You Had Me at "Hello, World": Mentoring Sessions with Industry Leaders at Microsoft, Facebook, Google, Amazon, Zynga and more!

by Dona Sarkar

Would you like the chance to have a mentoring session with a VP, Director or other influential leader from Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Rent The Runway, Zynga, Textio and many others?

I did! So I scheduled time with these awesome people to pick their brains and share what I learned with my mentees :)

Guess what? They did not tell me to write cleaner code or design more elegant architecture. Instead they shared with me their "career acumen" secrets, things they wished they had learned at school, but instead have had to learn the hard way..through years of experience.

In this book, you will hear these leaders' secrets around:

-Finding and using your superpowers , the qualities that make you completely unique and memorable
- A script for how to negotiate your salary (in a non-aggressive way) and influence your managers and peers from day one
- How to do that infamous "networking" thing everyone talks about, especially if you're not a networking event kind of person
- How to have professional presence that sets you apart from everyone else
- How to hit the ground running in the first 100 days and be the "rockstar" employee everyone talks about and wishes they could hire more of

I've had all kinds of adventures during my 10 years of engineering at Microsoft but my absolute favorite thing has been building relationships, speaking to, and mentoring people (both in and out of the tech industry) on how to achieve their career goals while still being themselves. When I interviewed 25 tech leaders for advice on the questions I get over and over, I wanted to share it with more than just my mentees.

This book is full of practical, do-today things as well as "scripts" and email templates that we have all actually used. Read the book and let's talk. I love reaching and meeting new people and you can now consider me “in your network” and I hope I can do the same for you.

My best always,
Dona

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

148 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 28, 2015

About the author

Dona is definitely supposed to be writing her overdue novel right now. Her agent is constantly amazed by the amount of happy hours, reading new authors, browsing Pinterest and pretty much every other activity on the planet Dona can conjure up when she has a writing deadline.

Dona is the published author of three novels HOW TO SALSA IN A SARI, SHRINK TO FIT and HAUTE DATE all from Harper Collins' Kimani Tru line as well as YOU HAD ME AT 'HELLO, WORLD' from Quill and Pen Publishing.

In her spare time, Dona makes holograms at Microsoft, celebrates diversity in STEM fields as a fashion blogger at http://fibseq.style and is an aspiring fashion designer.

She lives in Seattle with her really patient husband and a very bossy grey tabby named Ash.

Reviews

[Kelli Estes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that every person currently working, or hoping to work, in the Tech industry should read! Excellent advice.

[Paola C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha parecido bastante interesante la forma en que este libro da consejos sobre como entrar en una empresa y promocionarse para alcanzar mejores puestos a través de la propia experiencia de la autora y con ejemplos de otras personas reconocidas que me sorprendieron.
La única pega es que se centra en el ámbito de las nuevas tecnologías y a veces puede resultar un poco difícil de entender sobre que está hablando cuando usa lenguaje técnico específico de la rama. Aún así los consejos son aplicables a cualquier trabajo.

[Imaculate Mosha]

I read this book at the right time (3 months as a Software Engineer at Microsoft). It is short, insightful and the set the tone for managing my career.

[J.R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only complaint was I wanted more.

[Dirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dona Sarkar has written an excellent book that will be of great help to people who are looking for a career in the technology industry and elsewhere. The books particular strength is that is is full of concrete examples, actual emails used to approach people as well as tips from people working in industry. Not the usual fluff found in careers for dummies books, but really useful and usable advice. I will definitely recommend the book to my students who always ask questions that are answered in this book.

[Alvaro Alcocer Sotil · Rating 4 out of 5]

El libro es una guía que compila historias y consejos de líderes de la industria tecnológica que trabajan en algunas de las compañías más grandes del mundo.

La autora, Donna Sarkar, ha entrevistado a expertos en tecnología y programación, incluyendo a líderes de Microsoft, Facebook, Google, Amazon y Zynga, para obtener información valiosa sobre su experiencia y consejos para los lectores que deseen seguir sus pasos.

El libro se divide en varios capítulos que cubren temas como la creación de redes y la búsqueda de empleo, la importancia de la creatividad y la innovación en el trabajo, la resolución de problemas y la toma de decisiones, y la gestión del tiempo y la productividad.

Cada capítulo incluye entrevistas y consejos de líderes de la industria, así como ejemplos de sus experiencias y logros en sus respectivos campos. Estas historias y consejos pueden inspirar y motivar a los lectores a seguir sus propias pasiones en la tecnología y la programación.

[Ximena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lectura recomendada para recién egresados y profesionales en sus primeros años de carrera.

