A Mentor’s Guide to Hackathons
Effective mentorship at a hackathon is what a team needs to get past a bug, understand how to use a piece of technology, and turn their idea into an incredible project. Both technical and non-technical mentors can significantly influence the trajectory of a project. At TechTogether Boston, we want to optimize the experience for both our mentors and mentees. In order to foster effective mentorship at hackathons, here are some tips and tricks our team put together:
Send well-rounded mentors
Hackathons teach both technical and soft skills, therefore, the available mentorship shouldn’t be one-dimensional. Sending people experienced in product design and career development can be beneficial in the ideation stages of a hackathon where diverse opinions and experiences matter. Even the most experienced programmers may not have experience in leading a team, goal-setting, and bringing a project together. Sending project managers to guide that process can be very helpful.
Technical mentors are indispensable, as their full range of know-how at a hackathon can be what a team needs to learn how to use a new product, build their backend effectively, and flesh out their frontend so that it’s intuitive and visually appealing. Some of the most sought out help at hackathons are web & mobile development, artificial intelligence, and hardware hacks. TechTogether Boston is a beginner-friendly event, so many of our hackers will benefit from the extra guidance and support.
Communication is key
If the event doesn’t have a designated mentor space, make sure all company representatives walk around, make introductions, and make themselves approachable and willing to take an interest in students work. We recommend that mentors advertise what their area of expertise in so that students don’t lose precious time looking for help in the wrong places. One way to clearly indicate background knowledge while mentoring is to create a sign that lists all of the languages and tools they are experienced in.
Send mentors that care!
Going to a hackathon isn’t only a commitment for the hackers, but for the mentors as well. There are going to be students that stay up to the crack of dawn working on their project, and when they hit a bug at 3 in the morning, having an experienced person to turn to can make all the difference.
Lastly, make sure to network — mentorship does not end when hacking does! Exchange LinkedIn information or business cards to stay in touch, creating long-term and meaningful relationships.
