I feel like the same kind of things I've seen in great managers also apply to great mentors.
Is at least one step ahead of me technically - I've had mentors that aren't technical experts in our field but as long as they are one step ahead of me I'm going to be able to learn from their process.
Genuinely is interested in where I'm at - Isn't using it to push their own agenda or is being forced to do it.
Has the time - Getting cancelled on a few days before a scheduled coffee meetup because work just gets in the way is disheartening.
Clicks with me - So much of the relationship is based on some kind of spark.
Been using UNIX since the late 80s; Linux since the mid-90s; virtualization since the early 2000s and spent the past few years working in the cloud space.
Location
Alexandria, VA, USA
Education
B.S. Psychology from Pennsylvania State University
* Has the time - Getting cancelled on a few days before a scheduled coffee meetup because work just gets in the way is disheartening
And sub in, "is available: being able to send an email/SMS/Slack message and know that I'm going to get some sort of reply is a great stress-reliever". Just knowing someone's out there that I can rely on has been a great way to keep me off the panic-ledge.
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I feel like the same kind of things I've seen in great managers also apply to great mentors.
Is at least one step ahead of me technically - I've had mentors that aren't technical experts in our field but as long as they are one step ahead of me I'm going to be able to learn from their process.
Genuinely is interested in where I'm at - Isn't using it to push their own agenda or is being forced to do it.
Has the time - Getting cancelled on a few days before a scheduled coffee meetup because work just gets in the way is disheartening.
Clicks with me - So much of the relationship is based on some kind of spark.
I'd take
And sub in, "is available: being able to send an email/SMS/Slack message and know that I'm going to get some sort of reply is a great stress-reliever". Just knowing someone's out there that I can rely on has been a great way to keep me off the panic-ledge.