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I recently interviewed for L7 EM at Google and had 4 great interviews and one not so great system design. I submitted external referrals all of which gave great feedback. The recruiter said the next step is team match/interviews and then the HC. Anyone in a similar situation? What was the result? Google
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Ask someone who would be your peer when the last time that they had to sign on during the weekend, or after dinner. That’s usually a huge indicator.
I agree as well
Ask if there is “on call support” schedule. If there is, then you know you will be attending to an alarm after hours or on the weekend. But the reality, I don’t know of a job where you are an engineer that doesn’t have that
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Ask about their flexibility when it comes to starting time and leaving time. If there is little none then it is a very bad sign
The "balance" goes both ways. There are times when a good company might need a little more push to get something done, but then when flexibility isn't a problem it should be granted without judgement. Asking about current employee experiences is a good way to judge the company's practices, but don't expect that any salaried job will always be a 9-5 day.
From what I've seen of anyone who truly excels in life they have 1 fundamental common truth they understand and live by. Work/life balance is a hot garbage myth of a construct that keeps you weighed down. Work is part of your life. Sometimes you have to put more time into your workday than you do in your private life, sometimes you put more time and effort ibto your personal life. At the end of the day it's all just time. Stop focusing on how much you put into each basket and just focus on how much total you put into all baskets combined.
You mistake will be submitting your work early, only to be given something new to work on. It is only a job; unskilled to a senior a role in the shadows. It shows you are always one step ahead in your professional, transferable and personal skills development.
Structure is the critical factor that transforms exhausting work into meaningful growth. Without it, you are effectively a "wage slave" trapped in a cycle of endless labor without a clear path to mastery or independence.
www.the-lbm.com +1
1. Structure as the Boundary Against Exploitation
When personal development is unstructured, it often devolves into "workload exploitation." Employees who are proactive without a plan risk taking on more tasks without gaining more value.
YouTube +1
The Difference: A Personal Development Plan (PDP) acts as a "compass and map," ensuring your effort leads to a specific destination (e.g., a promotion or new skill) rather than just helping the company's bottom line at your expense.The Risk: Without structure, "proactivity" can look like passively adapting to work overload, which eventually leads to burnout rather than development.
The Open University +3
2. Proactive Development vs. Passive "Busy-ness"
True proactivity is future-oriented, whereas unstructured development is often reactive—responding to immediate workplace demands rather than personal long-term goals.
Indeed +1
Structured Proactivity: Involves identifying potential future needs and acquiring those skills before they are required.The "Slave to Work" Trap: Feeling enslaved often stems from a lack of control over what you do. Mastery and structure return that control to the individual.
Altura Learning UK +3
3. How to Regain "Professional Freedom"
To ensure your development is an investment in yourself, not just a service to your employer, utilize a structured framework:
Use the SMART Framework: Ensure goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound to avoid "fuzzy" goals that lead to nowhere.Establish Boundaries: Learn to say "no" strategically to tasks that do not align with your development plan to protect your time and energy.Regular Review: Treat your development like a business project. Conduct quarterly reviews to assess if your current workload is actually moving you toward your own goals
Agree, checkout PracHub.com