Mentors for Architects

Question

While reading the activities performed by established solution/software architects, i came to know that many of them are guided by mentor or mentors.

So,

• Did you become an architect by the help of a mentor?
• What are the activities / tips / methodologies etc etc you learned from your mentor?
• How you got linked with your mentor?
• What are the alternatives you would suggest if one has to become an architect without a mentor?

Iam an aspiring architect in search of a mentor to progress myself further.

Answer 1

A year ago I got a position at a bank as a Solution Architect. My job is to design the software and infrastructural architecture for large-scale ($1 million+) projects.

I did not have one particular mentor. I was essentially recruited out of a career of increasingly larger software development projects. My experience with a broad spectrum of full-lifecycle projects got me the job as an Architect. My current employer was looking for a background in software development spanning a several different technology stacks.

Everything you learn will go towards becoming an Architect. Architects could be thought of as uber-generalists. The broader the background, the better. There's not really any one source, be that a person or a job, for the experience that leads to a position as an Architect. If and when you finally do get a job as an Architect, you will likely have a mentor in that position to guide you in the specific requirements of that job.

If you want to become an Architect, focus on getting a lot of experience with many different types of systems. Email, Database, Web platform, networking, etc. Include multiple vendors and frameworks. Bust out of your comfort zone. My previous job dragged me kicking and screaming to Oracle, and I'm better for it.

Demand to be recognized for doing Architectural-level work in your current job. "Architect" means different things to different employers, so get your employer to give you their definition. If you can't get that from your employer (the definition or the recognition) then you may be limited in your current position. Ironically, I think having several positions over the last ten years helped me get my current job. Don't be afraid to move out to move up if that's your only option.

Answer 2

Architect is just a pretentious job title. I was once hired by a UK consultancy as "Senior Technical Architect" back in the 90's. The job turned out to involve everything from C++ programming, to sales presentations and proposals, with a bit of infrastructure design and project management thrown in. My previous job title was "Senior Technical Consultant" - equally meaningless, but somewhat less pretentious, and a much better job.

Good luck on getting any mentoring. In my experience, no such activity exists at anything above entry level posts (which is not where you will find "Architect" jobs), at least in the UK.