Mentoring
Mentoring is a professional development practice where an experienced individual (the mentor) provides guidance, support, and knowledge-sharing to a less experienced person (the mentee) to foster their growth in skills, career, or personal development. In a developer context, it involves transferring technical expertise, best practices, and industry insights to help mentees improve their coding abilities, problem-solving, and professional conduct. This process is often structured through regular meetings, code reviews, and goal-setting to ensure measurable progress.
Developers should engage in mentoring to accelerate learning, reduce knowledge silos, and build stronger teams, as it helps mentees overcome challenges faster and mentors refine their leadership and communication skills. It is particularly valuable in onboarding new hires, upskilling junior developers, and fostering a collaborative culture in tech companies, leading to higher retention and productivity. Mentoring also supports career advancement by developing soft skills like empathy and feedback delivery, which are crucial for senior and leadership roles.