4 Reasons Why You Need a Mentor

By Elliot Olson, Lead Web Strategist at Studio Anansi

When I first launched my tech career, I was scrappy, enthusiastic, and utterly lost at sea.

I was a fledgling web designer trying to start her own business, well before I knew about the PDXWIT community. As a one-woman show, I quickly discovered that technical knowledge alone wasn’t enough. 

A more experienced professional could have anticipated the many new challenges — marketing, client relations, project management, and even (gulp) networking. They’re all standard for many careers in tech.

But looking back on those first months, I wish I’d had someone to guide me through the early times.  I wish someone had pointed out what I overlooked, and saved me from reinventing wheels that already existed.

In other words? I wish I’d had a mentor.

Years later, I was thankful to gain a mentor through the PDXWIT Mentorship Program. Her guidance has already helped me focus and grow my career.

Here are 4 reasons why I love having a fellow woman in tech as a mentor — and why you may, too!

1. Having a mentor helps you define your professional goals.

Your mentor can be a valuable source of advice and guidance — but only if you know what you’re asking for in the first place. 

When I prepared for my first mentor meeting, I quickly realized that I needed to get my thoughts in order before I asked someone else for help. Sitting down to a blank piece of paper, I had to articulate my professional goals. 

At the time, my co-called goal (“Um… I’m thinking of offering more services? That are different? I guess?”) was both underwhelming and unproductive. If I had met with a mentor at that stage, I don’t think they would have been able to help me. I wasn’t even sure what I was looking for myself!

By taking time to clarify my goals and the reasons behind them, I was able to ask for practical guidance in our very first meeting. Plus, I was better prepared when my mentor asked for details about my goals. From day one, her questions have helped me get even clearer about where I want to be and how to get there. 

2. Mentors can offer fresh perspectives and spot gaps in your knowledge.

Mentors can provide new perspectives on challenges and decisions we face. With more years under her belt and a wider variety of experiences, your mentor can spot the gaps in your knowledge and ask questions that you may otherwise overlook.

You don’t know what you don’t know. I have learned the truth of that saying over and over again.  Unless you have already faced certain challenges or decisions in your field, it can be hard to know every angle to consider. 

When I recently mentioned wanting to connect with other local small businesses in the Portland area, my mentor pointed out several options that I hadn’t seen. Whereas I thought from the perspective of a solopreneur, she brought up the differences between working with small teams and large organizations. Her guidance was invaluable, and she even connected me with other professionals to fill in areas of knowledge that I lacked.

3. Mentors hold you accountable and can motivate you to take action.

In addition to new insights, mentors can provide motivation — especially when it’s time to take an uncomfortable action, such as demanding due credit for a team project or calling out discrimination at work.

If you are anything like me, you may find it easier to fulfil commitments when you know somebody is counting on you. Your mentor can provide that sense of responsibility.

Being accountable to another person is a well-known strategy for accomplishing goals. Trying to visit the gym more frequently? Schedule gym dates with a friend. Aiming to read one book per month? Start or join a book club.

As a solo small business owner, I used to feel accountable only to myself. If a new project felt too daunting, I could always find an excuse to work on something else instead. Now, just knowing that I have a mentor meeting scheduled motivates me to take steps I may otherwise avoid.

4. Mentorships connect you with others who share your experiences.

This last benefit of mentorship is especially applicable for tech woman seeking shared camaraderie and insights — for both mentors and mentees!

Being a woman in tech can be extremely frustrating. We still face frequent discrimination and barriers to entering tech and progressing our careers. Talking to other woman in this space is a reminder that we share experiences — and that we can all make a difference.

Take the case of Yasi Alemzadeh, who started mentoring during her undergrad studies in computer science: “I was one of very few women in the entire graduating class, but our new incoming dean happened to be a woman. She started a mentorship program to bring more women into the field, because it was a bit intimidating.

“After graduating and starting my career in tech, I was still one of only a few women. I had to fight early on for my titles and my moves up the ladder. I want to be able to share those stories and my experiences, in the small chance that I can make a difference for a woman in this space.”

Ready for your own mentor? Check out the PDXWIT Mentorship Program. 

Want to talk web design or female solopreneurship?
Get in touch with Elliot on LinkedIn or studioanansi.com.

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Editor’s note: Instances of the word “womxn” have been replaced with “woman.” Trans and non-binary women are women and this language, while intended to be inclusive, has the opposite impact. -11/11/2022

Elliot Olson is Lead Web Strategist (and still captaining her one-woman show) at Studio Anansi. She crafts unique, effective websites for mission-driven organizations and small businesses doing social good. Read more articles by her at studioanansi.com.