Career Ladder

Know When To Walk Away: Handling a Toxic Working Environment

This story is about a person who was working for a small startup and was looking to move into a technical leadership role. Despite having a successful career and positive feedback from supervisors, their management felt they weren't the right fit for the role. The person took their concerns seriously and worked hard to improve their communication skills, leadership style, and passion for their work. Despite their efforts, they were not promoted and eventually had to leave the company. They eventually found a job where their skills and strengths were appreciated, and regained their confidence. The story emphasizes the importance of being in an environment that values you for what you have to offer, and not having to prove your worth.

The Difficulty in Making Career-Defining Decisions

When faced with a difficult decision about leaving a well-established company for a startup, this individual created a framework for themselves to help make the decision. They considered their five-year goals, the possibility of promotion, day-to-day tasks, teams in collaboration, and the scope of work. Ultimately, the decision was made by focusing on their five-year goal of increasing their broader knowledge and scope. They recommend that when making large career decisions, individuals should think less about the technical aspect and more about their strengths and weaknesses, and prioritize certain values and goals.

Is CS Training Essential to Be a Successful Engineering Leader?

This article discusses whether or not CS training is necessary for engineering leaders to be successful. It suggests that the decision should be approached on a case by case basis, and that strength and warmth should be balanced. It also suggests that CS training may not be necessary right away, but may be beneficial for job interviews. Ultimately, success is determined by what is done outside of the 8 hours spent at work.

Why Establishing Long-Term Relationship With Your Manager Can Benefit You

In 2008, Mike was hired as a front-end developer and eventually moved into a management role. Over the years, the author and Mike developed a mentor-mentee relationship that allowed them to trust each other and have honest conversations. This relationship enabled them to move up in their respective roles and eventually Mike took over a more significant scope than the author. The author learned that the best way to build a team is by trusting people and that the relationships you establish are more important than any other work. It is also beneficial to have a mentor who can help you learn in a more efficient way.

Craft or Context?: Simplifying the Career Path

This article discusses the importance of formalizing a career path and the tools used to do so. It explains how the author used spreadsheets and professional tools to create a simplified two-pronged career path for their organization. It also explains the three dimensions of growth (scope, time frame, and size) that need to be considered when managing a career path. Finally, it highlights the success of the career path and how it was used to promote several engineers.

The Importance of Allocating Time for Self-Reflection

A Director of Engineering realized they were stagnating in their role and decided to take action by seeking advice from mentors, reading, and reshuffling their calendar to free up time for more hands-on work. After realizing that reading and blocking time was not enough, they changed roles and went back to a more IC role, eventually finding more happiness. Through this experience, they learned the importance of self-reflection, listening to oneself, and understanding that roles can differ greatly from company to company.