Mentor you’re looking for, and RecWorks will match you with the best person, or people, for you.

Finally, what are Marcin’s summary words of advice for people thinking about signing up to be mentored?

“Mentors want to help you to become a better professional. We want you to succeed and we’re here to help you when you need us. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, be curious, challenge us. This benefits us, as well as helping you, so don’t feel guilty asking for help.”

If you’d like to get involved with the programme (and we’d really love you to) please visit our website:
http://meetamentor.co.uk