Helping People Trust Themselves: Hong Qin on What Good Mentoring Looks Like

"That reminded me that mentoring is less about teaching and more about helping people trust themselves."

Hong Qin, who also goes by Esther Qin, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She works as a Senior Software Quality Assurance Engineer at Light & Wonder, where she tests software and hardware for Class III electronic gaming machines, making sure they perform as designed and meet quality, reliability and regulatory requirements.

Hong talks about her path into mentoring, what she has learned from it, and why she believes it matters in an industry where technology moves fast but growth still depends on relationships.

Passing Forward What She Received

For Hong, mentoring grew out of her own experience being supported by others earlier in her career. "Throughout my career, I have benefited from people who were willing to share their knowledge and experiences with me. That inspired me to do the same for others."

What she finds most rewarding is not solving problems for her mentees but watching them develop the ability to solve problems themselves. "The most rewarding part is seeing someone become more confident - not because I solved their problem, but because they discovered their own ability to solve it."

A Shift From Answers to Questions

Hong describes a colleague who came to her looking for certainty, wanting the "right answer" to whatever they were facing. Rather than supplying it, she took a different approach. "Instead of giving solutions, I asked questions and encouraged reflection. Over time, I watched them begin making decisions independently and speaking up with confidence."

That experience reshaped how she thinks about the purpose of mentoring. "That reminded me that mentoring is less about teaching and more about helping people trust themselves."

What Mentoring Taught a Problem-Solver

As a quality assurance engineer, Hong's job is built around identifying issues and providing fixes. Mentoring, she says, asked something different of her. "Mentoring has made me a better listener. As a software quality engineer, I'm trained to find problems and provide answers. Mentoring taught me to slow down, ask better questions, and understand different perspectives."

She sees those same skills carrying over into her day-to-day work. "Those skills have improved both my leadership and my teamwork."

Advice for Anyone Considering Mentoring

Hong's message to first-time mentors is straightforward: expertise is not the entry requirement. "You don't have to know everything to be a mentor. You simply need to care, listen, and be willing to share your experiences honestly."

She points to something simpler as often being more valuable than advice. "Sometimes the most valuable thing you can offer is your presence and encouragement, not your expertise."

Why Mentorship Matters in a Fast-Moving Industry

When asked why mentorship matters, Hong connected it directly to the pace of change in gaming technology. "Mentorship helps people grow faster while building a culture of trust and collaboration. In our industry, technology changes quickly, but people learn best through relationships."

She also drew a distinction between mentors who build dependence and those who build capability. "A good mentor doesn't create followers - they help others become confident, capable professionals who can eventually mentor someone else."

What She Recommends to Other Women in Gaming

When asked for a book, tool or resource, Hong offers three answers that build on each other. On reading, she pointed to Emotional Rescue: How to Work with Your Emotions to Transform Hurt and Confusion into Energy That Empowers You by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, saying "it offers practical ways to work with emotions so they become a source of clarity and resilience rather than obstacles."

Her second recommendation was less conventional. "Tool: Your body. Our bodies hold a great deal of wisdom. By learning to listen to physical sensations and cultivating awareness, we often recognize important insights before our minds do."

And for resources, she pointed to community. "The people around you. Communities such as Global Gaming Women (GGW) provide opportunities to learn, build meaningful relationships, and support one another's growth throughout our careers."