Write A Stellar Resume As A Software Engineer [Part 5] - Resume Gaps

Having an employment gap is effectively inevitable as a software engineer, especially in a layoff-economy. This leads to resume gaps, which unfortunately have a lot of stigma. This lesson teaches you:

- Why employers (rightfully) hold resume gaps against you
- How to include your resume gap on your resume
- What to do in common resume gap scenarios if a company probes you about it during an interview

If you have recently been laid-off, you can check these out as well: [\[Taro Top 10\] Navigating Tech Industry Layoffs](https://www.jointaro.com/playlist/pE7pP0nXDx4X7mOChzHS/)

Asking For A Promotion: The Wrong Way vs. The Right Way

We all want more money and a higher title. However, it's important to remember that it's not your engineering manager's primary goal to give you those things. When it comes to the promotion discussion, it's crucial to frame it in a mutually beneficial way.

Here are the core points from the video:
- **Do not**: Frame promotion as something that you inherently deserve from being on the team for a while, making the entire conversation seem like an exercise purely for *your* benefit.
- **Do**: Show your loyalty to the team and make it clear that investing into your growth and promotion is mutually beneficial. Your goal is to have more impact and empower the team - The money and title are more of a secondary benefit you'll happen to achieve along the way.

Related resources:
- [[Taro Top 10] Software Engineer To Engineering Manager (IC -> M Track)](https://www.jointaro.com/playlist/oz0mnJvHHgM8NfVF7rgp/)
- [[Masterclass] What Software Engineers Should Look For In Their Engineering Manager](https://www.jointaro.com/lesson/oeY7ncZhzJ5NO6dij5e7/masterclass-what-software-engineers-should-look-for-in-their-engineering-manager/)
- [[Taro Top 10] Getting Promoted Faster In Tech](https://www.jointaro.com/playlist/eZOEUatYEe7BBAZByuha/)

3 Quick, Powerful Negotiation Tips

Negotiating pay can feel intimidating, but it’s one of the highest-leverage actions you can take in your career. These strategies highlight how to be persuasive, respectful, and ultimately successful in maximizing your offer.

- **Be kind but firm**: It’s possible—and important—to express appreciation for the opportunity while making clear that thoughtful evaluation and proper compensation are needed to make a long-term commitment.
- **Avoid real-time pressure**: Recruiters gain valuable insights over phone calls. To reduce information asymmetry, favor email, where you can be thoughtful and deliberate. Delay commitment by saying you’ll consider it or need to speak with someone.
- **Use neutral language**: Phrases like “That’s interesting” help you remain agreeable without showing your hand. Avoid affirming too positively during negotiations to preserve leverage.
- **Commit only at the end**: Only offer verbal commitments once the negotiation reaches final stages. At this point, you can say something like, “If you can meet $X in signing bonus or equity, I’ll sign tomorrow.” This gives the recruiter a clear target and a sense of closure.
- **Respect your word**: When making such final commitments, be sincere and only offer them if you’re truly ready to accept. This maintains credibility and professionalism.

15 SWE Years In 1.5 Hours [Part 3] - Writing Good Code

With the rise of helpful online resources like StackOverflow and especially genAI tools like ChatGPT, learning to write code is now easier to ever. Where engineers earn their stripes (and the right to be paid $100k+ per year) is with their *code quality*. This lesson teaches you:

- The only true way to learn how to write good code
- Why copy-pasting what FAANG engineers do isn't a shortcut to writing good code
- How to objectively measure the quality of your code

To dive deeper into code quality, take our course here: [Level Up Your Code Quality As A Software Engineer](https://www.jointaro.com/course/level-up-your-code-quality-as-a-software-engineer/)

Thank People (A Lot!)

Properly thanking people is how you build social capital. Social capital is how you advance your career, build influence, and get promoted.

**Noob way of saying thank you**: "Thanks for the pointer" ❌

**Better way of saying thank you**: "That was so helpful, you unblocked a critical milestone of this project" ✅

Some other tips: 

- Thank them  in-person or over a call
- Write a heartfelt thank you note (1 paragraph)
- Let their manager know
- Thank in public forums
- Give them recurring thanks, e.g. in standup, at the team meeting, and when the project finishes

PIPs and Interviews: The Ultimate Guide To Navigating A PIP

The PIP is as big a deal as you make it out to be. This is the key insight as you interview at other companies: **Don’t share information** **that hurts you.** 

In the same way that you wouldn’t share your previous salary or your compensation expeditions in the interview, you also shouldn’t share past performance struggles. You don’t get points for transparency. The thinking should be that you only share information if it helps you with the job interview. In particular, you should *never mention that you got PIP-ed*.

