[jb3689]

This. I have been looking for a company to be mentored at for the past 8 years. They don't exist (well they do, but they are few and far in between - and it varies from team to team even in a company)

The way I've learned is through books/talks, common sense (often things are clearly terrible for obvious reasons), people willing to take risks on giving me projects, and sweat/mistakes/learning how to focus on the right things through experience

[radicalbyte]

They do but they're extremely rare. Before I started for myself I spent a lot of time mentoring my team. Most if it was building their confidence up so they could think critically themselves whilst reading the right books.

I myself have never had a technical mentor. Never needed one. What I did need and have were mentors for the other 90% of being a successful professional (and people who built my self confidence up).

[jamestimmins]

I think this is because "mentorship" is very hard to plan at the company level. My best mentors have been specific senior devs who were willing to share what they knew.