Sonakshi Pandey, a cloud computing product manager at Google in Seattle, shared her journey from software engineer to mentor in a recent conversation. She realized early in her career that she wanted to challenge herself and move into a role that involved less desk work and more public speaking. This led her to transition to a solutions architecture role at Amazon Web Services, where she faced challenges with confidence and public speaking skills.
Through dedication and guidance from mentors, Pandey was able to overcome these challenges and become comfortable speaking at tech meetings and conferences. She now mentors interns at Google, as well as individuals at different stages of their careers, finding the relationship to be mutually beneficial. Mentoring has exposed her to different aspects of technology and reignited her passion for the field.
In her mentoring process, Pandey looks for individuals who are proactive, autonomous, and demonstrate a desire to learn. She values trainees who set ambitious goals, come prepared with thoughtful questions, and are open to personal growth. Building long-term relationships with mentees who approach setbacks with optimism and are honest with themselves is important to her.
Pandey emphasizes the importance of prospective mentees doing their research and showing effort when reaching out to mentors. She values interactions that demonstrate an understanding of her work and content, as well as those that show a genuine interest in learning from her experiences. Building a two-way relationship, rather than simply asking for time, is key to establishing a meaningful mentorship.
Overall, Pandey’s journey from software engineer to mentor highlights the value of challenging oneself, seeking guidance from mentors, and giving back to others in the tech community. Through her experiences, she has found fulfillment in mentoring and continues to be inspired by the success of her mentees.
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https://www.businessinsider.com/how-google-product-manager-picks-mentees-email-linkedin-messages-attitude-2024-5