Table of Contents
- Daniel Rizea, director of engineering at Google, shared what he learned
- He said he had followed the advice of legendary investor Charlie Munger.
- Daniel said it’s important to know what to avoid in order to move up the ladder.
Knowing when to take the right career steps can be tricky, and according to a senior Google executive, there are strategic ways to climb the corporate ladder.
Daniel Rizea, who works as an engineering director at Google, says there are many ways to succeed in your career and it all comes down to knowing what to avoid.
in one piece for Business Insider, Daniel explained how he had relied on business advice from legendary investor Charlie Munger.
According to Daniel, Charlie’s advice was “surprising, if not simple,” as he urged employees to simply avoid doing things that would set them up for failure.
“Avoiding ruin is better than chasing quick and easy tricks to success, which usually turn out to be wrong,” Daniel said.
He then listed five things you should never do to have a successful and meaningful career.
Knowing when to take the right career steps can be tricky, and according to a senior Google executive, there are strategic ways to climb the corporate ladder (file image)
Get promoted too soon
Being ambitious is important, but Daniel warns that it can make sense to be too ambitious.
According to the Google director, a promotion too early can lead to poor performance if the person does not have enough experience.
“Getting a promotion when you are not fully prepared can negatively affect you and your career path,” he warned.
“I’ve seen a lot of people burn out and quit because they weren’t performing adequately at their new level,” he added.
Daniel said many people overestimate how prepared they are to take on more responsibility, suggesting they first imagine themselves in a more challenging role tomorrow and see how it would make them feel.
‘Yeah [the thought of being promoted] surprises you, chances are you’re not prepared because you don’t see yourself performing at that level,” he suggested.
Don’t fly under the radar
Although you shouldn’t overdo your skills at work, it’s also important not to overwork yourself.
‘Doing the minimum has multiple disadvantages. It stops your growth, reduces your commitment to your work and your happiness, and makes you less fortunate,’ Daniel said.
Daniel warned that completely stepping away from aspects of their work can cause people to miss out on “career-changing projects.”
Daniel Rizea, who works as an engineering director at Google, says there are many ways to succeed in your career and it all comes down to knowing what to avoid (file image).
Stop avoiding work
Daniel reminded people that no matter how talented a person is, they still have to put in the hours.
“Some people waste a lot of time looking for creative ways or shortcuts and realize they might as well have done the job,” he said.
Don’t skip jobs
Daniel says that changing jobs can negatively affect your career, as you won’t have enough time to properly grow in the position.
“If you are an individual contributor who wants to advance to a leadership position, you need at least two years to develop this skill set,” he said.
Daniel said it was important to demonstrate that you can deliver projects and demonstrate good work multiple times to build trust within your team.
‘If you change jobs every year, you will never fully develop your leadership skills. You will start several times from the same place but you will never complete the full cycle,” she said.
Be reliable
Daniel reminded people that it is vital to trust each other in the workplace.
‘Trust is essential. “It’s hard to get and easy to lose,” she stated.
“When someone new joins a team or organization, the team evaluates, consciously or unconsciously, whether the person is competent and trustworthy.”