Instead, use neutral phrasing like “*I’m super excited about this company. I deeply resonate with the mission and people.*” Or *“The previous role wasn’t a good fit”*

Failure Mode: Fake Learning

*Fake learning* is when an engineer wants feels good by consuming an endless barrage of:

- Tutorials
- Books
- Blogs

These resources (crutches) are addicting because it's easy to monitor progress (40% done with the book!), but they turn out to be terrible for you to retain anything.

Software engineering is about action, not theory. Your goal is to reduce the amount of time from reading about a concept to putting it into practice in front of the computer. This is usually best done within the company, not on a greenfield project or external book you found. Get your hands on the keyboard, and realize that growth comes from discomfort.

Master The Behavioral Interview [Part 8] - Timing

Behavioral interviews are intense, containing more questions than every other interview type. This greatly affects how you need to talk to pass these rounds as a software engineer. This lesson teaches you:

- Why behavioral interviews are a marathon
- How long you should take per behavioral interview answer
- Tactics you can use to communicate more efficiently

For more advice on communicating concisely: ["How to make communication succinct and more impactful?"](https://www.jointaro.com/question/QDLV5owweJveRLlspOdc/how-to-make-communication-succinct-and-more-impactful/)

Level Up Your Code Quality As A Software Engineer [Part 20] - Code Comment Caches

Code comments can be immensely helpful, but they can be incredibly damaging to a codebase if used incorrectly (which this course will cover even more later on down the line). This lesson will teach you:

- Why engineers will try the very weird "code comment cache" anti-pattern
- The important of Git, GitHub, and version control platforms in general
- How to not be lazy and properly deal with code that isn't necessary now but may be useful later

The Power Of Big Tech: Meta Interns Can Get $100k+ Signing Bonuses

Compensation is not talked about enough, leading to huge differences in awareness and feedback for different groups of people. This is a snippet from the full masterclass session about [Understanding And Optimizing Your Pay In Tech](https://www.jointaro.com/lesson/gk408yBIV2fa5RjVR213/masterclass-understanding-and-optimizing-your-pay-in-tech/).

Some companies offer massive signing bonuses for interns that convert over to full-time. In the early 2010s, Facebook (not Meta) paid return interns a $75,000 signing bonus. For top interns (or those who negotiated), they received a $125,000 signing bonus.

For a new grad engineer who might be 21 or 22 years old, **this is a huge amount of money**. It can be difficult to turn that down. But the more important consideration is the overall total compensation (TC) calculation. Total compensation should be computed over a 4 year window since companies typically give out equity grants over 4 years.

For Rahul's full compensation breakdown of the 5 offers he received as a new grad, watch this video: [5 Offers w/ FAANG Companies As A New Grad: Details + Lessons](https://www.jointaro.com/lesson/4MBOiqWEMbCTCcLPjisz/5-offers-w-faang-companies-as-a-new-grad-details-lessons/)

Ask For Specific Feedback

Key to learning quickly is getting effective feedback. This is especially important while onboarding, so you are able to course correct rapidly. Instead of asking the lazy question "Do you have any feedback for me?" add structure around the question: 

- **Task-specific** - what’s one thing that would have made this stronger?
- **Behavioral** - what’s something I do well that I should do more of?
- **Meta-level** - what’s the best way for us to share feedback with one another

Once you've been working with someone for a few weeks, schedule a dedicated 1:1 for feedback and let them know you'd love their honest opinion.

20 Years Of Fighting Procrastination [Part 4] - The Most Important Productivity Tip Nobody Follows

Productivity isn't just about doing things faster - That’s only half the story. Here are the core points from the lesson:

- Productivity isn't just about efficiency, it's about working efficiently on *important* tasks that actually move the needle
- Prioritization requires painful trade-offs—you must let go of low-impact activities even if they're easy, fun, or popular
- Define your personal values and consciously deprioritize areas that don’t align with them, like staying updated on politics or reading a book a week
- A simple yet powerful framework for teams is evaluating tasks based on impact and time required, then prioritizing high-impact, low-time work first

DSA Crash Course [Part 23] - Linked List Warm Up Lecture

In this lecture, Alvin goes over how to implement a linked list in python.

If you need additional support taking these DSA skills and actually applying them, take [**Alvin's**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvin-zablan-b73a92117/) *complete* data structures and algorithms course on [**Structy**](https://structy.net/?utm_source=taro). You can try out the concepts yourself in their interactive code editor and learn advanced DSA patterns like stack exhaustive recursion.

Use [**this link to get 20% off**](https://structy.net/purchase?promo_code=taro20) the entire Structy DSA learning experience.

