I work hard and fortunately at the current startup I'm employed by I; A) still have a job post pandemic and B) own a piece of our codebase that many others have limited understanding of (specifically a service built with elixir phoenix). Quarantine / WFH has decimated my productivity, however I've still gotten some small incentive bonuses and raises. However, my boss keeps pushing me to "take more ownership" and really wants me to grow faster. I look at past co-workers who took little time to go from dev grunt to essential management staff and honestly draw a blank. I have no clue how they did this.
Do any of you have experience growing quickly at a startup? Or tips to really take advantage of being at a growth stage startup?
Thanks and best of luck to everyone out there like me who dislikes WFH.
Otherwise, next time you have the "take more ownership" conversation don't hesitate to ask for specifics where you can do that. Development goals shouldn't be guess work.
You already mentioned you own one part of the codebase, why not expand on that and find another (hopefully critical) part of the codebase and become an expert/owner on that piece too?
Also, it's not all about writing code. Your boss wants to see you put the needs of the team above your own, so look for opportunities in which you can increase team productivity, reduce risk, and help grow your team in terms of headcount and knowledge.
Also, try not to compare yourself to others, although I know it's easier said than done. Figure out what your goals are and do everything you need to in order to achieve them. Who cares how quickly others progress? Focus on yourself and your own success.
I don't have any advice and I don't assume what I've said applies to your friend(s) as all situations are different. Just sharing insight.