Context

This is a series of mentor logs — MLog.

This is MLog[0].

What are these logs?

I usually take down notes, write down insights whenever I talk to folks around.

These logs talk about the conversations we had, with my thoughts and bias added haha. Generally, I type it on Telegram's Saved Messages or Google Docs.

But the fact is that I write it for myself. Then I thought, why not make these logs public?

What is an MLog?

MLogs are mentor logs. These won't be MoM (minutes of meeting), these will be more like noting down some term, some example, some line, some company, some name, some idea that pops up.

Who is the mentor?

Iman Mohi. Fascinating, meaningful & indeed a heavy name.

How?

I am the Community Lead for GDSC TSEC (Google Developers Student Clubs - Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, Mumbai). Community managers of GDSC India were kind enough to assign a mentor to each lead, under the Buddy Program.

Beginning

My mentor, Iman was assigned two mentees — Sriya, another lead from Hyderabad, and other mentee - myself.

So, essentially our zeroth task was meeting each others first. Had a conversation with Sriya the day the task was assigned. We got to know each other, interests, history, tech journeys, and about each other's GDSCs.

Meeting Iman

About her.

Batch of 2022, Computers. Rajasthan Technical University. Ex-GDSC Lead. Microsoft Learn Ambassador. Past experience of MUNs.

Interests revolve around Blockchain, Cybersecurity, and Frontend, maybe? Not a backend person.

She interned at First Data, New York in mid 2021 (yes, in-office). Also, it got extended due to covid.

She has on offer from miniorange as of now - in her final year.

Topics Discussed

There were a number of broad topics discussed in those 65 minutes, and frankly, we barely scratched the surface.

• Startups or Corporate?
• Networking
• Evolve & Adapt
• Job Roles
• Do numbers matter?
• Time management
• Being satisfied
• Recieving Feedback

Also, I'll be quoting her multiple times, throughout the blog.

Startups or Corporate?

Now, Iman is someone who wants to work at a startup or an own venture, rather than in some big company.

Why? Maybe because

Although, I wasn't able to understand Startup > Some Big Company, maybe because I still want to understand the difference? By working in both?

She also mentioned the term SMEs here, not sure in which context. SMEs — Small and Mid-size Enterprises - are businesses that maintain revenues, assets or a number of employees below a certain threshold. Each country has its own definition of what constitutes a small and medium-sized enterprise.

Anyways, she got a chance to interview from Talabat, Dubai. Technical Analyst.

Talabat is like the Zomato of Dubai.

She was called to Dubai for the interview, ended up doing an internship for a month? Came back from Dubai and directly had this call with us haha.

Apparently, Talabat has really experienced folks, but then how did Iman get in?

A person from her previous "New York" internship, referred her for Talabat. So, here comes in networking.

Networking, Networking, Networking

Networking is something that will take you to places.

Talk to people. Build connections.

In my explicitly honest opinion, networking is not sharing LinkedIn URLs when you are in a meet.

Networking is building, maintaining, nurturing that relationship.

Sure, there are secondary advatages too. Networking can get you speakers/favours, to which they won't say no to. Build such connections.

Gave two such examples who would not say no if inviting over for a session.

• Niharika (works in Google) - Android
• Brian (from the US) - Cloud/AWS

So, essentially build that kind of rapport with people.

Don't focus on getting a job.

Fundamentally, focus on networking, actually learning stuff and you'll get a job.

Don't settle for these mass recruiters, Accenture/Wipro/TCS - 3.5/4 LPA, who are hiring cheap mindless machines.

Evolve & Adapt

Sudhanshu Yadav talks about this:

The front-end in software development is evolving at such a rapid pace, and it can be hard to keep up. But the key is to adapt slowly and ease into new changes.

In the tech world, you'll have to keep yourself updating with emerging tech.

Networking teaches you that very thing. Sure, you can do it independently too, talking to experienced folks makes it better.

And this is true in life as well. Being aware and educated it step one.

Job Roles

Do we need to have a job role in mind, right away?

How on earth do I even find the type of such roles? And how do I know what kind of work that required within these job roles?

A simple Google search. Research.

Smart Research. A specific Google query will give you a well curated list to identify what you want to do.

If you spend 15 minutes of the 24 hours you get, you will have all you need to know.

Do numbers matter?

Numbers matter, that's why mathematics is there right?

Remove the last two zeroes from your salary, it will matter.

The questions around numbers was a follow up question for — "How do we measure the success of an event or our GDSC?"

When you are learning, nothing matters other than learning.

So yes, quality over quantity. At least for starters.

Retaining your audience over getting new audience. Because in the end, the right customers matter.

Sure both matter, but one has more priority than latter.

Measuring the success of an event isn't the number you get in one event, it is maintaining that number or having a positive delta.

Just keep experimenting. See why the amount of audience in large number in the previous event. If not, then publicize it well.

So, both parallely matter.

More on retaining audience

In your organization's communication channel, conduct polls what kind of session would you want or if people are interested in a specific session.

If you can find a speaker, well and good. If you can't find one, send them resources to workaround that particular topic.

Build credibility.

Time management

Managing number of tasks, managing time, managing feelings — There are just too many variables in life :'))

But let's talk about time management.

There's no formula for everyone. Everyone has a different cheatsheet. Build one for yourself. Analyze yourself.

Use statistics and numbers, numbers do matter.

Priority matters. Analyze your multitasking skills. Look at your success rate when juggling tasks.

Look at your time and your outcome.

Note, there is a subtle difference between output and outcome.

Being satisfied with the answers you get

Don't ever be satisfied with the answer you get, if you are not.

This is very crucial. Do not just agree to the answer that is placed infront of you. Ask questions. Have an attitude of a 5 year old.

Ask questions rather than seeking answers.

warikoo

Explore and ask.

Example. If you are working in a firm and you just "agree" to writing an email or a report to client, without understanding the actual task, it is very problematic for you.

Recieving Feedback

One thing that I would want to mention is about the feedback I gave her on two things: Scheduling meets and using the word "guys" in communal workspaces. I do not want to talk about giving feedback here.

Rather, I want to appreciate how she recieved feedback. Because I try to give an honest (often explicit) feedback. But there are times when it wasn't recived in good spirit.

Fin.

Put some goddamn efforts, you are working for yourself, for your own betterment.

And you know there's this thing I read recently:

There is a slight difference between doing your best and whatever it takes.