Oh man, Olivia thinks.
I’ll never become a Senior Frontend Developer.
She wishes career growth came easily. But here she is—alone—trying to figure out how to move forward.
Olivia remembers something her successful manager once said:
Find a mentor. It’s the best way to grow your career.
Yeah, sure, Olivia thinks. She gets it.
But how is she supposed to find one?
In this post, I’ll show you:
Why mentorship is the ultimate career hack
How to find one
Common mistakes people make as mentees
📚 Download my FREE 101 React Tips And Tricks Book for a head start.
Why Mentorship Is the Ultimate Career Hack 🚀
Having a mentor is like having a cheat code for your career.
Here are 3 reasons why:
Reason #1: You can learn from their mistakes
It’s good to learn from your mistakes. It’s better to learn from other people’s mistakes. - Warren Buffet
Everyone makes mistakes—even senior developers. The key is learning from them.
A mentor can help you skip some painful lessons by sharing their experiences.
For example, early in my career, I focused too much on glue work instead of my deliverables. This backfired during performance reviews. Now, when I mentor others, I flag this early so they can avoid the same trap.
Reason #2: They validate your gut instincts
As a junior developer, it’s tough to know if your concerns are valid.
Is this process really broken, or am I overthinking it?
Should we be doing things differently?
It’s easy to second-guess yourself and stay quiet 🤐.
A mentor gives you clarity. You can share your thoughts, and they’ll help you figure out if you’re on the right track. They’ve been there, done that, and know what “good” looks like.
Reason #3: They create opportunities for you
A great mentor—especially one in a senior position—can open doors you didn’t even know existed.
Here’s the thing: your career is often decided in rooms you’re not in. Having a mentor to advocate for you in those moments can be the difference between getting promoted and staying stuck.
Now that you know why mentorship is so valuable, let’s talk about how to find a mentor.
How to Find a Mentor
Here are four practical ways to connect with a mentor:
1. Check for mentorship programs at work
If your company has a mentorship program, start there.
At Palantir, for example, we have:
Assigned mentors for new hires
Group mentorship programs (e.g., for women in tech)
These programs are a goldmine because mentors sign up specifically to help.
If your company doesn’t have one, consider pitching the idea yourself 💪.
2. Ask your manager
Your manager is already invested in your success. Here’s why they’re a great option:
They have more experience than you.
They understand what success looks like in your role.
They have the biggest influence on your career.
Don’t hesitate to ask about their background or what steps you can take to grow.
3. Approach more senior colleagues
Any more senior developer on your team can be a mentor.
In my experience, most devs are happy to share advice or suggest ways to improve 🤗.
Here’s how to approach them:
Set up monthly check-ins.
Ask about their career path.
Seek feedback on your work.
Offer to help them (e.g., by taking on less exciting tasks or reviewing PRs).
4. Look for external mentors
If you can’t find a mentor at work, expand your search online:
Free options 🆓
Use platforms like the ones on this list.
Post on dev subreddits or communities.
Share your work on social media (X, Bluesky, etc.). The more visible you are, the more likely someone will offer to mentor you.
Paid options 💰
If you can invest in mentorship, try platforms like:
Mistakes to Avoid as a Mentee
Mentorship isn’t just about finding someone to help you—it’s about building a strong, mutually beneficial relationship.
Here are 3 common pitfalls to avoid:
Mistake #1: Asking someone to “be your mentor” out of the blue
Would you walk up to a stranger and ask them to be your friend? Probably not.
Similarly, don’t approach a busy professional and expect them to commit to mentoring you without context.
Instead, focus on building a connection first. Show them why mentoring you is worth their time.
Personally, these are the criteria I use to decide if I want to mentor someone:
I can clearly help them based on my past experiences.
They are proactive and genuinely care about their growth.
They don’t need me to be a motivational speaker—I want to guide someone already motivated 😅.
Every mentor has their own criteria, so demonstrate your willingness to learn and take initiative to make a strong case for yourself.
Mistake #2: Being passive
Don’t sit back and wait for your mentor to hand you opportunities. Be proactive:
Share your goals.
Ask for advice.
Take initiative on projects.
Your mentor can guide you, but your growth is ultimately your responsibility.
Mistake #3: Treating it as one-sided ✋
Mentorship is a two-way street. Just as mentors help you, find ways to add value for them:
Share interesting insights or updates about your work.
Help with small tasks when possible.
Give positive feedback to their manager about how helpful they’ve been.
Summary
There are two paths to career growth:
The hard path: learning everything the hard way, advocating for yourself constantly, and making all the mistakes.
The “easy” path: learning from a mentor who’s been there and can guide you.
Mentorship is the ultimate career hack. It gives you a competitive advantage while making your journey smoother.
So, take the leap:
Find a mentor.
Build a strong, mutually beneficial relationship.
And watch your career take off. ❤️
💡FOOD FOR THOUGHT
🎁 FREE RESOURCE
That's a wrap 🎉.
Leave a comment 📩 to share your mentorship experience.
And don't forget to drop a "💖🦄🔥".
If you're learning React, download my 101 React Tips & Tricks book for FREE.
If you like articles like this, join my FREE newsletter, FrontendJoy.
Top comments (0)