Inspirational Mentee Story of Thinzar Htet — Singapore

Hello, I’m a final year Computing and Information Systems undergraduate at SIM-UOL with a former background in design. I enjoy transforming complex problems into solutions that are simple and pragmatic, yet still aligned with the user’s needs.

My peers would describe me as a driven, resourceful individual who maintains a positive, proactive attitude when faced with adversity. I have a zest for learning, including those that are beyond the academic curriculum and associated with my field of studies. Specific fields of interest include cybersecurity, software development and cloud computing.

How long was the mentoring, what were the goals as a mentee and how have you achieved it?

The mentoring lasted for 6 months, from May to October last year (2021). At that time, I was preparing for my upcoming internship in cloud security. Hence, I had set my goals around a cybersecurity career.

There were four main aspects of my goals. In the technical aspect, I had planned on improving my coding and documentation skills. Although most of my internship work was centered around audit, I was fortunate to be involved in a coding project as well. Using the 20-minutes rule that I had set for myself, I would spend the first 15 minutes understanding how to implement the code or troubleshoot the error first before attempting to execute it.

This ensured that I did not delay the overall progress of the coding project, as well as the other tasks that I had on hand. Some of my tasks required me to document audit work, but I was unfamiliar with it apart from source code documentation. Thus I would refer to the relevant documentation that was done by my colleagues or available on official websites (such as cloud platform developer and user guides) to gain a better understanding on how I could document in a similar manner.

In the communication aspect, I had planned on improving my presentation and persuasion skills. Before meetings, I would note down the main points that I needed to present into my notebook and run through them briefly. During meetings, I would observe how others presented to better understand how to present myself professionally. Although we were not required to show our face during the online meetings, it was still important that I am able to present myself in a clear and confident manner to get my message across effectively. Watching Shark Tank episodes also helped me understand that I should always anticipate doubt from others, no matter how confident I am about my presentation. Thus, before meetings, I would try to note down the questions that others may have for me so that I can convince them about my stand more confidently.

In the knowledge aspect, I had planned on learning more about system administration, cloud security and containerization. I had knowledge about cloud technology in general, but wanted to learn more about those 3 knowledge areas in more detail to future proof my own learning and consecutively apply that knowledge to my work as well. During the weekends and public holidays, I would spend about an hour watching YouTube tutorials and browsing informative websites about each area of knowledge.

While watching the tutorials, I would note down the important learning points in a notebook and try to attempt the hands-on activities on my own computer as well. By practicing the exercises on my own, I was able to better understand the learning content and consequently apply that knowledge into my work more effectively.

Lastly, in the interpersonal aspect, I had planned on improving the way I ask questions. It was not my first time learning on the job, but working in a different field meant that the questions I ask would need to be relevant and add value to the work that I was doing. Before asking my colleagues something, I would first consider if the question is work or non-work related. If it is work related, I would move on to phrase the question such that it is short and concise before asking it during working hours.

This enabled my questions to be answered promptly without requiring too much time to clarify with each other. If the question is non-work related but still important, I would only do so during lunch or at the end of working hours. While crafting my questions, I also strives to understand from my colleague’s perspective to ensure that the question I asked would result in an answer that is close to what I was expecting.

How much time did you commit for the mentoring, do you need to set aside anytime for preparation and how do you manage it with your other priorities?

Keshi Tan (my mentor) and I had monthly mentoring sessions that lasted for about 30 minutes each time. Due to the Covid situation and government restrictions, we had to conduct the sessions online. In the week prior to the meeting, I would take some time off in the evenings to prepare a presentation deck of my current progress on the goals. Having this visual aid enabled me to keep track of what I was presenting better, and Keshi to understand and give feedback on my goals more easily as well. To ensure that the session did not clash with our other priorities, we would usually share our availability with each other and conduct the meetings on a weekday evening shortly after both of our work ends.

Did you upscale your softer skills and has it helped in your Cybersecurity career?

Yes I did, and in fact, improving my soft skills were part of my goals as a mentee. Although possessing knowledge and technical skills are essential, I believe that they need to be complemented with soft skills in order for the work to be efficiently delivered and of the best quality. Furthermore, it was my first time working in the cybersecurity field so it was very important that I upscale my soft skills in order to learn more about and contribute to the work as much as possible.

Hence, I acted upon my communication and interpersonal goals while working on the tasks at the same time. Over time, I was able to improve the time taken to complete my tasks and the quality of the work delivered. This was also recognised by my internship supervisor who feedbacked that I actively listened and confirmed my understanding by asking appropriate questions, and took ownership of my personal development.

How do you plan on gaining the trust of your mentor? Do you feel comfortable approaching your mentor with problems, questions, and concerns?

I think what worked best in building an effective relationship with Keshi (my mentor) was that I demonstrated respect for her, and was transparent with her. Sometimes, I would ask Keshi questions via WhatsApp outside of our mentoring sessions as well. However, I did not want to disrupt her work so I would restrict the questions to be asked outside of her working hours only. If our mentoring session required rescheduling, I would inform Keshi at least the day before so that she could promptly plan her schedule as well. During our mentoring sessions, I would share my progress as it is, and the difficulties that I faced. I believe that this enabled Keshi to have a clearer idea on the guidance that I needed moving forward. I also listened to her feedback attentively to understand her perspective first before sharing my thoughts with her.

Apart from sharing similar ideologies as me, Keshi is very patient with providing feedback on my progress and clarifying my doubts despite her busy schedule. She also openly shares her past mistakes and weaknesses during our mentoring sessions. Although it made her seem vulnerable, I developed a stronger connection to her knowing that I am not alone in this new journey. These therefore made me comfortable in approaching her with anything that is on my mind.

How did you find the mentor and have you faced any challenges as a mentee? How did you tackle it?

Keshi (my mentor) and I were part of the ISC(2) Singapore Mentorship Program, and we were matched by the program team based on our shared goals and interests. It was my first time being a mentee, so I was very cautious of how my actions would affect Keshi’s view of me such that I did not want be seen as an incompetent mentee.

However, the program team reassured the mentees that we should not be afraid to make mistakes, and to turn those mistakes into learning opportunities. To ensure that the mentors can provide the necessary guidance, we were also advised to be open and vulnerable about our progress. These made me realize that I do not have to be the perfect mentee, but rather a mentee who does her best in achieving her goals.

Would you like to advise or recommend any Cybersecurity mentoring program which other mentees should join?

If you are new to the cybersecurity field like me, I recommend joining the ISC(2) Singapore Mentorship Program 2021! It is organized by cybersecurity professionals, and has a pool of experienced cybersecurity professionals who can provide the guidance that you need to kickstart your career in cybersecurity. Apart from fortnightly sharing sessions by some of the mentor-mentee pairs, the program also invites cybersecurity professionals to share their insights on various cyber security topics.

I have participated in those events before and think they provide good opportunities for a mentee to learn more about the field itself. Furthermore, a suitable mentor will be matched to you by the program team so you do not have to worry about finding the right mentor all by yourself. But no matter which cybersecurity mentoring program that you decide to join, I hope that you will find the program beneficial and immerse yourself fully to gain the best out of it :)