Career Advancement Tips

I became an Amazon VP 20 years into my career. Meet Ryan Peterman, who became a Meta Staff Engineer in 3 years! He and I have each discovered and used the same process by different names: 1) He says "Exceed expectations at your level." I have called this "Do your job well." Whatever you call it, you cannot approach your manager about growth without first nailing your current job. 2) He says "Be direct with your managers about promotion." I have said, "Ask your manager how you can help the group that helps you grow." Both are conversations about your desire to do more and move up. 3) He says "Find next-level scope." I call my approach the Magic Loop and tell you to repeat asking for growth each time you finish a project or master a new responsibility. Both are about growing your scope to the next level. 4) He says "Maintain next-level behaviors and impact." Again, I say "repeat" the Magic Loop, which includes "Do your job well." Once you have expanded your responsibilities to new, harder challenges, then you must again demonstrate mastery. Ryan is today's Newsletter guest author, and he provides 12 pages of deep detail on how to "Speedrun" the promotion path from entry level to Staff Engineer. Read his article here: https://lnkd.in/g95v2SiW For the IC engineer track, it's hard to imagine going faster than Ryan did, so read his advice. For leaders, here is my actual career in summary: 1993: Engineer 1995: Lead Engineer / TPM 1996: Manager 1998: Director (midsize company) 2000: VP (startup, ~30 team members) 2001: VP (startup #2, ~15 team members) 2004: VP (startup #3, ~15 team members) 2005: Sr. Manager (Amazon, 6 team members) 2007: Director (Amazon, 22 team members) 2013: VP (Amazon, 500 team members) 2020: “Retired” to build my business, age 50 I made it to VP relatively young because I moved up quickly and consistently. Here is how you can move up as fast as possible: 1) Get recognized early. The first 30–180 days in a new role are crucial. Enter with a clear learning plan and work hard. First impressions last. 2) Understand what your manager needs. Do your job well. Ask what else your manager needs, then take care of it. As you get familiar, anticipate those needs without asking. Repeat this. 3) Get recognized. People who share their wins get promoted. Share your wins with your manager, skip-level, and others. 4) Take risks. Big wins require risk. Sometimes you’ll fail and need to recover--but no one builds a standout career by playing it safe. 5) Get specific guidance. This advice is general. To move faster, get targeted help: courses, coaching, and expert materials. For those aiming at executive leadership, enroll in one of my cohorts of Break Through to Executive: https://lnkd.in/gJ-HgWdk

How to Maintain Momentum After a Big Project 🚀 Wrapping up a major project can bring a huge sense of relief—and sometimes an unexpected lull. After weeks (or months) of focus and effort, it’s easy to feel unmotivated or unsure about what comes next. So, how do you keep the energy going after hitting a big milestone? Here’s what I’ve found helpful: 1. Celebrate Your Wins 🏆 First things first: take the time to celebrate! Recognizing the effort you and your team put in is essential. Whether it’s a team lunch, a shout-out on LinkedIn, or even just taking a moment to reflect, acknowledging the win helps reset your mind and builds excitement for what’s next. 2. Reflect and Review 📊 Take a step back to assess what went well and what could have been better. Ask yourself: What did I learn from this project? How did this experience improve my skills or knowledge? A quick project review can help you understand your growth and identify areas for improvement. 3. Set New Goals 🎯 Momentum thrives on direction. Once you’ve reflected, set new short-term and long-term goals. They don’t have to be as big as your last project—just enough to keep you moving forward and inspired. 4. Recharge Your Energy ⚡ Before diving into your next big thing, give yourself time to recharge. Take a few days to focus on lighter tasks, learn something new, or just disconnect. This downtime can spark fresh ideas and help you return to your next challenge with renewed energy. 5. Stay Curious and Explore 🌱 Use the post-project period to engage with new ideas, explore different areas of your work, or pick up that side project you’ve been curious about. Staying engaged in different ways keeps the momentum going without the pressure of a big commitment. Final Thought ✨ Keeping momentum isn’t about jumping right into the next project; it’s about building a cycle of growth, reflection, and renewed energy. By celebrating, reviewing, and recharging, you’ll be ready to approach your next goal with enthusiasm and focus. How do you maintain your momentum after finishing a major project? I’d love to hear your strategies below! 👇 #Productivity #CareerGrowth #Momentum #ProfessionalDevelopment #LinkedInTips

