Section 1.1: Prioritize High-Impact Work

In large tech firms, you'll often encounter numerous competing priorities. Various stakeholders will demand your attention, and everything seems urgent. Attempting to tackle everything leads to mediocre outcomes and potential burnout.

To succeed, you must identify which tasks are crucial. Understanding the business value of each request is key. As discussed in an article by Zachary Raicik, aligning your projects with the company's strategic goals can provide clarity.

Although you might not always have control over your assigned tasks, this framework can help you prioritize effectively. A simple way to evaluate a task's significance is to ask, "Will this impact the metrics we care about?" If the answer is yes, that’s where your focus should be. If not, consider applying the Eisenhower Matrix to reassess your priorities.

Section 1.2: The Importance of Documenting Achievements

A common misconception in the workplace is that good work will naturally get noticed. In reality, effective communication is crucial. Your accomplishments need to be highlighted, similar to how a successful product is marketed.

You are your own best advocate. Regardless of how uncomfortable it may feel, you must share your successes.

One effective method for tracking your achievements is a "brag document," a concept I learned from Steve Huynh, a former Principal Software Engineer at Amazon. This is simply a running list of your career milestones. Recording your successes immediately after they occur ensures you won't forget them by the time performance reviews come around.

For example, in July 2020, I created a driver churn prediction model for certain APAC regions with 80% accuracy. This initiative helped identify potential churners and led to a 7% reduction in churn by enabling targeted offers.

Our team also organized quarterly showcases to present our projects to various stakeholders. While some viewed this as an additional burden, I saw it as an invaluable chance to display my work and build relationships with key decision-makers.

Section 2.1: Understanding the Role of Mentors and Sponsors

The decision to promote you primarily lies with your manager, making a strong relationship with them essential. However, other individuals can also play a significant role in your career advancement—namely, your mentors and sponsors.

A mentor offers guidance and feedback, while a sponsor actively champions your career. The latter is particularly crucial for your advancement.

To find a sponsor, consider these approaches:

• Work Hard and Get Noticed: Apply the principles from the previous section to increase your visibility.
• Identify Supporters: Seek out individuals who recognize and appreciate your contributions.
• Build Trust: Provide value to your supporters before requesting their assistance.
• Communicate Openly: Be transparent about your career aspirations and ask for their guidance.

Finding individuals willing to advocate for you can be transformative. Many people derive joy from helping others succeed, and I personally enjoy supporting those who are deserving of advancement.

Success in your career often requires more than hard work; it demands strategic thinking about how and when to channel your efforts. These techniques have greatly accelerated my career growth, and I hope they prove beneficial for your journey as well.

In this video, "Who Decides Hiring Level + Promotion for Engineers in Big Tech?" @mrgergelyorosz discusses the intricacies of promotion decisions in major tech companies.