Six Months As A Googler
Yes, it has been a long time since I wrote anything here.
I have moved to Tokyo in the meantime, visited two new continents, and changed my hairstyle. Feb 13th 2019 is my 6 months Googleversary. I think it should be a good thing. I am not a Noogler anymore. I guess I was not a Noogelr for long anyways. A lot of things have changed from when I was an intern there; a lot of people left, some new peope joined, and I have my own rented apartment now.
Some things didn't change though. My team is the same, for example. That is something I have been really happy about. It took one of the unknowns out of moving to a new country and definitely helped. I have a lot more understanding of how large tech companies function and what makes software engineering different from just programming. I also know more of what I don't know. I think I have become more self-aware as well, even though the fact that I'm saying this means I have a long way to go.
I have met some really incredible people that always amaze me with how much humans can accomplish in one life. I am trying to be more accountable for my time as well, but it is not currently going well. I think that is a topic for another day though. My director told me in one of the first one on one meetings I had with him that Google is a company where you need to take control of your career yourself. I have been trying to put that into practice more recently and I believe I might understand what he meant more recently. I have also been told to take a more proactive role in the day to day work and I have been attempting to make that better as well. Management and career navigation is something that is not much different at Google compared to more conventional companies. At least that is my impression based on what I have heard about other companies; I haven't personally worked at any place other than Google. Which can be a great thing but can spoil a person, I've heard. The methods of standing out and being more in control of your career is something that I feel should be similar in other workspaces too, even if the transparency and clarity and direct control Google provides might not be possible in other companies.
One thing I still need to learn is to work at my desired throughput even when the work itself is not something I terribly enjoy. I have noticed that my happiness with the specific task directly affects how much effort I will put into it. I have been reminded of some advice I myself gave someone else more than a year ago; most people will work happily and well when they like the work, it is how you work when the work is not desirable which sets you apart. Another thing that I am trying to actively improve is retaining the intrisic enjoyement and joy I got from programming, while balancing the unexciting parts of software enginering. Either I plow through those tasks and periods or I learn to enjoy and get better at them. I strongly believe that interest can be moulded and adjusted so I can enjoy the currently unenjoyable tasks.
Side projects are a great thing and I would advise anyone and everyone who wants advice from me to have some sort of side project. Especially in the tech/software engineering industry, it is very easy to have those and you can see the impact and benefit easily too. Side projects can help with the problem I mentioned above; where you need to make sure you do not lose track of why you started programming. It is also a great way to make headway into being known in the industry and surfacing new oppurtunities that you might not find otherwise. Even if you do not want to change companies; like me, they can be a great way to work together with some colleagues and find more oppurtunities in the same company if you need.
I also heard about a new perspective, from another of those incredible Googlers I mentioned above, that these side projects are one of the best way to track your own progres over the months/years and be able to motivate yourself to improve. They also serve as a useful way to see the impact of your design or engineering decisions over time; especially if you are prone to switching projects in your job frequently.
One thing that is really difficult about being a Googler is the immense amount of information and oppurtunities you get; and it is very easy to get overwhelmed with them. Imposter syndrome is so prevalent that the company has PSAs decribing it and reminding everyone that they belong. I think it is very easy to get bogged down and feel like you won't ever compare to the people around you, and give up trying. I do not know a reliable way to combat this; so if anyone has tips, let me know.
One thing that keeps me going is: If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.
- Confucious.