Podcast Summary
Work Ethic, Mentorship, Career Growth: A strong work ethic, listening to valuable resources, having a supportive mentor, advocating for yourself, and seeking out mentors can lead to rapid career growth, even in large institutions.
Having a strong work ethic, listening to valuable resources like podcasts, and having a supportive mentor can lead to rapid career growth, even in large institutions. Jerry Lee, a job market expert and former Google analyst, credits his quick promotions to these factors, as well as his upbringing in a first-generation low-income household where hard work was instilled in him. For those dealing with imposter syndrome or feeling doubted due to age, Jerry suggests being proactive, advocating for yourself and your work, and seeking out mentors who can help guide and advocate for you. These strategies, combined with a strong work ethic, can help individuals overcome doubts and achieve their career goals.
Actions over words: In a professional setting, demonstrating involvement in important projects and addressing issues builds reputation and advances careers, even for those without top university degrees. Initiative and idea sharing through product proposals can help stand out from competition.
Actions speak louder than words, especially in a professional setting. This was a key lesson for the speaker, who learned that involvement in important projects and identifying and addressing issues were essential for building a reputation and advancing in their career. For those looking to break into big tech companies despite not attending top universities, the speaker recommends applying but also reaching out to hiring managers and sharing ideas through a product proposal. By taking the initiative and showcasing their thoughts and actions, they can stand out from the competition.
Website building, Compensation in tech industry: Building a website is an affordable way to showcase skills, websites cost under $1k, can present work professionally. Tech industry offers high compensation, $450k-$500k/yr for 5yr exp software engineer, including bonuses and equity.
Building a website is an affordable and effective way to showcase your skills and ideas, even without attending Ivy League schools. Websites can cost under a thousand dollars and can help you present your work in a professional and visually appealing manner. In terms of compensation, the tech industry offers various components in a typical salary structure. These include signing bonuses, salary, cash bonuses, and equity. For someone with five years of experience in software engineering, the first-year compensation could range from $450,000 to $500,000, with signing bonuses ranging from $25,000 to $75,000 and salaries ranging from $150,000 to $200,000. Equity and cash bonuses can significantly increase the total compensation. To build connections and potentially secure referrals, LinkedIn is a valuable tool. Utilizing LinkedIn effectively involves creating a strong profile, engaging with content, and networking with others in your industry. By growing your LinkedIn following, you can expand your network and increase your chances of being noticed by potential employers or industry professionals.
LinkedIn growth: Sharing personal experiences, especially failures and learnings, can help build a connection with your audience on LinkedIn, leading to opportunities for monetization and potential influence.
Authenticity and consistency are key to growing on LinkedIn. Sharing personal experiences, especially failures and learnings, can help build a connection with your audience. It may take time to see significant growth, but staying consistent in your posting can lead to opportunities for monetization, such as driving app user acquisition, brand partnerships, and even being hired by the platform itself. By staying true to your values and providing value to the LinkedIn community, you can differentiate yourself and potentially become a influential figure on the platform.
Job search resources and advice: The company offers free resources and personalized assistance for job seekers, aiming to expand and improve their service engagement model with customized feedback systems.
The company provides free job search resources and advice to help individuals navigate the job market, recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. They offer a variety of recommendations for resume building and interview preparation to cater to different needs. For those seeking more personalized assistance, the company offers a paid service where a team of recruiters and hiring professionals work with clients on every step of the job search process. The company aims to expand and improve its service engagement model, with plans to build products and launch customized feedback systems for job applicants, ultimately making institutional knowledge less necessary for creating effective resumes and acing interviews. Currently, the team consists of full-time and part-time employees and contractors, all passionate about the job search process.
Tech Industry Compensation: Use resources like Levelled Up FYI to identify accurate salary ranges for specific tech roles based on level, location, and job title. Focus on applying to jobs that are a good fit and where you have a strong chance of getting hired.
Understanding compensation in the tech industry can be a challenge, but resources like Levelled Up FYI can help. This website allows users to filter by level, location, and job title to identify accurate salary ranges for specific roles. The speaker also believes that tech hiring will continue to be in demand, even during economic downturns. Companies like Zoom and Shopify have continued to hire during market turns, and focusing on these companies could lead to more job opportunities. Regarding career advice, the speaker disagrees with the notion of applying to as many jobs as possible. Instead, it's more effective to focus efforts on applying to jobs that are a good fit and where you have a strong chance of getting hired.
Job Applications and Interviews: Be specific, targeted, and data-driven during applications and interviews. Demonstrate self-awareness, ask thoughtful questions, and be honest to leave a lasting impression.
When it comes to job applications and interviews, being specific, targeted, and data-driven can make a significant difference. During the application process, focusing on quantifiable achievements instead of vague descriptions is essential. At interviews, asking thoughtful questions and demonstrating self-awareness can leave a lasting impression. The interviewer appreciated questions that require introspection and show the candidate's ability to think critically. Regarding common interview questions, such as the "what's your biggest weakness?" question, being honest and demonstrating a willingness to learn and improve is crucial. Overall, being intentional and authentic in job applications and interviews can help set candidates apart from the competition.
LinkedIn titles and skills: Be precise and specific with LinkedIn titles and skills to effectively showcase your brand and expertise. Use your title as an elevator pitch and clearly list specific skills and experience. Target recruiters through LinkedIn for a better chance of standing out.
Being precise and specific about your titles and skills on your LinkedIn profile is crucial for effectively showcasing your brand and expertise to potential employers. Most people make the mistake of listing multiple titles on the same line, which can confuse recruiters and make it difficult for them to understand your unique value proposition. Instead, use your title as your elevator pitch and be clear about the specific skills and experience you bring to the table. Additionally, targeting your outreach to the right recruiters through platforms like LinkedIn can help you stand out from the competition and potentially bypass the application process altogether. Remember, recruiters receive countless messages and applications, so being hyper-targeted and specific in your approach can make a big difference. Finally, if you're unsure of how to find targeted recruiters, try using LinkedIn's search bar and filters to narrow down your search and connect with the right people.
Career advancement, self-rejection: Consider the best-case scenario when applying for jobs or asking for promotions instead of focusing on potential rejection. Self-rejection may be a result of the system rather than an individual's worth.
Learning from this discussion with Jerry Lee is the importance of not self-rejecting in your career advancement. Jerry shared how applying to Google on a whim led to a life-changing opportunity for him. He encourages everyone to consider the best-case scenario when considering applying for jobs or asking for promotions, rather than focusing on potential rejection. Jerry also emphasized that the process is designed for rejection, and that self-rejection may be a result of the system rather than an individual's worth. Additionally, Jerry and his team at Wantzulting are working towards creating a one-stop shop for career needs, prioritizing the advocacy for job seekers in their partnerships with recruiting firms. To learn more about Jerry and Wantzulting, visit wantzulting.com.
Jerry, One Salt Sea: Jerry and One Salt Sea are valuable resources for software development and programming, offering expertise, answers to common questions, and emphasizing the importance of community and knowledge-sharing in the tech industry
Jerry and One Salt Sea are valuable resources for those interested in the world of software development and programming. Jerry's expertise and willingness to help make him an excellent person to reach out to with any questions. One Salt Sea's TikTok account is an engaging and informative follow, providing valuable insights and answers to common programming questions. Overall, the collaboration between Jerry and One Salt Sea showcases the importance of community and knowledge-sharing in the tech industry. It was a pleasure having Jerry on the show, and we encourage everyone to follow One Salt Sea and reach out to Jerry with any programming queries.