Grow From Junior To Mid-Level Engineer [Part 8] - Debugging

When it comes to software, there will always be bugs. What many realizes don't realize is that your attitude towards bugs is a huge marker of your seniority. This lesson teaches you:

- Why junior engineers usually don't get assigned bugs
- The differences between junior engineers and mid-level engineers when it comes to bugs
- How to evaluate bug complexity overall
- What a mid-level engineer bug looks like vs. a junior engineer bug

Improve your debugging ability with our masterclass: [\[Masterclass\] How To Become A Debugging Master And Fix Issues Faster](https://www.jointaro.com/lesson/ioR6WzamAIUTpySLAr7o/masterclass-how-to-become-a-debugging-master-and-fix-issues-faster/)

[Timeless Career Advice] Junior to Senior Engineer (And Beyond)

Congratulations, you made it to the end of the course, **Timeless Career Advice for Software Engineers**!

Bonus documents available to you: 

- [Timeless Advice for SWE Careers \[Cheat Sheet\]](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gzvPMib9IM1yRdz7qiTIKtcEZFIF0GyQ/view?usp=drive_link)
- [Promotion Guide \[Cheat Sheet\]](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d8tq9EEL7ZeXKMMf4SFC9zjrOZT7-0nc/view?usp=drive_link)
- [Louie's Income Progression in Tech](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OKtp67v8V0k52GXnQ9yYsn2n-0zb7dIQ/view?usp=drive_link)

Connect with Louie:

- SmallBets community: [**https://smallbets.com/?utm_source=taro**](https://smallbets.com/?utm_source=taro)
- Twitter: [**https://twitter.com/LBacaj**](https://twitter.com/LBacaj)
- Newsletter: [**https://newsletter.memesmotivations.com/**](https://newsletter.memesmotivations.com/)

Feel free to share any feedback on this course with us at [**team@jointaro.com**](mailto:team@jointaro.com).

Share + get support on the Taro forum: [**joinTaro.com/questions/create/**](http://joinTaro.com/questions/create/)

Clear Communication For SWEs [Part 7] - The PREP Method

In this video, I delve into the Prep Method, a framework that simplifies communication by structuring messages into four key components: Point, Reason, Example, and Restate. I explain how each element contributes to clear and concise communication, making it ideal for software engineers and various communication scenarios.

Connect with me on LinkedIn: <https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-wiens/>

Negotiation Course: When Should You Negotiate? And When Should You Not?

Negotiation makes the most sense for "high-leverage jobs" like software engineering or most other jobs in tech. An example of a low-leverage job would be to stock shelves in a grocery store or drive a taxi in NYC. The difference between the best and average worker in those fields is not that large. But in engineering, the difference in output for the best vs the average can easily be 10x or 100x.

Within the high-leverage category, there are jobs that have many comparable data points (e.g., junior or mid-level engineer) and those that are bespoke because they're rare/senior at the company, e.g., executive level or senior engineering leads.

Negotiation makes less sense for jobs that are purely stepping stones, or those that are time-bound. The classic example here is for internships. A good litmus test is if you know anyone who has ever negotiated that offer, e.g. no one at Stanford ever negotiated the summer research pay.

Finally, negotiation does not make sense if you already accepted the offer at a lower number.

Nail Your Promotion As A Software Engineer [Part 22] - The Project Credit Formula

You have been given your projects for the performance review cycle, and they're okay but not amazing. How can you make the most of this opportunity and cobble together a case for promotion? This lesson teaches you:

- The definition of scope, another tech term that is commonly thrown around but horribly misunderstood
- The overall formula to determine how much credit you get for a project
- How to be creative and get the most credit from every project you work on
- How projects of a certain scope can either by increased by 1 level or decreased by 1 level

"Why is Taro named Taro?" - 9/13/2022

- Here are the 3 main constraints we had on a name:
  - It should be short (4-8 characters).
  - There should be a good domain for it, ideally a ".com" website URL.
  - It should have positive associations.
- The reason it took 3 months to find a name for our product and company after we quit our jobs is because we spend the first 3 months thinking about what idea we wanted to do.
- "Tech Career Growth" is a wonderful name for our free community, but it's not a great product name as it's too long and too literal.
- We took ~3 weeks to decide on a name. Here was our process:
  - Come up with guiding principles for the name (covered above)
  - Brainstorm a bunch of names (100+)
  - Narrow it down to ~8 based on the above principles
  - Make a deck with the final candidates, weighing pros and cons
  - Have a couple rounds of discussion/debate to pick 1 name
- You can think of "Taro" as a similar play to "Apple". Doesn't really describe what the product is, but it's a food with positive associations and a short name.
- The logo is a "T" and has additional symbolism by looking like roads. Our goal with Taro is to help you **navigate** your career!