Follow Alvin on LinkedIn: <https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvin-zablan-b73a92117/>

Engineer Your Ideal Tech Career [Part 12] - Mitali Gala: Choosing The Engineering Manager Route

Next, [Mitali Gala](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitali-gala) (a Mentor at Formation) discusses her decision to charge forward as an Engineering Manager and what that entails for her day-to-day work.

She reflects on some of the challenges, some of the highlights, why she is passionate about this work, and who it would be a good fit for.

Looking for mentorship from tech’s top engineers like Mitali + personalized job hunt assistance and interview prep? [Formation.dev](http://Formation.dev) can provide you unlimited career coaching, technical mentorship, personalized practice, and mock interviews. Join us here: <https://formation.dev/partners/taro>

Worksheet: [Formation - Coding Your Career](https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/tech-career-growth.appspot.com/o/courses%2Fslides%2FFormation%20Career%20Direction%20Worksheet.pdf?alt=media&token=f6344b78-529a-411e-a449-7a34a8d55fc8)

[Case Study] Building XFN Alignment Across Multiple Orgs (w/ Staff Engineer Cat Chen)

[Cat Chen](https://catchen.me/) talked about his success building alignment across multiple orgs. 

Cat was working at Facebook as a Staff Engineer on the growth team. His charter to get the Android apps on app stores beyond the Play Store. (There were 10+ non-Google stores where Android apps get downloaded with some level of traffic.

Getting an app listed on a 3rd-party platform is simple – sign up as a developer on that platform; upload the Android app for review; wait for approval and launch it. Just as simple as publishing to Google Play.

**BUT it's not that simple at a company like Facebook.** Facebook lawyers wouldn’t allow Cat to accept the Terms of Service on behalf of Facebook the company. Cat didn’t have the privilege to bind Facebook into this contract and even if he did, the lawyers would certainly advise against that.

Instead of simply handing this problem to another person or org, Cat met with a director-level lawyer. Given he was on a different time zone, and in a different job function altogether, this took some legwork. The director explained the risk profile (Facebook could have unlimited downside by blindly accepting an agreement). Eventually Cat discovered a workable solution by using a contracting company to sign the legal agreement, which limits the damages that Facebook may face.

Impact of this work: 
- Successful launch of the existing Android apps
- Ability to launch other apps in the future
- Deep and positive relationship with the legal team, and Cat owned that relationship (which made him indispensable)
- **Almost zero lines of code written!**

[Connect with Cat](https://www.linkedin.com/in/catchen/)

For more resources on how to communicate, build alignment, and operate as a Staff Engineer:
- ["How do I sell the vision behind a large, org-level project?"](https://link.jointaro.com/NGCrB2ifkkpDaDe69)
- ["What's the Difference Between A Senior And Staff Engineer?"](https://link.jointaro.com/BEM2RAjPFe8Pv7826)
- [Guide to Effective Communication](https://link.jointaro.com/mP3WEd4zt5ecnupX6)

Bad Question vs. Good Question Example

Is the following a good question: What are the best open-source projects to work on?

"What are the best open-source projects to work on?" - How can the asker improve this question?

Is the following a good question: Any Java developers here who have worked on ML?

"Any Java developers here who have worked on ML?" - Why is this not a good question?

Is the following a good question: Does anybody know what the front-end engineering interview for Amazon looks like?

"Does anybody know what the front-end engineering interview for Amazon looks like?" - How can the asker improve this question?

Is the following a good question: Can someone recommend me resources for blockchain development?

"Can someone recommend me resources for blockchain development?" - How can the asker improve this question?

Is the following a good question: Is there anybody here who can refer me into FAANG?

"Is there anybody here who can refer me into FAANG?" - Why is this not a good question?

Asking questions is one of the most important skills for an engineer: However, so many engineers struggle with this and ask questions that are bad at getting answers. This is all even more important in the age of AI with tools like ChatGPT.

This video covers an in-depth example of a bad questions vs. a good question:

### Bad Question
*"I'm trying to load an image in my Android app, and it shows up blank. Any ideas on what's going on here?"*

Here's why this question falls short:
- It feels lazy as the asker doesn't share what they have tried already - Did they even do a Google search?
- There's no context on why they're trying to get an image to load - The impact of helping this person is unclear.
- There is 0 relevant code attached: This question forces potential helpers to ask a lot of follow-up questions to give advice.

## Good Question
The upgraded question is too long (check the video to see it), so here are the core points as to why it's better:
- The user attached everything they have tried.
- There's links to additional context if helpers reading the question want to dive deeper - Keep in mind that they're not embedded directly within the question as huge code blocks can be overwhelming.
- In general, it's very obvious that the asker put a lot of effort into the question and is respectful of everyone's time.

