About the Interview
Over the years, mentoring has become one of the most enriching aspects of my professional journey. Witnessing my mentees grow, break into the industry, and achieve their goals reminds me why I began sharing my knowledge in the first place.
In a recent text-based interview with MentorCruise, I discuss:
– How I got into mentoring
– My approach to guiding aspiring DevOps and Cloud Engineers
– Lessons learned from working with my mentees
– Advice for those looking to transition into the tech field
You can read the original interview here:
👉 https://lnkd.in/e9ZphCP7
Wo I am?
I’m a Cloud & SRE Leader with deep expertise in platform engineering, cloud-native architectures, and DevOps best practices. Over the years, I’ve helped companies—from startups to enterprises—scale their infrastructure, improve reliability, and optimize performance. As a mentor, I focus on guiding engineers through career transitions, technical challenges, and leadership growth.
Why did you decide to become a mentor?
Throughout my career, I’ve seen firsthand how guidance from experienced professionals can accelerate growth. I was fortunate to have mentors who helped me navigate complex challenges, and I wanted to give back in the same way. Many engineers struggle with the leap from individual contributor to leadership roles, or from traditional ops to modern DevOps and SRE practices. I signed up as a mentor to bridge this gap—helping mentees develop the technical and strategic thinking required to thrive. Additionally, mentoring keeps me engaged with fresh perspectives and challenges, making it a mutually rewarding experience.
How did you get your career start?
I started my career as a Software Engineer developing cloud-managed services for a niche Cloud provider startup during the early days of the raise of Cloud Computing, focusing on developing services on the application development experience, storage, and database domains. This was a significant transition since my academic background was in systems and networking. The role required me to apply software engineering principles to build scalable systems and infrastructure, pushing me to bridge the gap between development and operations. During this time, I witnessed the industry’s shift toward cloud computing and DevOps firsthand. I learned how to design and automate cloud services while ensuring reliability and performance. This hands-on experience in both software engineering and infrastructure paved the way for my deeper involvement in platform engineering, site reliability, and DevOps practices. It also gave me a strong foundation for mentoring others looking to make similar transitions in their careers.
What do mentees usually come to you for?
Mentees typically seek my guidance on breaking into DevOps/SRE roles, mastering cloud-native technologies, and building scalable infrastructure. Many are mid-career engineers looking to transition into more senior or leadership roles. I help them navigate technical challenges like Kubernetes security, CI/CD pipelines, cloud automation, and incident management. Beyond the technical side, I also provide career coaching—helping mentees refine their resumes, prepare for interviews, and develop strategic thinking. My mentorship is structured around real-world scenarios, code reviews, and hands-on problem-solving to ensure practical, actionable learning.
What’s been your favourite mentorship success story so far?
One of my most rewarding mentorship experiences was guiding my younger brother into a successful DevOps career. He came from a completely non-technical background – project management and method engineering- but was eager to break into the IT industry. I structured his learning path, focusing on foundational concepts like Linux, networking, and scripting before diving into cloud, automation, and DevOps best practices. Beyond the technical training, I helped him understand the mindset required to succeed in this field—problem-solving, continuous learning, and adaptability. Over time, he built strong expertise, gained hands-on experience, and refined his approach to real-world challenges. Today, he is recognized as one of the top DevOps Engineers in the French market. Seeing his transformation from a beginner to an expert in the field has been one of my proudest moments as a mentor.
What are you getting out of being a mentor?
Mentoring keeps me sharp—not just technically, but in leadership and communication as well. It challenges me to break down complex topics, stay updated on industry trends, and refine my ability to guide others effectively. More importantly, it’s fulfilling to see mentees succeed, whether it’s landing a dream job, solving a tough technical challenge, or gaining clarity in their career path. It also expands my network, connecting me with passionate engineers and future leaders. Ultimately, mentorship is a two-way street—I learn as much from my mentees as they do from me.
