Coding is a lifelong journey. As exciting as the journey might be, sometimes the challenges can be a tough nut to crack. Without timely and accurate help, your learning, project, and career progress can be seriously hindered.
There are many ways you can overcome the challenges. One of the best ways is to work with developers with extensive technical experience, knowledge, and a knack for teaching. In this article, we’ll look at common scenarios you might encounter in your coding journey, and how working with a mentor might be the difference you’re looking for. Users also shared how their
Codementor is a platform where you can connect with over 10,000 vetted mentors for 1:1 mentorship, pair programming, code review, and freelance jobs.
- Understanding the basics 🤔
- Learning with long-term mentorship 📚
- Troubleshooting 😵💫
- Needing code review for project 📋
- Need help completing a half-finished project ⚙️
- Looking for portfolio review or resume feedback 🪜
- Switching careers 🔀
- Learning new skills to strengthen your career 🎉
- Becoming the senior dev you can be 👑
Understanding the basics 🤔
Scenario: I recently started learning JavaScript through online tutorials and Udemy courses, and just finished the section on strings. I’ve gone through several tutorials but still don’t have a firm grasp on the concept. I need someone to clearly explain and help me understand JavaScript strings and how to use them.
Having a firm understanding of fundamental concepts is critical to your learning journey. But the beginning parts of your journey may be some of the trickiest parts. Why? You may not even be sure of what you already understand, what more you need to grasp, and what simply flew over your head. You may have some basic concepts down, but not enough to move forward. In such cases, it’s normal to not be able to pinpoint exactly what you need help on. That’s where mentors come in.
Unlike courses and tutorials, which provide an overview of the concepts, mentors can speed up your learning process and provide you with personalized recommendations and guidance. Between their technical fluency and experience coaching others, mentors are able to identify your knowledge gap and work with you to figure out what you need. As mentors tailor the learning experience to your learning style and journey, they’re able to identify what you don’t know, help you build a solid foundation, and walk with you as you move to the next level with more efficiency and ease.
Sounds like the situation you're in? Just post a question!
Learning with long-term mentorship 📚
Scenario: I’m currently teaching myself how to code with online resources, but I learn better through interactive 1:1 sessions where the mentor is able to answer my questions and help me work through roadblocks. I would like to find a long-term mentor to have weekly sessions with me as I learn programming.
By having weekly or regular sessions with mentors, you can regularly share your struggles and eliminate your roadblocks. For example, one user had prior knowledge of PowerShell, and shared: “[my mentors] have helped me by explaining things in ways I can understand and will adapt their approach to cater for my PowerShell understanding [...] and will take steps to fill in the blanks in my CS understanding.”
With long-term mentorships, mentors can gain a better understanding of your past experience, track your progress, and tailor your sessions as you grow. Additionally, you’d have someone to hold you accountable in your learning process. This motivates you to move forward, knowing that someone’s got your back and is rooting for your success.
Does this sound like you? That's the sign to post a request!
Troubleshooting 😵💫
Scenario: I’m running into trouble at work as the JavaScript code isn’t running properly on Safari mobile. We’ve tested it on other browsers, and they work fine. I need a developer to help me to debug and refactor the code so it runs properly.
We’ve all been in situations, where, whatever we do, our code just won’t run right.
In straightforward cases, experienced developers can quickly pinpoint where the errors are and fix them in minutes. But not all cases are straightforward. Sometimes, the problem isn’t in the code snippet you provided, but in another section, or even in the structure. Not only can mentors help pinpoint and fix the issue, they can also teach you how to spot, avoid, and fix similar errors in the future. As one of our users eloquently put it, “Instead of endless searching on Stack Overflow. They can see what I'm working on and have the experience to know where I should look and how I should proceed.”
Needing code review for project 📋
Scenario: I just completed my first React-based webpage, but would like to hire a developer for code review: specifically on debugging, clean code suggestions, and best practices.
Getting constructive feedback is always helpful, especially when it’s from someone experienced. Code reviews are something that developers regularly perform, and it can be especially helpful when you’re just starting out. While you’ve finished building a project that’s up and running, chances are, there are improvements to be made: debugging, ensuring clean code, and optimizing for maintainability and scalability. Mentors who’ve written and read lots of code are able to review your code, provide constructive feedback on how to improve code performance, and impart practical tips for future references.
