I’ll be honest—when I first started exploring career options, I thought I could figure it all out myself.
I had YouTube tutorials, LinkedIn influencers, and now even ChatGPT to ask anything I wanted. Resume advice? Done. Mock interview questions? Instant. Answers were always just a few clicks away. So naturally, I started to wonder…
“Do I really need a mentor anymore?”
I mean, isn’t AI smarter, faster, and more available than a person could ever be?
I Tried Replacing People With AI — It Was Efficient, But Empty
For a while, it actually worked. I used AI to refine my cover letters, prep for interviews, even get advice on what skills to learn. It felt empowering. I was in control. But then came the real decisions—the kind that weren’t black-and-white.
Should I take the job offer that pays more or the one that aligns more with what I enjoy?
How do I deal with feeling like I’m falling behind my peers?
Is it okay that I’m still unsure of what I want?
I asked the same AI that had given me perfect grammar and bullet points. It gave me decent advice. But something felt off. The answers were logical, but they didn’t really land. They weren’t wrong—but they didn’t help me feel any more certain or confident either.
Then I Had One Conversation That Changed Everything
It wasn’t planned. I just ended up having coffee with someone I really admired—someone a few years ahead in the field I was interested in. I didn’t even call it mentorship at first. But as we talked, they asked me questions no tool ever had:
“What’s the one thing you could talk about for hours without getting tired?”
“When was the last time you felt proud of something you did?”
“What scares you the most about making the wrong choice?”
They didn’t give me a perfect answer. They gave me something more valuable: perspective. They didn’t tell me what to do—they helped me figure out what I wanted to do.
That conversation stayed with me long after we parted ways.
AI Is a Great Tool. A Mentor Is a Mirror.
What I’ve realized is this: AI can help you move faster, but a mentor helps you move with purpose. One gives you solutions. The other helps you understand yourself.
A mentor doesn’t just react to your questions—they notice what you’re not saying. They remind you of your worth when you forget it. They share their failures so you don’t feel ashamed of yours. And sometimes, just knowing that someone else believes in you is the only push you need to keep going.
The Truth? I Need Both.
This isn’t a hate post about AI. I still use it every day—it’s smart, efficient, and incredibly helpful. But I no longer see it as a replacement for human guidance.
AI can support my journey. But a mentor walks beside me.
And in a world moving this fast, I’ve learned that walking with someone who understands you is sometimes the most valuable step you can take.
So if you’re like me—curious, a little overwhelmed, figuring things out—use AI. It’s powerful. But don’t stop there. Find someone who’s been where you are. Someone who listens, asks, reflects.
Because the best decisions I’ve made so far?
They started with a conversation, not a search box.