Five years into my PhD, I was presenting my research at a conference. I had: Crafted elegant econometric models. Collected and cleaned mountains of data. Run countless regressions. Found statistically significant results. I finished my presentation, feeling confident. Then came the question that shattered me: "So what? Why should anyone care about this?" I froze. In all my technical brilliance, I had failed to answer the most fundamental question: How does this research matter in the real world? This moment transformed how I approach everything: I stopped hiding behind complex equations and technical jargon. I started asking "who benefits?" before starting any project. I learned to communicate impact first, methodology second. I began connecting my work to human problems, not just academic gaps. The most valuable skill I developed wasn't statistical modeling or data analysis. It was the ability to translate complex ideas into real-world significance. At Amazon, this lesson pays dividends daily. Technical excellence without clear impact is just intellectual exercise. For PhDs transitioning to industry: Your technical skills might get you the interview, but your ability to articulate why your work matters will get you hired and promoted. For current PhD students: Practice explaining your research to non-specialists. If your grandmother can't understand why your work matters, you haven't found its true value yet. What was your "so what?" moment? When did you realize your technical skills needed to be matched with impact storytelling? More PhD insights coming next Thursday! Hit follow + 🔔 to join the journey! #PhDHindsight

🎯 Dear Data Professional, Stop Collecting Certificates. After mentoring 100+ analysts, some of whom have landed $100k+ roles, here's the truth: Companies hire problem-solvers, not certificate collectors. Here's your practical guide to turning learning into real impact: 1. Start Backwards 📊 Don't ask "Which tool should I learn?" Ask "Which problem can I solve?" → Browse Reddit's r/datascience "help needed" posts → Check local business forums → Monitor #datahelp posts 2. No Company Data? Perfect Starting Point 💡 Create impactful projects using: → Personal Spotify listening patterns → Local housing market trends → Restaurant ratings analysis → Your city's transport efficiency 3. Build Your Personal Analytics Portfolio 📈 Start with data you own: → Expense tracking dashboard → Productivity analysis → Fitness data insights Your first stakeholder = YOU 4. Level Up: Help Small Creators 🚀 They need data insights, you need experience: → YouTube metrics analysis → Instagram engagement patterns → Twitter growth tracking Real stakeholders, real feedback, real portfolio pieces. 5. Document Everything ⚡ → Clear README files → GitHub repositories → Process documentation → Challenge-solution blogs 6. Ship Fast, Perfect Later 🎯 → Basic dashboard > No dashboard → Simple automation > Manual work → Quick insight > Perfect analysis 🔑 The Secret Sauce: 1-2-3 Framework 1. Solve manually first 2. Automate the solution 3. Make it reproducible 💪 Pro Tip: Turn Every Project into 3 Portfolio Pieces 1. GitHub repository 2. Technical blog post 3. LinkedIn article Ready to start? Comment "Ready" below, and I'll share my template for documenting analysis projects that impress hiring managers. Like and Repost. #DataAnalytics #DataScience #CareerAdvice #DataVisualization

How I Made the Leap from Project Manager to Senior PM Early in my career, I believed hard work would speak for itself. → I kept my head down. → I delivered on time. → I waited to be noticed. But here’s the truth that no one teaches you: You don’t get promoted for what you do. You get promoted for how you think. And senior-level roles aren’t given. They’re earned through strategic visibility. What changed everything: → I stopped acting like a task manager and started thinking like a business partner. → I stopped waiting to be invited and started taking up space. → I made sure my impact was seen, not just assumed. → I connected my projects to real outcomes. → I led conversations, not just meetings. → I learned to influence across teams, not just manage timelines. Fast forward to today: → I lead initiatives that drive executive-level goals. → I help teams align faster and deliver smarter. → I don’t just track progress—I shape it. For any project manager aiming for that next level: → Start thinking beyond the checklist. → Learn the language of value, not just velocity. → Stop hiding behind deliverables and start owning your leadership. Every uncomfortable decision. Every executive update. Every room I once felt too small to stand in. That’s what built my credibility. That’s how I positioned myself for senior leadership. What advice would you give PMs looking to move into a senior PM role?