Thinking of code that needs reviewing? Good thing you can request for help!
Need help completing a half-finished project ⚙️
Scenario: I’m working on a project with React and Django REST. I’m new to Python and Django, so while I’ve finished the front-end, I need help with the server side data processing.
While there are some fullstack developers out there, you don’t have to become one to successfully build a project.
Unlike starting a project from scratch, the tricky part to filling in the missing gaps in an existing project is making sure that the missing code performs properly and works with the existing code. In these circumstances, working with a developer who’s fluent in the technology you used and need is helpful, as they’ll be able to review your existing code, your end goal, and the code you need to streamline your project. As they guide you through the learning process, either through mentorship sessions or pair programming, you’ll be able to expand your knowledge while completing your project. Win-win!
Looking for portfolio review or resume feedback 🪜
Scenario: I’m looking for my first React developer job and would like to get feedback on my resume and portfolio. Specifically to flesh out sections of my portfolio, incorporating animated transitions and making it responsive, and to help identify if there’s anything that I should add to make it more comprehensive.
Finding a job is already daunting enough, nevermind your first developer job. You’ve spent hours perfecting your portfolio, deciding which projects to include to best demonstrate your skill sets, still, there’s this nagging sense of insecurity - is my portfolio good enough?
Having a mentor who’s reviewed hundreds of portfolios and resumes, and interviewed dozens of developers can be reassuring when you’re preparing for your interviews. They can also suggest projects and work with you to complete the projects for you to add to your portfolio. See your mentors as your career coach and counsellor — with their years of working experience, senior devs will help you highlight your strengths and help you land your dream job.
Still struggling with your porfolio or resume? Stop stressing and ask for help now!
Switching careers 🔀
Scenario: I am trying to switch careers to become a developer. So far, I’ve worked on interview questions, NodeJS, React JS, but would like help in figuring out how to prioritize my time and energy. For example: should I work on personal or open-source projects? How should I balance my time between studying, projects, networking, and applying? It would be helpful to have someone answer these questions and help me navigate the job search and interviewing process.
Whether you’ve left the field for a while, or you’re in the process of switching careers, having a mentor can be extremely helpful to make sure you’re on the right track. Even more, experienced devs can give you advice on how to properly frame your previous work experience to give you an upper hand. This will lessen the feeling of anxiety that comes with uncertainties..
To quote one of our users: “My mentor has helped me stay focused, organized, and accountable with this process of refreshing my coding skills and prepping to apply for jobs. I've become more proficient and confident while working with my mentor."
Are you hitting a wall with your career? Time to ask a mentor for some guidance!
Learning new skills to strengthen your career 🎉
Scenario: I need help building reports in PowerBI. I've been working with data a lot recently, and would like to be able to generate reports without having to consult the data team every time.
You’re thriving in your role as a developer, but as your responsibilities increase, or as you take on different projects, maybe you’re realizing that you’re lacking some skills. Some of these skills may simply be good-to-haves, but having them would certainly help you advance your career.
Between the lack of time, and the fact that you need to pick up these new skills fast, working with a mentor would be the most efficient way to enhance your skills. Mentors are able to help prioritize the skill sets you should learn first depending on your needs, adapt how you learn based on your existing skills, and help you gain new skills fast. As one of our users, who’s a senior developer puts it, “Now there's just not enough time to schedule a time for dedicated learning like I used to do [...], Codementor has reduced that learning time dramatically for me.”
Are you reminded of that skill that you've always wanted to learn but never got around to? It's time to pick it up with a mentor.
Becoming the senior dev you can be 👑
Scenario: I’ve been a mid-level developer for the last five years and would like to move into a more senior role. I’m quite confident in my current skills, but would like to work with a mentor long term for career advancement advice.
You’re a couple of years into being a developer and you’re ready to take your dev career to the next level. What’s stopping you might be a mental block, technical setbacks, or a lack of negotiation tactics. Working with a mentor who’s advanced from junior all the way to senior, maybe even CTO, can provide the clarity you need. They have first hand experience of the situation you’re in, which means they can identify what you need in order to advance your career and provide practical advice to help you maximize your potential.
There are many ways that working with a senior developer will help you grow. Especially when they're someone who takes time to understand your situation and tailor their mentorship to fit your learning style and career stage. Ready to see how much you can gain from Codementor? Just post a request today and see where our mentors take you!
