Welcome back to The Skip; this episode is a little bit special as I’m experimenting with a new format: live coaching sessions. This idea came from the realization that the coaching queries I receive from listeners often have common themes.

My hope is that recording and sharing a coaching call like this demonstrates how the frameworks are applied in real conversations and possibly helps others with similar situations. Naturally, privacy is paramount, so we’ve anonymized the content and received permission from the caller to ensure no personal or sensitive information is disclosed.

In today's episode, we discuss:

Strategies for presenting your individual contributor (IC) experience during career advancement interviews.
How to map the complexities you are solving in your current role into specific phrases that hook a recruiter or a future hiring manager
Avoiding over selling your experience and landing in a sub-optimal role, focused on org-building vs. product-building
Exploring how far an IC can travel within a company, and how to ultimately become an executive

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction and welcome to the podcast

(00:57) Introducing the format of this episode

(04:08) Context ahead of the coaching call

(06:40) How to frame your experience as an IC when interviewing for the next step in your career.

(08:25) Nikhyl's follow-up questions

(09:11) Why the caller left Microsoft

(11:17) Nikhyl's thoughts and initial reaction to the caller's situation

(12:22) Identifying if you have a product ambiguity or team ambiguity problem

(15:10) Nikhyl's thoughts on how to frame the caller's experience when interviewing

(16:08) Nikhyl's thoughts on the types of companies suitable for the caller

(19:34) How to find suitable companies based on your management experience

(23:13) How to navigate questions around your management experience when your current role is an IC

(28:19) How to navigate people managing anxiety

(29:52) Can ICs build a lasting career?

(33:17) Conversation conclusion and final thoughts

(36:06) Episode conclusion

Where to find Nikhyl:

Where to find The Skip Podcast:

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theskip.substack.com

#196 Travis Brungardt - Catalyst Built