Ask HN: How do I ask someone senior to me to be my mentor?

  • A lot depends on their attitude to disseminating knowledge at the workplace. Do they play their cards close to their chest and not share solutions with others? Do they admit to not knowing things themselves? In some workplaces asking questions is tantamount to admitting ignorance which is punished by losing credibility and respect. I personally never encountered a mentor at a job I worked in, although I have come across helpful people in online forums.