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Engineer’s guide to career growth: Advice from my time at Stripe and Facebook

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Re: Engineer’s guide to career growth: Advice from my time at Stripe and Facebook

#151

Post by fhd2 »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #128
fhd2 wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From what I've seen, amassing riches is either a weird game to people, the means to a lifestyle they truly crave (status, luxury, ...), or an unhealthy obsession with security (both for themselves and their offspring). I was, maybe still am, in the last bucket. But I'm starting to realise that security is a quite mythical thing - you can always think of more risks and counter measures, at least at the point I got to.…

Security is not mythical, at least in the near to short term, enough time for your kids to grow up. Passive income from $10M would secure access for 99% of food, water, heat, shelter, education, transportation, healthcare, retirement, and legal costs. $5M will get you most of the way there too.

It's only mythical if you keep moving the goal posts the closer you get - that's what I'm talking about. I've been there (to a degree), I've seen others who've been there. And that's what I'd call an unhealthy obsession.

Re: Engineer’s guide to career growth: Advice from my time at Stripe and Facebook

#152

Post by jstarfish »

giantg2 wrote: post #30
71a54xd wrote: post #16

What if my career history isn't perfect? I'm trying to overcome this now and it's been a real struggle.

If you're in America, you're fucked. One mistake and your marked for life. Be that legal issues, work history, etc. We'll hold that shit against you until you die. Edit: why disagree?

> If you're in America, you're fucked. One mistake and your marked for life. Be that legal issues, work history, etc. We'll hold that shit against you until you die.

Puritanical standards like this seem limited to the east/midwest; the west coast is much more forgiving (IME).

Re: Engineer’s guide to career growth: Advice from my time at Stripe and Facebook

#153

Post by andelink »

busterarm wrote: post #140
braza wrote: post #110

I really distaste those articles because it most of the time generalize based on exception cases. Not all companies have the resources and/or opportunities like Stripe and Facebook. Coming from the SME/laggard industries those posts sound completely out of touch with the reality of a lot of SWEs that are not in this demographic pool. One of the biggest disappointments with the SWE was the fact that when I started my…

I agree with everything here completely and have the same experience. The costs of making yourself available to mentor others these days are too high. Workplace politics will only make you a target eventually. It even happens (and probably moreso) in volunteer projects. People are rightfully acting more mercenary and more self-interested. This industry attracts a lot of socially disaffected people who behave like sco…

I disagree. I have mentored many folks, and actively continue to do so. It’s only been beneficial for both me and my mentors. Not sure where this anti-mentorship culture comes from. I don’t see it at my current company. Even at Amazon I had multiple mentors (I didn’t mentor anybody myself back then).

Re: Engineer’s guide to career growth: Advice from my time at Stripe and Facebook

#154

Post by hinkley »

braza wrote: post #110

I really distaste those articles because it most of the time generalize based on exception cases. Not all companies have the resources and/or opportunities like Stripe and Facebook. Coming from the SME/laggard industries those posts sound completely out of touch with the reality of a lot of SWEs that are not in this demographic pool. One of the biggest disappointments with the SWE was the fact that when I started my…

The reality of my career and that of those around me is that you usually can pick even- or odd-numbered disruption cycles and do pretty well. If you miss the hype train for one fad, catching up might not be your best bet. You might be better off looking for the next train.

In that regard React is a bit of an anomaly. It's occupied the station for far longer than expected.

Re: Engineer’s guide to career growth: Advice from my time at Stripe and Facebook

#155

Post by busterarm »

andelink wrote: post #153
busterarm wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with everything here completely and have the same experience. The costs of making yourself available to mentor others these days are too high. Workplace politics will only make you a target eventually. It even happens (and probably moreso) in volunteer projects. People are rightfully acting more mercenary and more self-interested. This industry attracts a lot of socially disaffected people who behave like sco…

I disagree. I have mentored many folks, and actively continue to do so. It’s only been beneficial for both me and my mentors. Not sure where this anti-mentorship culture comes from. I don’t see it at my current company. Even at Amazon I had multiple mentors (I didn’t mentor anybody myself back then).

"So and so said something that made me uncomfortable."