if you think a marketing degree will land you a marketing job? it won’t. i learned this the hard way, when i was at uni, i thought good grades and a polished cv were enough. they’re not. (nooooot) marketing moves fast. by the time your textbooks are printed, half of it is already outdated. if you want to stand out, you need to start building your career while you’re still a student, maybe right now? there are somethings I wish I’d have done sooner, maybe when I was already at uni? 🎓 get messy, real-world experience. —-> offer to run socials for a local café or small business (your uni might have cafes, take a chance) —-> manage marketing for a uni society or event. —-> volunteer for a charity campaign. marketing isn’t neat slides and theory. it’s adapting when nothing goes to plan, and that’s where you actually grow. 🎓 turn your work into a portfolio. —-> screenshot campaigns, note engagement, track results (if you don’t know how to, learn these the sooner you can) —-> put it together on canva or even a simple pdf, just keep doing it. hiring managers don’t want to hear you “know” marketing, they want proof you’ve done it. 🎓 treat linkedin like your first internship. —-> share what you’re learning, even small insights. —-> connect with people working at companies you admire. —-> follow brands and agencies to see how they really talk to their audience. opportunities come to the people who are visible, not the ones waiting quietly. 🎓 collect free certifications like gold. —-> google analytics, hubspot, meta blueprint, semrush academy —-> even one or two will set you apart from other grads. these show initiative and give you practical skills your degree doesn’t cover. 🎓 understand more than just “pretty content.” —-> marketing isn’t just posts and logos. —-> learn to read data, set kpis, and think strategically creative is fun. strategy is what gets you a seat at the table. 🎓 network before you “need” to. —-> attend free webinars, local meetups, or even alumni events. —-> start conversations, not just connection requests. jobs often come from people, not job boards. 🎓 fail now, while it’s free. —-> try launching a personal project, a mini tiktok campaign, or even a blog. —-> when you’re at uni, failure doesn’t cost you clients or revenue, just lessons. some of my biggest career insights came from the ideas that flopped the earlier you start, the less you’ll panic when graduation hits. because marketing isn’t a field where you wait to be chosen. you start building, you show proof, and you create opportunities before you have a job title!! 📌 honestly, do all these and your future self will THANK YOU 🥹 ——————————————————— Hi, i’m Wajeeha Shoaib - growing my personal brand and sharing actionable marketing insights, strategies, and tips to help you stand out. Follow for more! 📌

Your Ph.D. won’t Save You After Graduation And if you wait till the end to realise it, You’re already too late Everyone thought the PhD was a rocket. But no one told them rockets don’t fly themselves. They feared leaving academia but were never prepared for industry They feared irrelevance but never learned to communicate impact They feared poverty but never learned to monetise their expertise They feared being forgotten, but never built a visible brand They feared identity loss, but never imagined life beyond “student.” They feared being unemployable, but stayed buried in a niche They feared regret but never took ownership early enough And here’s what hurts most: The fear wasn’t the problem. The denial was. They waited. And waited. And waited for someone to save them. A supervisor to recommend them. A university to absorb them. A job ad to magically match their thesis. But no one came. Because no one owes you a future just because you earned a title. Let me say this clearly: A PhD doesn’t guarantee direction It only gives you depth And if you don’t convert that depth into useful, visible, and valuable output… You graduate into silence. So here’s the wake-up call: If you’re still in Year 2, start preparing now. If you’re writing your thesis, start positioning now. If you just defended, start acting now. Because graduation is not your safety net. It’s your launchpad—or your trap. 15 Survival Moves Every PhD Must Make Before Graduation 1. Learn to Write for Industry 2. Translate Your Research into Real-World Value 3. Build a Personal Brand That Speaks Before Your CV 4. Network Outside Your Lab 5. Learn What Recruiters Are Looking For 6. Diversify Your Skillset 7. Take Online Courses That Signal Market Readiness 8. Practice Translating Your Research into a 30-Second Pitch 9. Document Your Projects and Achievements in Public 10. Get Feedback from People Outside Academia 11. Create a One-Page Industry Resume 12. Publish Thought Pieces on LinkedIn or Medium 13. Volunteer for Cross-Disciplinary or Applied Projects 14. Learn Basic Financial Literacy 15. Treat Your PhD Like a Startup Think: What problem am I solving? Who are my users? How do I scale this knowledge into opportunity? You don’t need a job title to own your future. You need clarity. And courage. So here’s the truth: If you don’t take ownership of your future, You’ll spend the rest of your life waiting for someone else to. Tag a PhD student who needs this before they submit. Let’s start telling the truth behind the degree. I’m Wadzani Dauda Palnam, (PhD, FSPR): building a new standard in research innovation, academic career excellence, and scientific and grant writing. 🔔 Follow for insights on research strategy, publishing, grant success, and academic career. 🔁 Repost if this added value to your work or someone in your network.

