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Where to find a mentor

Mentorship can happen everywhere.

If you have not already, please first read How to find mentors for the appropriate background context!

Also keep these helpful practices in mind when asking questions.

Now that you have an idea of:

  • What you need you help with
  • How mentorship can benefit you
  • What kind/form of mentorship you're seeking
  • What questions you want to ask

You'll have to choose where you want to ask. To help add perspective, think about these questions:

  • Can only a specific individual answer my question? Or can be asked in a group?
  • Can I ask my question in public? Or does it have to be private?
  • Where, specifically do I want to ask?

👥 Ask a specific individual or a group?​

Can your question only answered by a specific individual? Or can it be answered by anyone part of broader group that meets certain criteria?

There is no right or wrong. The key thing to keep in mind is that strategies slightly differ.

Asking a specific individual

If you're trying try to reach a specific individual, keep in mind the practices on:

Additionally, when asking a specific person, the overarching rule of thumb is to make it personalized. Make it clear why they are the best person to respond.

Asking a group of people

If you are asking a group, it is simpler to ask your question publicly on your platform of choice (we'll talk more about platforms below).

Looking for more details?

If you'd like us to write a tactical step-by-step guide on outreach, let us know!

📖 Ask in public or in private?​

Depending on your question, you may prefer to ask:

  • publicly, where anyone can read and chime in
  • privately, through some form of direct message where only a limited people can read

It's not static, you can try one and then try the other.

For inspiration, benefits, and context on asking (learning) publicly, also check out learn in public and the related links on that page.

🌐 Where, specifically?​

We can think of "where" as:

  • online
  • in-person
  • events
  • conferences
  • meetups
  • hackathons
  • organizations/companies
  • forums
  • dedicated programs
  • platforms (Discord, Slack, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc)
  • the list goes on!

You can find mentorship through specific programs or in the environments listed above.

Some actively seek it, while others let it come to them.

Mentorship can happen anywhere a question and response can take place.

Wherever you decide to ask, the key part to remember is that it starts with a question! 🎉

Looking for more details?

If you'd like us to write about the nuances on asking on Slack/Discord versus LinkedIn versus Twitter, let us know!