As someone who is white and male, I am not willing to be alone in a room with or 1:1 with anyone except a direct report, in either direction. It's not worth the risk.

I've seen blatantly false allegations completely ruin careers. I've seen people who habitually lie and make repeated false allegations coast on doing no work for years until they get bored and move on -- with full awareness of the company -- because the company doesn't want to risk that kind of lawsuit for firing them. The company would rather that person's whole team be miserable than risk any kind of reputational damage.

This is way more common than you would believe. I have friends who work in HR in other companies who say the same and have the same policy that I do.

It used to be that you could be charitable and by-default assume that everyone's intentions are aligned at work. Same team, etc. However, the people who bring their politics with them to work absolutely do not feel this way and will smoke you if doing so aligns with their cause -- facts don't matter.

And yes I'm aware of the missed opportunities as a result.

Re: Engineer’s guide to career growth: Advice from my time at Stripe and Facebook

#156

Post by andelink »

busterarm wrote: post #155
andelink wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree. I have mentored many folks, and actively continue to do so. It’s only been beneficial for both me and my mentors. Not sure where this anti-mentorship culture comes from. I don’t see it at my current company. Even at Amazon I had multiple mentors (I didn’t mentor anybody myself back then).

"So and so said something that made me uncomfortable." As someone who is white and male, I am not willing to be alone in a room with or 1:1 with anyone except a direct report, in either direction. It's not worth the risk. I've seen blatantly false allegations completely ruin careers. I've seen people who habitually lie and make repeated false allegations coast on doing no work for years until they get bored and move…

That’s insane. I’m gonna retire if I feel the same as you about this.

Re: Engineer’s guide to career growth: Advice from my time at Stripe and Facebook

#157

Post by quickthrower2 »

astrange wrote: post #105
quickthrower2 wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Europe has startups

How many people start another after the first one goes bankrupt?

I don't know, but that question implies that going bankrupt is common for startups to the point it is a blocking issue. And that in Europe doing so is more problematic than in the US. Is that the case?

Re: Engineer’s guide to career growth: Advice from my time at Stripe and Facebook

#158

Post by quickthrower2 »

kaashif wrote: post #139
quickthrower2 wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And be innately good at both code and human relations. I couldn’t have handled that massive team size increase mentioned even if I was in that position. I would have probably quit to go back to technical stuff!

Also, having managed people, I don't really like it and derive much more joy and satisfaction from being an IC working on technical stuff primarily. Definitely "career limiting" but I just like it more.

Yes. Although making IC tracks is great and all, the power to get big things done involves organizing and leading people, so the natural state will be that a leadership career will go higher than a technical career on average. And balancing that is putting a hand on the scale (takes continuing effort) and indeed is a political or strategic decision, so it is up to the leaders to implement!

That said in 2023 you can go a long way into upper middle class and rich without needing to lead people, or kill them in wars, and still do creative and non-repetitive work. So we are very lucky to live in this era!

Re: Engineer’s guide to career growth: Advice from my time at Stripe and Facebook

#159

Post by shrimp_emoji »

busterarm wrote: post #142
mattgreenrocks wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, I really feel this. I have been mourning / processing the void left by the technical culture I’d fabricated in my mind. It’s like I grew up with a certain notion in my mind and never questioned it: namely that technical excellence was paramount. I also think it is a midlife thing, where you look at all the things you’ve put time into, and ask them, “and for what?” The way forward for me is bootstrapping so I can…

The unbridled optimism about technology of the early-mid 90s was very real and very addicting. Having been around from then until now and seeing what's happening to the internet and open source software is extremely demoralizing.

The Internet is self-explanatory, but what's happened to open source software?

Re: Engineer’s guide to career growth: Advice from my time at Stripe and Facebook

#160

Post by busterarm »

shrimp_emoji wrote: post #159
busterarm wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The unbridled optimism about technology of the early-mid 90s was very real and very addicting. Having been around from then until now and seeing what's happening to the internet and open source software is extremely demoralizing.

The Internet is self-explanatory, but what's happened to open source software?

Rugpulls. Companies building off the backs of a community and then trying to form a moat and force you to pay a toll.
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