After working for at least a few years in 4 huge software companies, here is the main lesson from each experience. Amazon: Prioritize or burn out. I learned to prioritize and say no. Each time a manager came with more work, I would show the list of what I was doing and ask for the position of that new item. Always made it clear where was the line of the things I could do. Microsoft: Tech is not everything. Worked on promising projects that failed miserably in the market, and some didn't even reach the market. Worked on other projects that I couldn't believe were sponsored, and those made it to the short list of products/services with more than $1bi/year revenue. Facebook: Let the customer decide. Similar to the lesson from Microsoft, but more intense, experimental, and data-driven. The customer may not know what they want or need, and you also don't know. Put the options before the customer, do A/B testing, and look at the results without bias. Google: It is harder to cancel an ongoing project than to start a new one. Google has had many public failures, mainly in social networking, because once projects are in motion in tech, you have a hard time canceling them and removing the VP, the GMs, the directors, and other high-level personnel. The ICs are easy to convince and move around, but telling all the director+ to seek another project, or leave, takes a lot of courage. There are some other main lessons across companies: 1) Your manager is more important than the company or project. Had excellent managers at Amazon and terrible managers at Microsoft. Go figure! 2) That fight is not worth it. Be the first to compromise. Know that bug fix, variable name, project design, or any topic that made you debate with a co-worker and both got upset with each other? It is not worth it. Period. In a couple of months, years, or decades, you will laugh at why you even cared. 3) Focus. Make short lists of priorities, not lists with 10+ items. Put your health and family at the top, which already takes 2 positions. Then prioritize aggressively and protect your time. It is the only resource you won't get back! EDIT: Being clear: I worked "for at least a few years in 4 huge software companies". It was at least 2 years for each company. It is not "worked on these companies in 4 years" (which would be demand moving fast, at an average of 1 year/company). TC: >1M (as long a GOOG stock doesn't continue going down!) YoE: >15 years
Thanks for the share!
One of the best posts on Blind. Period….
Comment of the day
Don't know what you found so insightful. Seems common knowledge 🤷♂️
You don’t need to work in 4 tech companies to learn that 😂… I learned the same in non tech companies and was always laughing at my Amazon co workers 😂. But all valid points and very well summarized.
Some of the best advice I've read on Blind. Thank you!
I will save this. Thanks
I would only emphasise the point about the manager. With a huge focus on PIPs and highly subjective “performance reviews” the manager is the most critical factor. Asskissing is a must-do daily activity
All of which is sad but true, they hold the lifeline to your career
Whats the proper way to "asskiss"
Good post OP. I agree with all these points. I think you need to do these things to survive corporate life in a competitive environment. I’d also add that you should always try to be aligned with senior leadership. Don’t try and guess what they want - have the conversation.
In the US, it sucks that health insurance is tied to employment… That is the part that makes it difficult to not put work as a higher priority.
If you've worked in tech for a while, you should be able to save enough for Obama care. A Tesla is worth 10 years of very decent health insurance. Go figure.
"very decent" = 10k deductible and 30k OOPM.
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Nice summary!
I have a question. Can anyone answer? As OP has mentioned. Why is a manager important than the company or project?
Manager can make or break your career. He/she can set you up for failure and pick you on petty things and project it like end of the world. Or he/she can showcase and exaggerate little things and promote you way quicker. Skip and HR side with the manager most of the time. End of the day, you are a replaceable peasant anytime.