An Indian-origin software engineer working at Google in New York shared her experience, which has been nothing short of eye-opening for her.
Six months into the role, Aashna Doshi shared her biggest takeaways in a now-viral post on LinkedIn. Her insights resonated with several users in the tech industry.
Doshi’s post, titled, “6 Months at Google, 6 Things I’ve Learned So Far,” detailed the lessons she picked up while navigating one of the world’s most competitive workplaces.
Here’s what she had to say:
- Imposter syndrome is real – but so is growth. Walking into a team of senior engineers, Doshi initially struggled with imposter syndrome. However, she soon realised that growth comes from asking questions, lots of them. “The smartest engineers I’ve met are also the most generous with their knowledge,” she said.
- Building community matters: While tech is fast-paced, Doshi emphasised on the importance of finding a support system. Whether it’s through women’s networks at Google, student panels, or even a poker club, she found that having a community made all the difference.
- Coffee chats are underrated: One of her golden rules? Never stop meeting people. She makes it a point to schedule at least one or two casual coffee chats each week, which she says have led to some of her best career advice and unexpected opportunities.
- Ownership mindset is key: According to Doshi, success at Google isn’t about just completing tasks – it’s about thinking critically, proposing ideas, and taking ownership. Working in privacy and security, she saw how even the smallest contributions could make a major impact.
- Communication over code: While writing great code is essential, Doshi said that strong communication skills set engineers apart. “Learning how to present ideas in cross-team discussions has been a game-changer,” she said.
- Tech moves fast – so keep learning. Doshi said that the learning never stops. “Whether it’s new security challenges, evolving best practices, or refining my own skills, I’ve learned to embrace being a student, always.”