Thanks Jordan! The advantages of starting in high school 😂
It's not only things that we wish didn't matter, but also things that we don't necessarily want to do. I wanted to call it plain old politics, but refrained from it :)
In the management path, you can't run away from it. And it doesn't have to be bad - I think there is a lot of value in those activities, even if we enjoy them less.
These tips work well in a company that owns a product, has a vision, and has room to grow, and as I'm transitioning to full-time employment at a big company, I can't wait to apply these.
I want to offer a different perspective.
A good chunk of engineers work in software outsourcing. You provide everything from mobile app development to data science, and it's hard, if not impossible, to be the go-to person in such an environment for everything.
Also, because your company doesn't own a product, but almost everyone works for a different company, you can't face production issues outside of your assigned client.
So, I'd encourage everyone who wants to build a real career in software engineering to shift positions and workplaces if they feel they can't progress, not only in terms of money (which wasn't an issue in 2019-2021) but also in their careers.
I'm curious to know the distribution of engineers in such companies. If I go by intuition alone, I would assume that ~50% work for public tech companies, ~20% for big non-tech companies (banks, governments), 20% for startups and 10% in outsource.
I have no idea how close to the truth is that though.
I think that each type of the above is suitable for different people, personally I much prefer being involved in the product and having a long term connection to my results, and not just producing code
It varies. Can’t talk about my partners but my company was 100% startups. What is true though is that having a product is often the dream of these outsourcing companies too. And you’re right about being connected to your results. In outsourcing often you can’t even talk about who you work for because of NDAs.
In the high-stakes arena of talent and competition, hard work is undeniably the bedrock of success. However, to truly distinguish oneself and carve out a unique ‘go-to’ zone, one must also master the subtle art of power dynamics to some extent. One must be sharp in understanding the unspoken rules of the game and leveraging them to his/her advantage.
The quintessential winner in this context is not just the hardest worker, but the one who adeptly reads the top management’s interests and aligns with them. It’s about going the extra mile, not just in terms of effort but in strategic thinking too. I belive that adding a page from the playbook of power and politics in the mix can be a key factor that propels one from being a participant to a leader in the race for advancement.
Its the blend of relentless hard work, nuanced understanding of organizational dynamics, hunting for high stack high value projects with successful execution track and good PR that opens the doorway to top ranks.
Holy cow, I didn't realize you were only 28, Anton.
Congrats on the Dir of Eng title at such a young age. It makes sense though. You're incredibly smart and a go-getter. A powerful combination.
I liked how you called out the impact of doing things that we probably "wish" didn't matter but actually do:
- Getting what your manager wants done 100% of the time.
- Being supportive in Slack on things that are relevant to the company but not necessarily relevant to you
- Meeting people in person so people know you and your face
They shouldn't matter as much as they do, but.. they do. So minus well take advantage where you can.
Also, thanks for the double article mention :) much appreciated man
Thanks Jordan! The advantages of starting in high school 😂
It's not only things that we wish didn't matter, but also things that we don't necessarily want to do. I wanted to call it plain old politics, but refrained from it :)
In the management path, you can't run away from it. And it doesn't have to be bad - I think there is a lot of value in those activities, even if we enjoy them less.
Excellent article, Anton!
These tips work well in a company that owns a product, has a vision, and has room to grow, and as I'm transitioning to full-time employment at a big company, I can't wait to apply these.
I want to offer a different perspective.
A good chunk of engineers work in software outsourcing. You provide everything from mobile app development to data science, and it's hard, if not impossible, to be the go-to person in such an environment for everything.
Also, because your company doesn't own a product, but almost everyone works for a different company, you can't face production issues outside of your assigned client.
So, I'd encourage everyone who wants to build a real career in software engineering to shift positions and workplaces if they feel they can't progress, not only in terms of money (which wasn't an issue in 2019-2021) but also in their careers.
I'm curious to know the distribution of engineers in such companies. If I go by intuition alone, I would assume that ~50% work for public tech companies, ~20% for big non-tech companies (banks, governments), 20% for startups and 10% in outsource.
I have no idea how close to the truth is that though.
I think that each type of the above is suitable for different people, personally I much prefer being involved in the product and having a long term connection to my results, and not just producing code
It varies. Can’t talk about my partners but my company was 100% startups. What is true though is that having a product is often the dream of these outsourcing companies too. And you’re right about being connected to your results. In outsourcing often you can’t even talk about who you work for because of NDAs.
Very well written Anton!
I think the hardest part is believing that you are ready to be a manager and getting promoted.
Then the second hardest part is acting on it.
And the funny part is that your are probably not ready until you try.
Great tips, love your approach man!
And congratulations on the promotion!
That's indeed the hard part - you'll only be ready once you start.
Thanks Orel!
Great read, Anton! I believe that 1on1 with your manager should be used to decide together on a roadmap on how to grow to fill that role
Thank you Bogdan! I definitely agree about the 1-1s
In the high-stakes arena of talent and competition, hard work is undeniably the bedrock of success. However, to truly distinguish oneself and carve out a unique ‘go-to’ zone, one must also master the subtle art of power dynamics to some extent. One must be sharp in understanding the unspoken rules of the game and leveraging them to his/her advantage.
The quintessential winner in this context is not just the hardest worker, but the one who adeptly reads the top management’s interests and aligns with them. It’s about going the extra mile, not just in terms of effort but in strategic thinking too. I belive that adding a page from the playbook of power and politics in the mix can be a key factor that propels one from being a participant to a leader in the race for advancement.
Its the blend of relentless hard work, nuanced understanding of organizational dynamics, hunting for high stack high value projects with successful execution track and good PR that opens the doorway to top ranks.