Why Mentorship is Important for Higher Goal?
Everyone has the potential to make an impression in the IT industry and achieve greatness. The pioneers of innovative frontiers began as entry-level IT professionals, and like every newcomer, they had guidance. Mentorship involves a constructive influence, providing assistance, career counseling, and being a source of inspiration to newbies in your area of expertise. The tech industry is broad, and with various jobs available, making a solid decision is easier said than done. In addition, in specific niches, for example, a junior developer may be stuck at debugging their codes. A data scientist seeking to switch roles may need career coaching from senior software developers on new languages to learn.
Mentorship is long-term and a key area in tech. Having a mentor is key to career development, and it makes achieving your goals easier.
The need for mentorship for IT professionals
You might have gotten all the certifications necessary to thrive in your chosen field, and you work hard to gain proficiency. Still, you are in a clog wheel, and your efforts are not cutting it. While your education and expertise are the base level of your career, sometimes they are not just enough. Moreover, it would help if you had that insight from someone who has been down the path you desire. Choose established mentors in the area you aspire to break into. There are varied reasons you would require the help of a mentor, including:
Making career choices and defining goals
A mentorship relationship can assist you in pursuing a career in technology, as mentors can provide diverse viewpoints on career paths. If you are considering a career shift, a mentor can help you determine what training or skills you would need. This career coaching program allows you to ask tough questions from experts. Also, you get a much closer and personalized access to their experiences and wealth of wisdom.
A mentor can highlight milestones you need to set and the goals to achieve. It can be step-by-step guidance on completing a course or the path to becoming a full-stack developer. You may consider being a product manager after being a developer. But then, would that be a good career decision? A mentor who is an expert in product management would explain the life of a product manager to you and the skills to excel in it.
Technology is fast-paced
The tech world remains a complex field that is difficult to thrive in, so most IT professionals pick a niche and specialize in it. Professionals in the IT field like Web Developers, UX Designer, Software Developer, Backend Developer, Full-stack developers (including both Web and Backend and Database), Data Scientist, Cloud Engineer, DevOps, System Analyst, Network Engineer, IT Security Specialist, etc. are experiencing an exploding industry.
Technology is advancing at a breakneck pace, requiring key changes and role shifting. Examples like AngularJS updating to Angular v2 and React sweeping through the web dev community after its launch. These show that keeping up with trends is a daunting challenge. The need to stay updated or get phased out is without prejudice to various aspects of the tech industry. The tech space is frequently updating with new practices. Having mentors walk you through the relevant training and skills is key to making a good career in IT. In addition, they can also predict where problems will likely arise and show you how to deal with them.
Mentorship offers accountability
Mentors can hold you responsible for your goals and push you to achieve your current objectives and attain higher goals. In data analysis, for instance, the starting point is Microsoft Excel. However, Microsoft Power BI offers extended possibilities over Excel. Mentors offer personalized attention, which involves monitoring your progress and requiring you to give reports on your career progress. A survey involving educators reported that 95% of them noted their students benefitted from mentoring. Also, about 83% said it helped their students learn skills that contributed to their success.
Mentors are your strongest networks
At certain points in your tech career, you may become stranded, stuck in a position and seeking to get into a bigger role. It is all right to run into a few problems and this is where a mentor comes in. They would act as network extensions, bringing together people who may never have met before. In addition they can help open doors for new opportunities. Importantly, a mentor is a career builder, taking you from entry level roles to being a senior IT professional. Besides, based on their relationship with you, they can recommend you for roles in bigger organizations since they are confident of your strengths and expertise.
Choosing a mentor
The choice of a mentor can be a career-defining point for you. Choose a mentor who is an expert in the field you want to break into and also develop a good chemistry. Be willing to accept constructive criticisms from your mentor and be flexible to change. The right mentor is a lifelong asset, and the wrong one is a waste of time for both parties.
Overall, mentors are a priceless resource for you while you pursue a career in tech. Indeed, they assist you in determining the ideal fit for your skills and to meet your goals and objectives. Enroll in our Elite Careers’ Professional Success Program. Our executive coaching services is a personalized career mentorship program that takes you from the entry level to the zenith of your career. Let us hear from you.