Good Engineering Managers Simply Care

- A good manager understands that if your personal life isn't going well, your work performance will almost certainly be negatively affected.
- This is why good EMs genuinely care about how you're doing as a person.
  - In 1:1s, they will always listen intently.
  - If you're not doing well, they will allocate extra time to help you figure things out and just to be there to support you.

Related resources:
- ["What's the boundary between what's okay to share with your manager vs. what's not? Are some things simply too deep?"](https://www.jointaro.com/question/3L4B8iqM7D5GYsYy6xWx/whats-the-boundary-between-whats-okay-to-share-with-your-manager-vs-whats-not-are-some-things-simply-too-deep/)
- [1 on 1s Are The Time To Be Awkward](https://www.jointaro.com/lesson/xjeFRpp5YHxG9TTK8wjn/1-on-1s-are-the-time-to-be-awkward/?revalidate=true)

15 SWE Years In 1.5 Hours [Part 19] - Work-Life Balance

We work to live, not live to work. Unfortunately, it can be very tricky living that reality, especially in the post-layoffs age of 2023 and onward. This lesson teaches you:

- Why your work-life balance isn't purely dictated by the company you work for
- Which factors you can adjust to facilitate work-life balance
- A healthy way to prevent yourself from sabotaging your own work-life balance

Master The DSA Interview [Part 28] - Don't Forget: Other Interview Types Exist

Data structures and algorithms are a core part of the software engineering interview loop, but it's important to remember that there are other critical interview types as well, including for FAANG. This lesson teaches you:

- How many engineers who completely fail their Big Tech interview actually did well on the data structures and algorithms portion, wasting all of their LeetCode grind
- How the amount of time you spend on data structures and algorithms preparation will vary based on the types of interviews you have
- How the amount of time you spend on data structures and algorithms preparation will vary based on your level
- General attributes to use to calculate the amount of time you need to allocate to data structures and algorithms

Please ask your recruiter what's going to be on your interviews. Don't be afraid to be a bit aggressive and don't be shy. Follow the advice here: <https://www.jointaro.com/course/ace-your-tech-interview-and-get-a-job-as-a-software-engineer/talk-to-your-recruiter/>

Master the behavioral interview with this course: [Master The Behavioral Interview As A Software Engineer](https://www.jointaro.com/course/master-the-behavioral-interview-as-a-software-engineer/)

Master the system design interview with this course: [The Top Ways People Fail System Design Interviews](https://www.jointaro.com/course/the-top-ways-people-fail-system-design-interviews/)

ESPP Explainer With Tips On How To Navigate It

This section explains the **Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)**, a more traditional and common form of stock-based compensation compared to RSUs. ESPPs are typically found at companies outside the top-tier tech firms and offer employees a way to invest in their employer's stock at a discount.

- **What ESPP Is:** ESPP allows employees to purchase company stock at a discounted rate—usually 10% to 15% off the market price—using a portion of their base salary.
- **How It Works:** Employees allocate up to 10% of their salary into a fund, which is periodically used to buy company shares. Unlike RSUs, employees pay to acquire the shares.
- **Tax Implications:** The discount is considered taxable income because it's effectively a financial gain (e.g., buying $100 stock for $85 means $15 in taxable benefit).
- **Differences from RSUs:** RSUs grant a fixed number of shares, regardless of stock price fluctuations, while ESPP is tied to monetary investment and stock price dynamics, often using an average price over time.
- **General Advice:** Though the gains may be smaller and the system slightly more complex, ESPP is considered “free money” and is worth maximizing when financially feasible.

Overcome Career Stagnation (5 Common Scenarios)

**This session dives into the steps you can take to get unstuck and get back to growing your career in a meaningful way.**

Overcoming career stagnation is a complex problem and a primary reason behind job dissatisfaction and burnout.

We often hear stories of people leaving their jobs due to a toxic environment or lack of compensation. However, it’s often due to a lack of meaningful growth, especially amongst ambitious, top performers.

There’s more in our control than we think. Sometimes, we just need to know what options we have at our disposal.

