2. What I Plan to Cover
What a modern career path looks like
What I would have done differently at your age
How to choose good opportunities
Nuts and bolts of negotiation and politics
Why a “Growth Mindset” is important
Other tips for success for a career in Engineering, specifically
4. Once Upon a Time...
People would spend their entire careers in one company.
Maybe your mom or dad did this.
It’s very unlikely that you will.
5. If You Did
I started by working in two big
companies, Xerox and HP, where
the career path for a software
engineer looks something like
this:
CTO
Fellow
Chief Software Architect
Software Architect
Master Software Engineer
Principal Software Engineer
Senior Staff Software Engineer
Staff Software Engineer
Senior Software Engineer
Software Engineer
6. If You Did
If you become a manager, it’s
something like this:
Executive Vice President of Software
Engineering
Senior Vice President of Software Engineering
Vice President of Software Engineering
Senior Director of Software Engineering
Director of Software Engineering
Senior Engineering Manager
Engineering Manager
7. Reality (Silicon Valley Version)
After living and working in both
worlds, I now understand that
the Silicon Valley startup career
path looks a little different:
Company A
Company B
Company C
Company D
Company E
8. The Key Differences
Your own success is defined less
by individual advancement and
more by company success.
Future opportunities for growth at
new companies will come from
people you met at previous ones.
9. The Lesson
Do everything you can to work with great people. That way, in your next
role either:
● You can recruit them to join you, or
● They will recruit you to join them.
Build relationships. Start early. Prioritize the caliber of coworkers above
all else.
11. How to Choose Great Opportunities
Growth! Being in a growing company, of any size, is key.
● Growth creates opportunities. Without growth, people start fighting
over the same opportunities.
● A medium-size, fast-growing company is probably the best choice
for early career. Momentum is there, and very early stage startups
just don’t provide enough support or mentorship. Too much chaos.
Here’s a great list of such companies.
● Resume builder. Being associated with a successful company will
open doors later.
12. How to Choose Great Opportunities
Work with great people.
● How do you know if a company has great people? Use the interview
team as an indicator. Or any people you know in the company.
● Who are the smartest or most successful people you know? Follow
them.
13. How to Choose Great Opportunities
Choose based on company or manager over title or pay.
● The long-term effects on your career will be more significant.
● For example, an entry-level job at Facebook in a less-than-ideal team
(for your interests) is probably better than CTO at a 5-person startup.
But every situation is unique, of course!
14. Negotiating and Evaluating Offers
“You never get what you feel you deserve, you get what you have the
leverage to negotiate.” - Jalen Rose
Only one person is completely looking out for your best interests. You.
15. Negotiating and Evaluating Offers
Most companies have a simple goal when it comes to making you an
offer: What’s the least that you will accept?
(Course Hero takes a different approach. We try to determine the
correct compensation, for every person, and not pay people based on
their negotiating abilities. This means we may sometimes “overpay” or
even lose a candidate if someone is willing to pay more.)
16. Negotiating and Evaluating Offers
The best thing you can do, to protect your interests, is to do enough
research to know what you’re worth.
● Talk to friends
● Glassdoor
● AngelList
Conventional wisdom on negotiation says you should never suggest the
first number. If a company asks what you’re looking for, say “market” or
“the appropriate compensation for this position.”
17. Negotiating and Evaluating Offers
To know the full value of an offer, add it all up. Try to estimate the yearly
value (amortized if necessary) of:
● Base salary
● Benefits
● Bonuses (expected)
● Equity
You’ll have to make assumptions.
18. Offer Example
● Base salary: $50,000
● Benefits:
○ $200/mo out of pocket = -$2,400
○ $100/mo commuter allowance = $1,200
○ Free lunch daily = 250 x $10 = $2,500
● Bonuses:
○ Annual bonus ~10% = $5,000
● Equity
○ 1,000 options, strike price $25, predict the stock climbs to $40, 4 year
vesting = (1,000 x (40-25)) / 4 = $3,750
Total comp: 50,000 - 2,400 + 1,200 + 2,500 + 5,000 + 3,750 = $60,500
19. Politics
A lot of people say they don’t like “politics” at work.
Guess what: Anytime human beings interact, there are politics involved.
It’s just how we are.
20. Political Things You Should Learn
Learn what people think of you. Ask around.
Listen. A lot. Most people don’t listen enough. It’s simple but difficult.
Figure out what other people want or need, and find ways to help them
get it. Especially your manager.
Solve the hard problems everyone else is afraid or reluctant to touch.
Don’t create confrontation unless you’re fully prepared.
Treat people well.
Try hard to remember details about others and what they care about.
21. Why a Growth Mindset is Essential
Having a Growth Mindset means valuing improvement over accolades.
Loving the process of learning more than specific achievements.
If you keep a fixed mindset, you’ll miss great opportunities. For example
not going to a great company because the role looks like a demotion.
Trust that you can prove yourself there.
You never know where opportunities might be.
Read the book Mindset!
22. Engineering Advice
Work on the hardest technical problems. Take the hardest classes. This
will give you the skills to be valuable.
Choosing breadth vs depth is about what environment you want to be
in.
Breadth is good for early stage - wearing many hats
Depth is good as companies grow and succeed - problems get
harder and you need the best
Be careful: If you don’t have depth, a company can outgrow you.
23. Engineering Advice
Technical skills can only take you so far. To become advanced, you will
also need leadership and organizational skills.
Keep trying things. Find time for side projects. Don’t worry too much
about what they are - just do something.
