The Peterman Pod Instagram Principal Engineer (IC8) on Promotions, Breaking Prod, Tech Leading | Jake Bolam
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May 31, 2025 
Jake Bolam, a Principal Engineer at Instagram, shares his journey from Staff Engineer to his current role, providing insights into promotion strategies and work-life balance. He discusses the importance of accepting high-risk code reviews that might break production and his effective note-taking system in VSCode. Jake also emphasizes the value of genuine inquiry in tech leadership, team dynamics, and how fostering collaboration can drastically accelerate project timelines. His advice for maintaining productivity while prioritizing personal well-being is both practical and inspiring.
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Always Make Time for Others
- Always make time for people reaching out with problems or ideas, even when busy.
- Being accessible helps you learn about issues and support your organization effectively.
Speeding Huge Infrastructure Migration
- Jake Bolam led an infrastructure migration originally scoped for two years and delivered most of it in six months.
- This early delivery allowed the company to monetize Instagram web with ads sooner than planned.
Shield Time with Focus Blocks
- Shield your time with focus blocks, especially mornings without meetings.
- Schedule one-on-ones and project meetings in larger blocks to protect deep work time.