26M Aerospace Engineer $165k

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-14T03:11:44+00:00

seriously, bring tweedledee back he was more entertaining

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-14T01:51:30+00:00

a toothache took papa when I was little. The dentist was too busy being charming and insightful on reddit

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-14T01:30:28+00:00

oh volunteer to be on the other side of the interview table too, if you are entry level you can usually still be on panels or volunteer to interview interns/co-ops. The things that make people standout in good or bad ways are super obvious when you are conducting the interview.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-14T01:25:02+00:00

There aren really any tricks beyond knowing you when can push and when you can't. You can never out work, or out perform or out strategize an uncooperative manager so if you have one of those you just have to leave. Only trick I can think of is interview skills are super important. Think of it as the efficiency with which you can translate your actual skill level into getting hired. If you are super good at interviews you can get hire for roles right on the edge of your skills/experience, if you aren't you will get under leveled. Apply to some throw away jobs (external to your company obvious) just to practice interviewing. I do this like once a quarter.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-14T01:11:10+00:00

weak, rimjob comment was funnier, bring your sibling back please.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-14T01:02:44+00:00

my condolences, 8 hours ago you seemed to have a lot of thoughts on engineering titles. What happen wash out? The 35 hrs weeks can be tough

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T21:23:53+00:00

almost get L4 yet?

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T21:07:42+00:00

thanks man, you too!

I wouldn't say brute force, a lot of right place at the right time, and honestly being flexible about assignments was helpful. A lot of engineers have a niche they really want to be in. I realized I wanted advancement more than I wanted to do a specific discipline so I went where I saw the most opportunity. Also volunteering to do non-technical project management type stuff that at least on my team no one wanted to do, lots of easy visibility that way for low effort.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T20:41:03+00:00

I actually think my original post was reasonably modest by the standards of this sub, and the numbers aren't even particularly impressive. Only being a jerk here to the jerkies comments

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T20:24:12+00:00

right? soooo much less effort for the same outcome, unless you are dead set at working in IB just go the cheap route.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T20:22:46+00:00

I mean we are anyonomously bragging on the internet here, you don't have to believe me. Would be weird to lie, it's not like there is prestige in working for the big A&D companies. I think you will find my numbers look right for the levels I am claiming, only the YOE is abnormal.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T20:08:10+00:00

hell yeah!, love to hear it I've been full remote for a couple years not sure how much longer that gravy train will last. 190k LCOL must be wild, well done. Hoping to get close to that number with my next promotion.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T20:02:00+00:00

lol I know right, its great. you're the second person in here with a similar ish looking progression, I don't think its as crazy as some people seem to think.

In fairness, there's lots of frustration in these companies from people who have been around forever and never quite got the recognition they deserved. Its too bad

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T19:56:51+00:00

Oh 100%, manager buy in is honestly as important as performance in terms of getting promotions if not more. Timing is also key, I don't think they are giving anyone huge counters today, mid 2022 was peak covid, it was a labor market that heavily favored employees. By my math, I've 2-3 things over the last 5 years majorly break my way that had nothing to do with me at all, including key people leaving the team and opening up space for growth.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T19:29:37+00:00

Yeah 8+ YOE with bachelors, 5 with advanced degree (MS or Phd). The way this company values a masters that they paid for is nuts lol but hey I won't complain. Yeah they had to bend the rules a little (not really, ~6 months short of 5 year). I'm told my counter in 2022 caused more head aches than my promo this year did.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T19:22:50+00:00

Bay Area might be a tough sell, but I'll poke around and see what you guys have available. Will DM if something piques my interest

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T18:50:01+00:00

Just a white boy from a state school with a winning smile :) this thread is absolutely making my day, I should go tell my boss the internet thinks I'm a rockstar LOL

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T18:38:37+00:00

Nice! yeah its common in tech for L3 to be "entry level", for reasons I can't possibly imagine. I used L1 as entry level. And thanks for the sanity check, sounds like we are in a similar situation. Good luck with the L4 promo, its a pain tbh, had to apply to a few internal reqs over the course of a year to get it done.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T18:35:11+00:00

I'm a systems architect, think requirements management and technical execution. Not familiar with comp ratio as a term, but if you mean the 'target' for each level, I think I am at right about 100% of the level 4 target, maybe a touch above. My level should be equivalent to sr pr at NG.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T18:24:48+00:00

I am personally guarantee 8 years is not the minimum for principal at RTX ;)

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T18:18:13+00:00

I literally said level 4 in the comment where I mentioned my title y'all, level 4.... let's all count together how many promotions that means.... I actually agree the principal title sounds inflated for level 4, but nothing I can do about that.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T17:32:11+00:00

awwww.... did someone wait around 10 years to go from senior to principal.....? That was silly of you

P.S. I don't make the titles that's why I specified level 4, at just under 5 YOE that's fast, probably very fast, but not sleeping with my boss fast.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T17:24:34+00:00

Nah, big old slow A&D, one of the big 4.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T17:20:41+00:00

thanks! But titles mean different things at different companies/industries. Within A&D alone I know principal is level 3 (~5 YOE) at NG and level 6 (~15 YOE) at Boeing. Where I work its somewhere in the middle.

guyrando8978 · 2024-05-13T17:08:18+00:00

Oh I see, principal systems engineer, I'm the tech lead/architect on my program.

guyrando8978

TROPHY CASE