A mentor’s place in a student’s life is extremely special and the bond between them is irreplaceable. A mentor is a true guide, whose sole aim is to illuminate the correct path for their students. Mentorship is a unique relationship, where both individuals help each other grow.
I am Saumava Barman, currently working as a Microsoft as a Software Engineer. I was born and brought up in Kolkata. My childhood was delightful, and I completed my studies in my native city itself. As I look back, I do remember when I first used a computer. Like all the other children, my first experience with a computer was of playing a game on it. It was my cousin’s computer, and I was playing a sports game on it. It remains one of my most treasured memories till date. Back then, I did not know that computers would become such a pivotal part of my life.
I pursued my specialization in Electronics and Communication from Aryabhatta Institute of Engineering and Management, Durgapur. That was when computer science and data structures formally came into my life. Our college syllabus mandated computer science as a subject, which was instrumental in me discovering my passion for the world of computers. However, during my college time, the coding culture was almost non-existent. We often had to go out of our way to seek knowledge about coding and programming.
I am an inquisitive person by nature, and I have this zest to learn and explore, which is why I took up several coding courses, which contributed to the deepening of my understanding and broadened the horizons of my knowledge. I was one of the first students to explore the field of competitive programming at my college, my teachers guided me, and this eventually led to my love for programming. Thus, my shift to the computer science arena was something that took its own course, because I kept upgrading my skill set, which aligned with my deep interest in the field.
My work at Microsoft is solely focused on software development, and involves developing features from scratch, and delivering effective output as per time. I also indulge in mentoring at work, as I have to regularly guide my colleagues with their work, review their codes and provide necessary feedback. At work, I feel that everyday there is some new learning that comes up, as we are engaged in solving practical problems and strive to improve the product's efficacy. As a senior professional, I am often responsible for delivery of the entirety of modules with my team, and it makes me really happy to be able to shoulder responsibility.
My teaching journey began in the senior years of my college itself, when I used to mentor my juniors. At my previous companies as well, I guided my colleagues by conducting mock interviews for them; I feel that as a seasoned professional, I have attended a lot of interviews and the best way to use my knowledge is to help others.
I was scrounging for teaching opportunities online, which is when I stumbled upon Scaler. I was specifically looking for an avenue which would enable me to take mock interviews and where I could provide my assistance in the interview preparation process for coders, and clearly, Scaler fit my bill. Initially, I aimed to join Scaler at the onset of 2020, which could not materialise due to professional commitments. I finally joined Scaler in 2021, and it has been a memorable journey so far.
The depth and vastness of technology concepts is like an ocean, and I feel that we are still at the surface. I joined Scaler, to engage in increased learning for my own self. Mentorship at Scaler is a two way street, where it is a give and take situation, as I learn something from them, and I teach them as well. In this manner, we both help each other to grow. If you ask me what keeps me motivated, it is most certainly the mentees; they are extremely eager to learn, and they ask the right kind of questions.
A mentor’s place in a student’s life is extremely special and the bond between them is irreplaceable. A mentor is a true guide, whose sole aim is to illuminate the correct path for their students. I did not have a mentor while growing up, as we did not have access to the plethora of opportunities that are easily available now. I feel that my journey would have been very different if I would have had a supportive mentor. Today, as I am traversing through my mentor journey, I wish to facilitate growth of as many people as I can.
My biggest advice to upcoming coders is stick to your basics. Skill upgradation is important, however, advanced skills also have their roots in the basics, which is why they are fundamentally important. We have to struggle, as without struggle excellence cannot be achieved.