For a deeper dive into this topic, [Casey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseydai/) is teaching a course starting mid-January: [**Operate Like An Engineering Leader**](https://www.jointaro.com/event/operate-like-an-engineering-leader-cohort-based-course/)

Amazon Case Study: Detail Pages

In this lesson, we apply everything we've learned about input metrics by walking through a real-world case from Amazon—how we evolved our **selection metric** to better align with customer needs. This story illustrates the complexity, rigor, and iteration involved in making metrics truly actionable and impactful.

### Key Takeaways:

- **We started by identifying strategic input metrics**: Inspired by Amazon’s **growth flywheel**, we identified controllable levers—like low prices, broad selection, and fast delivery—that directly improved the customer experience and fueled long-term growth.
- **We didn’t wait for perfect metrics to begin**: We initially used simple metrics like the number of product detail pages to represent selection, even if they were imperfect. Early measurement got teams moving in the right direction.
- **We learned through missteps**: Our first metric for selection encouraged teams to add lots of SKUs—regardless of demand. Sales didn’t grow, and excess inventory piled up. This forced us to iterate.
- **We refined our metric to reflect actual customer experience**: Over time, we evolved to more nuanced metrics like **detail page views for in-stock items**, and ultimately to **Demand-Weighted Coverage FastTrack In-Stock Percentage (DWC FT %)**—a metric that captured whether customers could *find*, *want*, and *get* an item quickly.
- **We aligned goals with customer value**: Category managers were now measured by how well their products met real customer demand and delivery expectations—not just raw catalog size.
- **We replaced estimates with precise real-time measurements**: When anecdotes didn’t match our metric outcomes, we realized the problem wasn’t in customer feedback—it was in how we were measuring. We moved from snapshot-based approximations to real-time software tracking, which required serious engineering investment.
- **We treated metric-building as an ongoing process**: Measurement accuracy improved over years of trial and error, and nearly every customer-facing metric eventually transitioned from rough proxies to live calculations.

### To dive deeper into Input Metrics Mastery and learn more from Bill and Colin, follow these links:

- Take the full course at their website: <https://workingbackwards.com/>

- Buy the book: <https://www.amazon.com/Working-Backwards-Insights-Stories-Secrets/dp/1250267595>

- Bill's LinkedIn: <https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-carr/>

- Colin's LinkedIn: <https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinbryar/>

MongoDB Manager Case Study: The Ultimate Guide To Navigating A PIP

This was a manager at MongoDB who shared a specific story of putting one of their employees on a PIP.

- PIP delivered to people who needed a lot of handholding

  - “Problem presenters” instead of “problem solvers”

- PIPs are hard but not impossible. Goal is to help the employee overcome the situation and contribute to the health of the team.

- **Advice**: “Understand every single word in the PIP”

Grow From Junior To Mid-Level Engineer [Part 15] - Participating In Bigger Meetings

Big meetings can be daunting for engineers, especially junior ones - What if you say something dumb? This lesson teaches you:

- The difference between junior and mid-level engineers when it comes to meeting participation, explained with very simple pictures
- Tactics you can use to come up with more to say in meetings, even if you're the most junior person there
- A clever tactic you can use to participate in a meeting and add value to the discussion, even if you aren't entirely sure of what's going on

How Top Tech Companies Handle Management Transitions Differently

This video highlights the nuanced and often sensitive dynamics of engineering manager transitions within tech teams, using Facebook as a case study. It explores how both internal promotions and external hires can be challenging and how strong companies approach the shift with transparency and collaboration.

- **Internal promotions can create awkward dynamics**: When someone from a team of peers is promoted to manager, the shift in role—especially around performance reviews, compensation, and trust—can feel uncomfortable.
- **External hires lack context**: Bringing in a new manager from outside the team can also be disruptive, as they need time to understand the team’s dynamics, working styles, and personalities.
- **Facebook uses a “team consent” model**: At Facebook, any potential new manager—whether internal or external—essentially interviews with the team they would manage. The team's agreement is required before finalizing the transition.
- **Two-way relationship emphasized**: It’s not just the company or leadership choosing a manager; reports also have a say in who manages them. If someone objects, alternative reporting arrangements can be made.
- **Manager-report alignment matters**: The process underlines the belief that management relationships must be mutually respectful and compatible in order to be effective.

