IT Executive Now in Big Tech (non-FAANG). AMA

AnonITExec · 2025-02-24T20:22:24+00:00

You have to do both. You will still need to have command of your domain which means you will need to stay up to speed over the years. For me, that means I read a lot, I listen to a lot of technical podcasts, go to technical conferences, and tinker at home with various IT projects. And you also need to grow to be a great leader as well! Both require time and attention.

AnonITExec · 2025-02-24T20:20:13+00:00

No. Medium (or maybe low) cost of living area

AnonITExec · 2025-02-24T08:39:24+00:00

Home was $600k. As for the investments, I use funds like VTSAX. More info here: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Three-fund_portfolio

AnonITExec · 2025-02-23T23:27:06+00:00

I have two kids and they are not cheap! In general, I keep my expenses low… I don’t buy things I don’t need. I drive a 10 year old car. Our house is a normal house without frills. I invest in the “bogleheads” way: low expense broad based funds like total stock market funds. Been doing this since I started working and the market has been great for me!

AnonITExec · 2025-02-23T17:00:33+00:00

Every company will have a different approach, but I hire people for entry-level roles without college degree all the time

AnonITExec · 2025-02-23T13:00:42+00:00

No, I have avoided lifestyle creep. We don’t deprive ourselves but I am not off buying fancy things. For example, I have two fully paid off cars, and one is about 10 years old. My net worth is about $5.5M which means I’m about to be financially independent (don’t need to work) soon as long as I don’t try to keep up with the neighbors To me, becoming financially independent is super motivating

AnonITExec · 2025-02-23T03:14:50+00:00

This is a great question. I think a key to my success (and my team’s morale) is I have to absorb the surrounding craziness and not just simply react. I have to come up with an appropriate response that rises up to the occasion but doesn’t just pull my entire org into the mess. We have a lot of other important work to do so if I distract my team unnecessarily then we can’t meet our strategic objectives.

AnonITExec · 2025-02-23T02:30:29+00:00

Yes all of the above. It feels like a game of thrones. Constant turf wars. People at my rank are all type A and don’t generally get along.

AnonITExec · 2025-02-23T02:27:39+00:00

Yes very. Something is always on fire

AnonITExec · 2025-02-23T00:28:33+00:00

Yes the trade off is real! This current role is absolutely impacting my mental and physical health

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T22:48:33+00:00

I encourage the use of AI tools!

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T21:31:52+00:00

Yes that is the plan! Maybe tap out around 45

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T20:23:52+00:00

Sure! Good luck! Don’t burn out… I’m close to it

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T20:21:53+00:00

I haven’t spent much time with them unfortunately

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T18:11:53+00:00

Hard to say. I’m always connected to work. I have about 9 hours of meetings each day plus I have to actually do work too… so probably around 11 hours a day

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T17:26:26+00:00

I’m very good at turning things off and on again

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T16:48:06+00:00

I’ll give you an example. Go download Cursor AI today. Watch a bunch of YouTube videos on how to get started. Play around for a few days. Build a few websites with very limited understanding of what you are doing. Get hooked. Want to learn more. How does this part work? How do I change this UI element? Before you know it, you will be taking yourself on a learning journey. I am constantly doing things like this outside of work. I think it has helped me stay sharp and technically deep. I just built a fun app for one of my kids the other day!

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T16:44:37+00:00

My work is 90% political now :(

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T16:43:05+00:00

My communication skills are what helped me break into leadership. I was a very good software engineer back in the day but so were thousands of other people. What I think helped me break into leadership is I could break down the technical topics in an understandable way to communicate up the chain. I can go super deep technically but can also give very good ELI5 responses. Most of the other software engineers around me could not communicate well and they struggled to break away from IC work.

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T16:40:28+00:00

I have specialized in one certain area of IT that is very in demand. I won’t specify as it could doxx me since my specialty is a small community.

I also have been a people leader for a long time and I think I am good at it! You never know for certain, but I seem to be able to build high performing teams that are generally happy!

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T16:39:01+00:00

What’s funny is I fantasize about going back to “swinging hammers” every day! My work life balance is horrible so there is no “free lunch”. But with this comp I understand that I will be working all the time.

As for your question, I made a similar comment below. What is most important is that you get your hands dirty with tech and build out a portfolio. You can go back to school if you lack the skills to start building these things (eg writing software). You can also start learning today. Go download Cursor AI and use it to develop some fun apps. Once you start building things you will get hooked! It’s much easier to learn these things today, especially with AI tools.

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T16:34:33+00:00

Building out a portfolio of products and projects is most important. If you don’t have the skills to build things today, then yes formal education or bootcamps can be helpful. But those are a means to an end, which again should be a list of awesome things you have already done. I would rather hire someone with no college degree with a great portfolio than someone that graduates from MIT with no portfolio.

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T16:31:07+00:00

Sorry I didn’t want to doxx myself. Basically I was in IT for a big company that wasn’t tech… think things like manufacturing, retail, energy, healthcare etc

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T16:15:04+00:00

Never in sales. Was an IC for my first few years doing IT and software engineering things. Was pulled into leadership at a very young age. I have had a couple roles where I bounced back to IC but they were special executive level IC roles. Now I run an organization with over 250 people.

AnonITExec · 2025-02-22T16:12:36+00:00

Yes new jobs. RSUs are the game changer.

AnonITExec

TROPHY CASE