Speed mentoring and the power of Community - with Mia Gordon
Dec 11, 2023
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The podcast discusses speed mentoring and the power of community in career and life. Mia Gordon, a Full Stack Developer, shares her experience organizing speed mentoring events. They reflect on the impact of in-person networking, career development, and AI advancements. The conversation also touches on the benefits of podcasts and the value of community connections in tech events.
Speed mentoring offers brief, impactful sessions for tailored mentorship and career growth.
Community involvement and continuous learning enhance personal and professional development in tech industry.
Deep dives
Podcast Episode Overview
The podcast episode centers around a unique approach to mentoring known as speed mentoring, discussed by the guest Maya Gordon. The concept of speed mentoring involves brief, focused sessions between mentors and mentees where valuable advice and insights can be exchanged. Maya shares her experience of organizing a speed mentoring event and highlights its benefits for both mentors and mentees. The event, held at NTU with support from Claire Smith and Professor Beverly Cook, aimed to connect industry professionals with students, fostering valuable networking and learning opportunities.
Benefitting from Speed Mentoring
The speed mentoring sessions, each lasting 15 minutes, offered mentees the chance to engage with mentors in efficient, concentrated sessions. Mentees could select preferred mentors based on their specialization areas, leading to tailored interactions. The feedback from the event highlighted how mentees felt motivated, inspired, and excited by the conversations, spurring their career growth. The event's informal, yet structured approach allowed for both mentees and mentors to derive benefits from the interactions.
Challenges and Learning Points
Organizing the speed mentoring event presented challenges such as securing mentors and managing last-minute changes in attendance. Despite challenges, the event was well-received, emphasizing the importance of effective communication and adaptability in handling unforeseen circumstances. The feedback focused on the motivational impact of the sessions, indicating a desire for future events to further explore career development topics and foster industry connections.
Value of Community and Continuous Learning
The conversation delves into the power of community engagement and continuous learning in personal and professional growth. The shared experiences underscore the significance of networking, connecting with industry peers, and embracing diverse learning opportunities. Through podcasts and other resources, individuals can ignite their passion, gain insights, and enhance their skill sets, paving the way for holistic development. The discussion showcases the importance of stepping out of comfort zones, leveraging tools like podcasts for broadening knowledge, and engaging with diverse perspectives in the tech community.
In this episode, I was joined by Mia Gordon to chat about speed mentoring! I was recently invited to a speed mentoring event that she organised, and it was such a fun event and great idea and concept - that I invited her onto the show to chat about it! We also spoke about the power of community, and how big a difference it can make to your career and life.
Mia is a Full Stack Developer at Ministry of Justice Digital and Technology. She’s an ex event-manager, who then switched careers to software development. So she has tons of experience in organising events like these speed mentoring sessions!