How I made progress to Senior Engineer in big tech.

Hi all, I am a software engineer at Amazon. I have been here more than 4 years. Believe or not, i am currently considered as key engineer among the org.

Recently, i started to discuss how i can be a senior. I feel i am almost there. Someone will say that this is kind of late and not effective pathway. Well, i am not exceptional developer (I would say i am not the super star nor underdog, but i am just ordinary engineer), so i can tell you how i was recognized as key person in the team. Since i was able to do that, you can do it as well.

One disadvantage i have is that i am not from a country which uses english as a language. I am Korean and i grew up there entire my life and i landed here. I will tell you how i was successful.

English matters but you don’t need to be perfect.

Yes, it does. English is important. Everyone uses english as their communication medium and we all need it. But that’s it. As a starting point, if you can express your thought, that is enough. You definitely must learn English more clearer and correct. However, you don’t need to be perfect. As you may notice it, i am not good at writing in english nor speaking. As an engineer, once you can tell what you want to talk about, it is okay to have some grammar mistakes. You can correct it as time goes by.

Tip#1: if you can use english to express yourself, you are fine. You don’t need to be depressed. You will get better.

Always remember. You should deliver expected result.

Now as a mid-level engineer, you should deliver your results within estimated timeline. If timeline does not fit, you should speak up, so that others or your manager can accommodate it. Once you failed to deliver, you will lose the trust with your manager and it is difficult to roll back. I don’t say you should not be fail (it would be better if you could). Once you agreed with the timeline and expected deliverable. You should commit it. That is the number one you must do.

Tip#2: once you agreed to commit. You should do it. That is the basic building block to become solid engineer.

Becoming ‘go-to’ person

If you start to deliver your work more and more, your manager may reach out you regarding any issue you worked on. You need to turn this opportunity into owning that domain or piece. Widening owning your area means your ground becomes wider. This means that you are becoming an important person in the team.

Tip#3: take any opportunity your manager or college reaches out you for some issues you already touched and widening your boundaries.

Expose yourself to uncomfortable area

This is difficult. Human being is not good at diving themselves into uncomfortable area. To me, it is the discussing something i am not familiar with others. It is still difficult and my manager always told me ‘you are so shy to express your opinion during the discussion.’ I have a strong opinion once the subject is what i thought about. However, the topic is somewhat i don’t know. I barely participate the discussion.

As i put myself into those spots. I slowly feel that i can speak at least one or more comments. This is important. Making the progress next level is not only doing great what you already do but doing well what you are not good at. Practice always makes you comfortable.

Tip#4: you need to expose yourself areas you are not good at. Practice further to become comfortable

I put some quick thoughts as i received good feedbacks from my manager regarding next level. I don’t know it is good signal or not, but above things are keystones i believe make myself where i am.