Google Techie Shares Journey of Overcoming Setbacks and Finding Success
Google Techie Shares Journey of Overcoming Setbacks and Finding Success
A Google employee recently shared her journey of navigating challenges and setbacks at the tech giant, highlighting how a promotion rejection ultimately turned out to be a “blessing in disguise.”
The techie, who joined Google in October 2011, recounted her rocky start at the company. “I didn’t have a team for two weeks, and when I finally did, my manager left two months into my role. I had several interim managers,” she explained. Despite these initial hurdles, her peers did not face similar issues, making her situation feel particularly unlucky.
According to a news magazine, she soon moved to Google Fiber, hoping to work within a growing team that felt more like a startup within Google. Despite finding a stable manager and a sense of belonging, she faced another setback: her application for a promotion was rejected.
To apply for a promotion, she had to write a self-assessment and gather feedback from her peers. The decision was made by “promotions committees” comprising individuals from different parts of Google, such as YouTube and the ads team. Despite receiving positive peer feedback and listing her project contributions, her promotion was denied due to insufficient impact at the next level.
Google’s promotion philosophy requires employees to perform at the level of the role they’re aiming for at least six months before being considered for a promotion. “I needed to figure out how to get promoted, so I reverse-engineered the process,” she said. She realized that she needed to take charge of her career instead of relying on her managers for guidance.
Determined to succeed, she focused on demonstrating her reliability with timelines, deliverables, and communication. She became proactive in flagging concerns early and frequently updating her manager on her progress. This approach paid off when she reapplied for a promotion and was successful, achieving the new position two and a half years after joining Google.
Reflecting on her journey, she stated, “Getting rejected the first time was a blessing in disguise because I learned so much. After that, I got promoted to the next level – a senior engineer – the following Spring.”
Her persistence continued to bear fruit. In early 2016, she was promoted again and became a tech lead. However, in January 2017, she decided to leave Google and joined Uber, marking the end of a transformative chapter in her career.
This story serves as an inspiring reminder of the value of perseverance and taking control of one’s career path, even in the face of setbacks.
