(the first tip!): If you find yourself receiving the same question over and over again, it’s a good idea to write down your answer in order to:

  1. Formalize and sharpen your thinking
  2. Save yourself time the next time someone asks

…In this spirit, here’s my usual answer to the FAQ: “how do I learn and grow quickly in the first few years of my career?”

1. Learn how to be useful to busy people

This is the most important skill you can cultivate to build a reputation as a problem-solver. When busy, influential people view you as someone who's easy to work with and gets sh*t done, they'll be more likely to grant you access to new and stretch opportunities, which are the best way to accelerate your learning and growth.

How do you actually do this?

  1. Bring solutions rather than problems. Early in your career, and especially in roles like Product where you have very limited ability to drive outcomes directly (and are instead relying on the team of engineers, designers, etc around you), there are very few problems you can directly solve on your own. This probably means a lot of asking for help, which you can do in one of two ways:

🙋 ”I’m experiencing xyz problem/blocker. What should I do about it?"

🙋 ”I’m experiencing xyz problem/blocker. I thought about it/did research/asked others for opinions and have considered solutions A, B and C. I recommend moving forward with A for <reason>, but wanted to get your opinion before making the decision. If we choose that option, what I need from you to make it successful is <specific ask for support>.

Think about how much more likely you are to fill out a feedback form if it’s an open-ended response vs a single multiple-choice question - and now imagine how much your preference for multiple choice goes up with the number of other things you’re juggling. 1. With the first option, you’re asking a busy person to do mental work for you: they have to switch into the context of your problem, ask questions to gather more information, ideate across multiple possible solutions, choose a decision making framework, make a decision, and then communicate that whole process back to you (if you’re lucky). 2. With the second option, you’ve done 80% of the mental heavy lifting, transforming your ask from one that demands a high cognitive load to one that provides a dopamine hit from a clear, fast decision.

Coming with solutions rather than problems isn't just about respecting busy peoples’ time; it's about demonstrating your ability to think critically and independently, which will unlock future opportunities.
**
  1. Consider what the person you’re talking to cares about and how you may be able to help them. ****This is helpful for two reasons: you’ll be able to better tailor the information you’re sharing with them to come across as relevant and meaningful, and it helps you surface ideas for ways to help them. Along the lines of (a),

❓ “How can I help?” puts cognitive burden on the person you’re asking;

💡 “I thought about some things I might be able to take off your plate; can I help with X, Y or Z?” demonstrates your ability to take initiative and drive improvements independently.

2. Build relationships with people you think you can learn from

I chose my first job out of college based on where I thought I’d be most likely to learn, following people whose leadership style I admired with the intention of acting like a sponge (someone on my team recently described this as “wanting to download their operating system” - pick your favorite analogy 🧽💻).

How do you actually do this?

  1. When looking for these people, watch for what they actually do over what they say. A lot of people are very articulate speakers and can market themselves well (also an important skill to build!) but do not actually get anything done. You want to learn from the doers.