Chapter Twenty Two: Mentors and Mentees

Overview

The mentor and the mentee complement each other: The mentor has the power, the access, and the ideas, and the mentee has the technical ability to turn the mentor s ideas into reality.

Having a mentor in your chosen profession is almost as good as being-born rich.

If you don t happen to be wellborn, having a mentor is the next best thing. He (or she) will give you the precious gift of encouragement; will clue you in on how to get ahead politically at your company; and will bring your name up at meetings as someone who s ready to tackle a major project. He or she has the power to make things happen. And so it behooves every programmer to search for and cultivate mentors who have power and connections, and who will favor him or her with a hand up. Mentors make the difference for a mid-career professional. Often, your one big break is the direct result of their actions.