Level self-assessments
You can't get to where you're going if you don't know where you are! Read on to learn how to use level self-assessments to figure out if you're ready for promotion, and what this information is good for…
What's your manager bus factor?
Imagine you're due for a big promotion or a raise, when suddenly you get a new manager. Will you still get that promotion? It's your career, so it should be in your control no matter who your manager is. Keep your career on track with a few basic tools…
No promotion? No problem.
Yes, promotions offer more money and prestige, and signal to everyone how much you've grown. But if those are the things you're really after then getting passed over for promotion isn't the end of the world. Your manager can still help you get what you want…
My 1-on-1 starter prompts
When I had my first 1-on-1s with a manager, I didn't know what to talk about. We'd talk about status updates and random life things but it didn't feel productive. Here are the topics I recommend to my direct reports so we get the most value out of our 1-on-1s.…
Managers should ask for feedback
I've lost trust in my manager before. It sucks! At the root of this broken relationship was a certainty that if I told him about the problems I was having with him, I'd suffer for it. So I held it in, our relationship spiraled, and we both missed out…
How sponsorship can supercharge your career
If you feel like your career growth is stalling, you might be lacking one often-overlooked ingredient: sponsorship. When a manager sponsors you for a challenging role or task, they put their rep on the line for you. Done right, this can set you up for the next stage in your career…
Resume advice for engineers
Sprucing up your resume? As a people manager and before that, a technical lead, I've gone through piles of resumes and developed my own resume-screening process. Here's my approach, broken down into how I believe it translates into successful hires and how you can use it to improve your job-hunt…