I Gave Away $0 Tech Mentorships... And Regretted It!

John from Titan of Tech addresses a concerning trend

observed on Reddit and LinkedIn, where individuals entering the cybersecurity

and technology sectors believe they are entitled to free mentorship from more

senior professionals. He argues against the notion that successful individuals

are obligated to provide free guidance simply due to their position. The script

outlines the reasons why this mindset is flawed, including the misconception

that teaching or mentorship should not come at a cost, and the reality that

many professionals already pay for training in various forms. Further, John

shares personal experiences to illustrate that voluntary mentorship often goes

unappreciated or unutilized, reinforcing his stance that true learning requires

personal investment and engagement. He concludes by encouraging individuals to

value paid resources for their structured learning paths and to shed the

entitlement mentality towards free mentorship.

00:00 Introduction: Addressing a Troubling Trend in Tech Mentorship

00:55 Debunking the Myth: The Expectation of Free Mentorship

01:57 The Value of Teaching and Learning in Tech

02:33 Challenging the Free Resource Mentality

03:31 Personal Experiences with Mentoring in Tech

06:44 The Reality of Investing in Your Professional Growth

09:28 Evaluating Paid vs. Free Learning Resources

11:02 Conclusion: Taking Ownership of Your Professional Development