Related resources:
- [[Masterclass] How To Learn Quickly In Tech](https://www.jointaro.com/lesson/u9ldIvrTvV1wfWExccDR/masterclass-how-to-learn-quickly-in-tech/) - The full video where this clip was taken from
- ["How do you overcome the fear of asking stupid questions / bothering people when you need help?"](https://www.jointaro.com/question/vNE8kgpx2zdI1wACg9jA/how-do-you-overcome-the-fear-of-asking-stupid-questions-bothering-people-when-you-need-help/)
- [[Case Study] How Engineers Unlock Huge Impact With Artificial Intelligence (AI)](https://www.jointaro.com/lesson/gTQZbv0lmmypLPytqw5g/case-study-how-engineers-unlock-huge-impact-with-artificial-intelligence-ai/)

Maximize Your Productivity As A Software Engineer [Part 12] - Just 1 Thing

As a software engineer, it is incredibly easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer amount of tasks on your plate. This lesson teaches you:

- What you need to do every single day to give yourself the gift of focus and be productive
- What to do if you absolutely need to get multiple major tasks done in a day
- How to enforce your focus on your singular task by systematizing it

Ace Your Tech Interview As A Software Engineer [Part 11] - Struggling? Send More Applications

One of the most common reasons for a struggling software engineer job search is that they simply aren't applying enough. The good news is that this can be easily fixed with the proper behavior adjustments. This lesson teaches you:

- How you can conquer the job search with sheer math
- A healthy conversion rate for application -&gt; interview chance
- Why you should almost never spend too much time on any individual application (quantity &gt; quality)
- The framework to follow on whether you should apply a ton or apply more selectively

Here are the Big 2 job searching websites:

- <https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/>
- <https://wellfound.com/>

On top of the Big 2, we've seen engineers have success with:

- <https://otta.com/>
- <https://www.workatastartup.com/> - Jobs at Y Combinator startups specifically, the greatest incubator in the world which is behind Stripe, DoorDash, Airbnb, and many more FAANG-adjacent companies

Maximize Your Equity And Benefits In Tech [Part 2] - The Big Picture

Equity compensation can be a powerful but complex part of your total rewards in tech. Here are the core points from the lesson:

- Startup equity is high risk, with data showing over 60% of startups from 2018 have already shut down, and only a tiny fraction have reached IPO or unicorn status
- Multiple cognitive biases—like endowment effect, loss aversion, and optimism bias—can cloud judgment and lead to poor decisions about holding or selling stock
- Emotional and social factors, such as FOMO, herding behavior, and recency bias, often push people to mirror peers rather than make rational equity decisions
- Selling strategies can range from immediate liquidation to goal-based triggers (e.g., home down payment), percentage-based sales, or predefined holding periods
- It's crucial to plan ahead, especially around liquidity events, and work with financial professionals to optimize tax implications and align decisions with personal goals

Next steps with Andy:

- [Connect with Andy on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andymoranio)
- [Leave feedback and/or sign up for Andy’s newsletter](https://subscribepage.io/taroequitycourse)
- [Schedule a consultation](http://adastrafp.com/contact-us/)

Figuring Out The Best Company To Join As A Software Engineer

- **Follow The Talent You Know**
  - One of the best things about the tech industry is how full it is of extremely talented people, and you probably know some of them. In particular focus on those who are both talented and have a strong degree of integrity.
  - For the people you truly respect in your network, you should seriously consider the companies they go to as options. After all, if a company met the bar of these great people, it's probably pretty good!
- **Understand A Company's Strengths And Match Against Them**
  - Different companies have different core cultural values, and it's really important for your values and theirs to align. When this alignment isn't there, it's far too easy to go somewhere, work very hard, and not achieve much impact or career growth.
  - Examples: Amazon's leadership principles, Netflix's emphasis on freedom and responsibility
  - To find out what the culture is like at other companies, consult your network and [ask within the Taro Premium community](https://www.jointaro.com/membership/)!

Related resources:

- [\[Masterclass\] How To Choose A Good Company And Team As A Software Engineer](https://www.jointaro.com/lesson/0WEmTNZOMIh8xAdfO3JH/masterclass-how-to-choose-a-good-company-and-team-as-a-software-engineer/)
- ["What's the best way to think about a team switch?"](https://www.jointaro.com/question/NwXACx0n3JniBETi3f1E/whats-the-best-way-to-think-about-a-team-switch/)
- ["What questions can I ask a potential new team?"](https://www.jointaro.com/question/dLS6KcDwKNdMDlJwYdBw/what-questions-can-i-ask-a-potential-new-team/)

Tech Career Growth Videos

Our instructional videos provide software engineers with insights needed for career growth. Masterclasses go incredibly in-depth on a specific tech topic while case studies are real examples from established engineering leaders.