La autora, Dona Sarkar, reúne consejos de numerosos profesionales del mundo tecnológico (pero que funcionan para cualquier persona, independientemente del rubro en que se encuentren) y te explica, con ejemplos e historias personales, cómo puedes aplicarlos al instante.

Definitivamente un libro al que volveré en el futuro para revisar capítulos y releer notas.

[Akshay Bakshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dona's book is cogent, hitting hard one lesson after another, a great crash course for college grads entering tech. I have stumbled into a bunch of her tips through trial and error on my own, but it's wonderful validation to hear the same package of advice from someone who's done it already. Recommended.

[Varun Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book by a great author. First met her at MS Ignite NZ 2016 and the next day I ordered her book. This book tells you things that actually work and tells you step by step as to how anyone can do it.

[Raviteja Andhavarapu · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book gives advice on a bunch of stuff to help one grow in an organization or in general. I like some of the advice but not everything seems applicable to everybody. Most of the advice is from female leaders (for some reason). Very quick read.

[Allisonperkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful overview for those starting out in their career. Simply awesome - for the right audience. If you've been working for a few years, this should all be things you know.

Will aside from the discussion on mentor versus sponsor - that usually takes longer to figure out.

[Broda Noel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Juro que este es el peor libro que he leído en mi vida. Me dió muchísima vergüenza ajena.
No puedo creer que este libro tenga 4,5 estrellas de puntuación. Que le vieron de lindo? La humanidad está perdida.

[Sergio Hinchado · Rating 2 out of 5]

Libro escrito por una profesional de IT de Silicon Valley que ofrece una lectura personal de la carrera profesional de una programadora informática. Ofrece algunas ideas interesantes y acceso a fuentes bibliográficas relevantes pero sin ir más allá. Es un diario personal.

[Lucía Bahamondes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel close to the author, this is mi experence reading this book. When you have finished the university and have started your first jobs you need some advices so this is a help book for professional beginers as me. I really enjoyed reading it.

[Marie Groover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty insightful, super quick read.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even though this book has great inspirational quotes for increasing your people skills and relationship, I can suggest it only for new grads searching for a job

[Sujit koduru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful!!

Very insightful and reiterates so many key elements of networking and do the thing attitude !! Loved the read !!

[Andrew Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want great career advice? Read this book!

A most valuable book and well written. Thank you Dona for sharing all these excellent morsels of wisdom from significant tech people.

[Antoni Galmés · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como estudiante, me ha aportado mucho conocimiento de como funcionan las empresas tecnológicas y como crecer en ellas.

[Mikhail Filatov · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book can be interesting if you are:
looking for your first job after college
want to be a "networker"\"influencer"
Otherwise, it's mostly about Dona and how awesome she believes she is.

[Vikrant Bansal · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a useless book. It seems pages of some diary which are not coherent.

[Alejandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book by Dona Sarkar. I would recommend this book to anyone working, or hoping to work, in the tech industry. Very quick and easy to read, super insightful and fun.

[Fay Wu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Dona Sarkar at a Microsoft event for college women studying CS in SoCal. She is inspirational, very friendly and wise. I found so much good advice in this book that I've highlighted something almost every page, with sticky notes "TODO"s to remind me of things I now really want to do, such as asking as many questions about everything during my first few months at a new job, actively looking for mentorship and building solid professional relationships, and doing research into my industry often to keep updated. I think this book is particularly good for people who are just about to enter their first software engineering job at a tech company (although perhaps the advice would apply elsewhere too). I just find it extremely valuable to me right at this moment because I'm about to enter my first job, and I think I will reread my highlighted portions over the next year to make sure I'm following all the tips!

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I'm a friend of the author's and was interviewed for this book.

Review: I read this on the plane to the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing to get pumped. I found it incredibly easy to read, with solid advice. The lessons and stories are helpful and the industry leaders - particularly Kate Matsudaira and Camille Fournier, two of my personal favorites - are excellent.

I'd recommend this primarily to early career professionals in tech. I think mid-career folks in a slump or who just really enjoy stories from interesting people would enjoy as well.

[Guillermo Rueda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you think you know it all when it comes to work for the tech industry (or others)? Think again!

Good for whenever you start on a new job... And even if you've been there for a while. Made me rethink about a lot of things that I hadn't considered much as important (but they are) and situations where having the right knowledge and mindset will definitely help going over them in a way more smoother (and even successful) way. Thanks for spreading the knowledge!

[Oleksiy Kovyrin · Rating 2 out of 5]

May be interesting for college graduates or junior engineers. Haven't found anything new in this book for myself.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, short book about professional development and tips for preparing/succeeding in your first job. Best of all, it's relatable, funny, and inspirational with direct and straightforward advice from successful women in leading roles from impressive tech companies.