Ricky (@findingricky) went from Junior (IC3) to Staff (IC6) at Google by 28. He doesn’t consider himself the best engineer, instead crediting his blend of technical and soft skills for his ability to land promotions quickly. In our conversation, we discuss: • Managing your manager • Finding good projects (and rejecting bad ones) • Imposter syndrome • Switching from IC to engineering management • Work-life balance — Where to find Ricky: • Instagram: https://instagram.com/@findingricky  • YouTube: https://youtube.com/@findingricky Where to find Ryan: • Newsletter: https://www.developing.dev/ • X: https://x.com/ryanlpeterman • LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ryanlpeterman • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ryanlpeterman • Instagram: https://instagram.com/@ryanlpeterman In this episode, we cover: 00:00 – Intro 01:08 – Promotion timeline 02:34 – Junior to Mid-level 04:24 – Finding independence 10:39 – Mid-level to Senior 11:20 – Learning how to say no 17:26 – Senior to Staff 20:18 – Finding next-level work 23:42 – Transitioning to management 33:46 – Reflections This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.developing.dev