Nail Your Promotion As A Software Engineer [Part 29] - The Step-By-Step Plan

Here's the step-by-step plan if you want it for your notes:

### Find A Good Team

- **Engineering manager has a track record getting engineers promoted**
- Teammates 1 level above you to learn from
- Teammates more junior than you to lead
- Team isn’t overloaded with engineers at your level
- Team isn’t overloaded with engineers at next level

To learn about finding a quality engineering manager: [\[Masterclass\] 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/)

### Establish Yourself As A High Performer

- **Build a strong, honest relationship with your engineering manager**
- Identify core peers and add value to them to make them like you
- Develop a consistent track record shipping with velocity and quality
- Look for opportunities to expand scope of assigned projects
- Be creative and brainstorm new project ideas

To learn how to build trust quickly: [\[Course\] Effective Communication For Engineers](https://www.jointaro.com/course/effective-communication-for-engineers/)

### Clarify Expectations And Gaps

- **Write a promotion plan with as much clarity as possible**
- Have that honest, deliberate conversation with your manager
- Observe engineers at the next level to understand the delta
- Break down your weaknesses across engineering axes
- Don’t get jealous of more senior peers

### Execute And Grow

- **Make sure to check in on and maintain your expectations plan**
- Publicly document and share your wins
- Go through your gaps 1 by 1 and patch them up
- Be hungry for feedback and learn from mistakes
- Amp it up in the final quarter before review

To learn how to get constructive feedback: [This Is How You Get Feedback - Making The Process Smooth](https://www.jointaro.com/lesson/aGuxjGbFjYb34ofhRxjs/this-is-how-you-get-feedback-making-the-process-smooth/?playlistId=llknt3sHtV4xmhDThKOx)

### Go Through Performance Review

- **Thoroughly go through your promotion plan and make sure it’s all addressed**
- Compile artifacts from your brag journal, launch posts, and other sources
- Link as much evidence as you possibly can
- Request targeted feedback from core peers
- Share self-review with manager beforehand

Amazon Behavioral Interview [Part 6] - Stakeholder Management (Evaluation)

This video provides feedback on an individual's response to a stakeholder management interview question.

- **Strengths:**

  - The interviewee demonstrated strong stakeholder management skills by describing a real-world scenario involving cross-functional collaboration (sales, engineering, finance).
  - They effectively communicated their ability to navigate conflicting priorities and build consensus among different stakeholders.
  - They highlighted their experience working with senior leaders and understanding organizational goals (OKRs).
  - They acknowledged the potential trade-offs and the importance of balancing the needs of different customer segments.

- **Areas for Improvement:**

  - **Quantify Impact:** The interviewee could have further strengthened their response by quantifying the impact of their actions. For example, they could have mentioned specific data points such as increased customer retention rates or improved customer satisfaction scores.
  - **Highlight Unexpected Benefits:** The interviewee could have mentioned potential unexpected benefits of the new prioritization system, such as an increase in premium service subscriptions.
  - **Address Potential Concerns:** The interviewee could have proactively addressed potential concerns, such as the impact on customer churn for smaller businesses, and explained how these concerns were mitigated.

Overall, the interviewee provided a solid response that effectively demonstrated their stakeholder management skills. By incorporating the suggested improvements, they can further enhance their response and make it even more impactful.

Learn more about Alan's job search program, Kadima Careers, using this [discount link](https://signup.kadimacareers.com/mQBsDvu).

Master The DSA Interview [Part 23] - Don't Just Surrender

When preparing data structures and algorithms, you will almost certainly get frustrated at many points in the process. How you react to those moments will dictate how well you do in those interviews:

- What to do when you're stuck on a data structures and algorithms problem in prep so you can actually learn the problem and its concepts
- How to unblock yourself on a data structures and algorithms problem properly in prep, shown with an in-depth example

Negotiation Course: Determine Compensation Benchmarks

The key inputs to determine compensation are level, role/title, industry, geography

Use tools like [levels.fyi](http://levels.fyi) and glassdoor to understand what the typical market rate for the job is.

- **Level**: Offers are formulaic based on level, so you can obviously expect. Don’t reveal this to the recruiter.
- **Industry**: if your job as a SWE is a supportive role for the main product of the company, you’ll typically be paid less (e.g. engineer in healthcare compared to engineer in FAANG)
- **Geography**: California and New York are more expensive than other parts of the US and certainly more expensive than most of the world.

One pro tip here: use <https://h1bdata.info/> to see salary data that companies are legally required to report to the government

However, these sources can be out of date or show an incomplete picture, so the best source is talking to friends or people in the community, like in Taro.

In Rahul’s case, he had a pretty good idea that Snap gave out a lot of equity, Meta gave out huge signing bonuses, etc.

DSA Crash Course [Part 46] - Tree Includes Walkthrough

In this lesson, Alvin walks through the python implementation for the *tree_includes* problem.

Code along and test your work in the following editor workspace: <https://structy.net/problems/tree-includes?language=py>

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/>

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.