As a junior professor of Computer Science at Brac University in Bangladesh, part of my duties included academic advising and mentoring for students interested in data science. I had an open-door policy to encourage my students to discuss their career paths, goals, and any challenges they faced.
I implemented goal-setting activities, mentoring sessions, and arranged meetups with industry professionals to broaden their perspective. My key strategy was fostering self-reliance and critical thinking, equipping the students to make well-informed decisions about their career.
A former mentee of mine recently secured a position as a data analyst at a reputable tech company due largely to our advising sessions. We worked together to bolster her technical skills and encouraged her to take on more challenging projects. Not all mentoring relationships were smooth-sailing from the start - dealing with different personalities and learning styles required flexibility and patience, but finding the right approach for each individual was a successful strategy.