How to find the right team and manager?
I am a mid level engineer from a small startup and have recently secured a senior FAANG engineering position. Given this I am expecting to have some challenges when transitioning both from startup to FAANG and also from a mid level to a senior position.
Given the above my questions are:
- How can I ensure I find a good manager and team during team match to help me succeed? Particularly, what questions should I ask during team match to achieve this?
- Given the quite situational nature and the focus more so on making the transition easier rather than growing, I assume that my focus should be on finding a team with less pressure. Perhaps an internal team?
Would be good to get some thoughts on this.
![Senior Software Engineer [E5] at Meta company logo](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffirebasestorage.googleapis.com%2Fv0%2Fb%2Ftech-career-growth.appspot.com%2Fo%2Fcompany_logos%252Fmeta.jpeg%3Falt%3Dmedia%26token%3Da7a5bcc0-e178-4b5b-b71e-09bf6c6aefae&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
![Entry-Level Software Engineer [L3] at Google company logo](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffirebasestorage.googleapis.com%2Fv0%2Fb%2Ftech-career-growth.appspot.com%2Fo%2Fcompany_logos%252Fgoogle.jpeg%3Falt%3Dmedia%26token%3D780356ef-3efc-4728-9eb4-d909b75bb4a6&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Discussion
(5 comments)- 17 months agoTech Lead/Manager at Meta, Pinterest, Kosei
Wow, congrats on going from mid-level startup to senior-level Big Tech! Roughly how much was the compensation increase?
How can I ensure I find a good manager and team during team match to help me succeed?
Two tips:
- Look at the track record of the manager. Have they promoted people before? Have they gotten promoted quickly? If they're stagnant in their career, you're also likely to be stagnant.
- Talk to senior-level ICs, who will be more unbiased (and perhaps even jaded) compared to the manager who is trying to sell you something.
I talk about this with Amazon VP Ethan Evans here: Here's How To Identify A Superstar Leader.
And the perspective from Alex and me: Questions You Can Ask To Evaluate An Engineering Manager
- 17 months agoSoftware Engineer [OP]Taro Community
Thanks these are great resources. I'm expecting the comp to be about a 4x on current salary
- 1
7 months agoTech Lead @ Robinhood, Meta, Course HeroIf you're looking for a team with less pressure, you should ask questions about work-life balance. Here's some other great discussions for inspiration:
- "Determining WLB before applying and interviewing?"
- "How possible is it to spot red flags about toxic culture during the interview?"
If you share which FAANG company you got into, that would be helpful too. I'm like 80% sure it's either Google or Meta, but would love to confirm.
Here's a masterclass covering how to find a good EM: [Masterclass] What Software Engineers Should Look For In Their Engineering Manager
- 17 months agoSoftware Engineer [OP]Taro Community
Unfortunately, I'm still in the team match stage and I think the situation might be quite specific so trying to avoid doxxing myself, while also providing as much info as possible. If you would be able to provide advice specific to both that may be handy!
Would be great to have some sort of private reply feature.
- 07 months agoTech Lead @ Robinhood, Meta, Course Hero
Okay, I don't know much about Google (as I've never worked there). But for Meta, this should help: "[E5] What questions can I ask hiring managers at Meta during the team matching phase?"
