Episode 426: I got too many promotions and I have anxiety about getting fired

Sep 16, 2024

This discussion dives into the tricky world of corporate promotions, spotlighting the frustrations of deserving employees stymied by rank requirements. The hosts share insights on navigating job anxiety, addressing the irrational fear of being fired, and the importance of feedback from managers. They humorously connect these issues to the concept of 'space therapy.' Listeners are encouraged to explore coping strategies while engaging in lighthearted banter, making sense of the complex emotions tied to career advancement.

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ADVICE

Patience and Persistence

Aim for good work and remind your manager of your promotion goals.
Be patient, as pushing too hard might be counterproductive.

INSIGHT

Company Promotion Processes

Large companies have processes to prevent rapid promotions, sometimes affecting exceptional cases.
These safeguards are in place to protect against manipulation and ensure fairness.

INSIGHT

Time and Contributions

Promotions require both contributions (like miles on a car) and time (like age of a car).
Time allows for the effects of contributions to be fully realized and evaluated.

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In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:

Long time listener, first time question asker. I love the show, thank you for all the advices :)

I’ve been working in one of the FAANGs for around 3 years now. I joined the company at a lower level and for the past two years I received promotions that got me to a level I’m feeling good with. Having said that, my impact on the group and organization is higher than other people in my rank. Since I’m new to this rank, the chances of getting another promotion (the third in three years) is nearly impossible. I love my manager and I’ve raised it to him in a few meetings before but the answer was that I still don’t have the seniority in that level to get a promotion. This feels extremely frustrating as it feels like up until now I was aiming on getting to the rank I should’ve been recruited at and now when I feel like I can honestly make the leap, it’s not possible. I thought about moving to a different group within the company but since it’s really hard to find good managers and he already knows me and my contributions, it feels like opening a new page somewhere else in the company might even take me backwards on the journey to my next promotion.

What do you think I should do?

Thank you!!
Hey guys, I am constantly fighting the irrational fear of being fired from my job or even the slightest hint of getting PIP’d. So far I have not gotten any indication that I’m underperforming and I’ve actually been told I’m doing well but in stressful seasons (when prod goes down or when I’m taking too long to finish a story), I start spiraling. This happens every other month. Therapy hasn’t worked. Being open with my manager hasn’t worked. So now I’m wondering if Jamison and Dave have the secret sauce.

Part of it is knowing since day 1 that this company doesn’t hesitate to cut underperformers. Hearing the rumblings about the current market, I’m nervous that it would take me months to even a year to get a new job, and it has me freaking out. What can I do to just calm down?