Moving up the ladder in project management isn’t just about time served. It’s about how you grow in the role. I’ve seen people go from project coordinator to senior PM in a few short years. Not because they had all the answers, but because they showed leadership before they had the title. Here’s what I’ve learned about climbing the PM ladder: 🔹 Own the outcome; not just the tasks - Stop just checking boxes. Start thinking like the person responsible for delivery. 🔹 Learn to lead up, down, and across. Managing stakeholders well is just as important as managing timelines. 🔹 Speak the language of business. If you want to move into senior roles, talk about value, not just effort. 🔹 Keep building your people skills. The higher you go, the more it becomes about influence, not control. And most importantly: 🔹 Don’t wait for permission to lead. Step up, speak up, and show up as the next-level version of you...now. Because here’s the truth: 📈 You don’t level up and then start acting like a senior PM. You start acting like one and then you level up! #ProjectManagement #CareerGrowth #Leadership #TheGoodPMLife #PMCareers #LevelUp

𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 "𝗻𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲" 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. After helping 200+ new grads break into their target roles, I've seen the same pattern: those who strategically frame their academic projects and internships get significantly more interviews. Here's how to structure your resume for maximum impact: 1️⃣ Lead with an Impact-Focused Summary Skip the generic "recent graduate seeking opportunities" language. Example: "Psychology graduate with research experience in online behavior patterns and content analysis. Seeking to apply data-driven approach to digital safety challenges." 2️⃣ Reframe Your Academic Experience Transform classroom work into professional accomplishments: ✗ "Completed research project on social media" ✓ "Analyzed 500+ social media posts using sentiment analysis to identify harmful content patterns, achieving 87% accuracy in threat detection" 3️⃣ Highlight Transferable Skills Connect your experience to job requirements: Content review → Content moderation experience Data analysis → Identify trends and patterns Customer service → Customer experience advocacy 4️⃣ Include Relevant Coursework Strategically Don't just list classes. Show practical application: "Digital Ethics coursework: Developed content policy framework addressing misinformation, resulting in 40% reduction in policy violations during simulation exercise" 5️⃣ Add Technical Proficiencies Even basic skills matter: Excel, SQL, Python, Tableau, or any automation tools and AI tools you've used. The bottom line: Your academic work IS professional experience when positioned correctly. Focus on results, methods, and impact rather than just tasks completed. For detailed resources on resume writing and industry keywords, here's an excellent guide from Harvard University: https://lnkd.in/gAdVU-mf ♻️ Share with friends who need help on resume

If your process wins aren’t getting noticed, you’re not a strategic TPM. And that’s exactly why you’re not getting promoted. As a TPM, streamlining process is part of the job. But to get promoted? It’s not enough to do the work. You need strategic visibility. Yesterday I shared a TPM playbook with 6 tactics to go from stagnant to promotion-ready. Today, I’m deep-diving into making your impact visible for Tactic 1: Stop over-rotating on process. Remember: Process is a tool, not the outcome. It should remove friction, not create more of it. Let’s say you did all the right things: ↳Diagnosed the problem via team input ↳Got stakeholder support early ↳Co-designed a pilot to reduce resistance ↳Iterated based on feedback ↳Tracked measurable business impact Now what? You don’t just want a better process. You want to be seen as a strategic operator who drives results that matter. You want to go From: You streamlined a process. To: You’re known for reducing friction, increasing velocity, & improving ROI. Here’s how I turn ops work into promotion-worthy visibility: 1. Tell the Business Story Internally ↳In 1:1s, retros, demos, reviews ↳Frame it: "After working with teams on [problem], we piloted a new process that saved [X hours / $Y / Z% cycle time]. Feedback’s been positive, & we’re seeing [impact tied to KPI]. I’m now documenting it for other teams.” Why it matters: Shows leadership, systems thinking, & cross-functional influence. Gives your manager something to champion when you’re not in the room. 2. Make It Easy for Others to Brag About You ↳Create artifacts that travel: - Summary doc: “What was broken, what we fixed, what we learned” - Slack/email update: “Cut onboarding time by 28%." Bonus: Add a quote from someone impacted Why it matters: Artifacts get reused in team meetings, promo packets, & exec convos. You’re making your impact portable & repeatable. 3. Turn It Into Thought Leadership ↳Post on LinkedIn: - Hook: A bold truth about process bloat - Story: What you saw, what you changed - Result: Metrics or direct quote - Insight: What others can learn or copy Why it matters: You’re not just building credibility inside your org. You’re building your personal leadership brand across the industry. 4. Track It. Package It. Reuse It. ↳Use every win 3x: - Promo packet: “Cut launch cycle by 25% across 4 teams” - Interview: “Tell me about a time you influenced without authority…” - Resume: “Rolled out async status updates, saving 300+ hours/quarter” ↳Keep a brag doc with: Key metrics, Quotes, Screenshots, Docs Why it matters: You’re creating a library of proof. One that speaks for you across teams, roles, and opportunities. Bottom line: Process work alone won’t get you promoted. Strategic storytelling about business impact will. DM me! I mentor stagnated TPMs to level up with tactics that earn influence, recognition, & comp growth. Follow for more like this.