The Looking Glass: My Identity = My Job

The past month of essays-as-Twitter-threads, including: how do you delay a product launch? Why should managers learn other functions? And top 7 unintuitive things about growing your career.

Hello friends!

I hope the sun rays feel like smiles on your skin. I hope the spring air fills you with optimism. I hope you can hug your loved ones soon. Here’s the last month of essays-in-the-form-of-twitter-threads.

“My Identity = My Job”

Who tends to think this way? Why is it unhealthy? What are the actual regrets of the dying?

Julie Zhuo @joulee

“You were at one company for nearly 14 years?!?!” Yes, I’d say. Here’s why: 1) I loved the people 2) I was continuously challenged and learning 3) The mission spoke to me 4) I felt deep loyalty But there was another big reason that was hard for me to admit then… (1/10)

https://twitter.com/joulee/status/1377645723118792707

332Likes46Retweets

https://twitter.com/joulee/status/1377645723118792707

If I had seven tweets to send to a younger version of myself, this would be it.

Julie Zhuo @joulee

Seven incredibly non-intuitive things about growing your career, a thread 👇

https://twitter.com/joulee/status/1370412225513418753

3,724Likes788Retweets

https://twitter.com/joulee/status/1370412225513418753

Julie Zhuo @joulee

The people whose careers you admire and study the most are the ones your own career starts to emulate. This seems like a great thing, until you realize along the way the downsides that come with that kind of career. Every glamour has its price. (1/7)

https://twitter.com/joulee/status/1370412226121584645

581Likes37Retweets

https://twitter.com/joulee/status/1370412226121584645

How to think about quality, deadlines, and the art of bringing up news your boss does not want to hear.

Julie Zhuo @joulee

You’re in a panic. Your launch date is in a week. Your whole team’s credibility is riding on your collective ability to make it happen. Leadership is Eye-of-Sauron-ing this project. There’s just one problem. You suspect the product sucks. What do you do? A thread 👇 (1/9)

https://twitter.com/joulee/status/1372942377724252162

1,739Likes286Retweets

https://twitter.com/joulee/status/1372942377724252162

And what the manager career path at senior levels becomes.

Julie Zhuo @joulee

I’ve participated in too many conversations about the role of design / pm / eng to count. Of course there are differences. But every tech manager role, regardless of discipline, ends up converging at higher levels. What does this mean for you as a manager? Thread below 👇

https://twitter.com/joulee/status/1375116163781292034

629Likes97Retweets

https://twitter.com/joulee/status/1375116163781292034

Julie