Jacob Kaplan-Moss

Tag: career

🔗 Getting a job as an engineering executive. January 8th, 2023

I’ve gone through this myself – unsuccessfully – and wish I’d had this guide. Great information about a confusing and opaque process.

Your last one-on-one: what to do instead of an exit interview April 7th, 2022

Say you agree with me that exit interviews are dangerous for employees, but you’re a kind, empathetic manager who’s built a team with high trust. You’d never dream of retaliation, are open to feedback – even if it’s harsh. You don’t want to put your departing direct in an uncomfortable or threatening position, but you’d like to know what they have to say! What then?

Exit Interviews Are a Trap April 4th, 2022

It’s tempting to air your grievances at your exit interview. Don’t. There’s almost no upside to speaking up, and tremendous potential downside. Avoid exit interviews if you can. If you must go, be totally bland; say nothing negative.

Embrace the Grind April 7th, 2021

Sometimes, programming feels like magic: you chant some arcane incantation and a fleet of robots do your bidding. But sometimes, magic is mundane. If you’re willing to embrace the grind, you can pull off the impossible.

Layoffs are Coming March 13th, 2020

It’s looking increasingly likely that the COVID-19 pandemic will cause a recession. It’s easy to think we might be immune from the effects of a global recession, but my experience is that tech companies are quick to cut staff, especially engineers, in the face of declining markets. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am. Either way, it’s not going to hurt to prepare.