Advice from the Top 1% of Software EngineerㅣExaltitude Jean Lee

What are the ways to become a highly valuable person? We had the privilege of interviewing the remarkable Jean Lee, an early engineering member of WhatsApp with over 17 years of invaluable experience in the tech industry. Dive into the interview to uncover the wealth of insights she generously shares, showcasing not only her exceptional skills but also her profound understanding of the industry. Discover the secrets of excelling at work and making a lasting personal impact while collaborating with top teams!
Meet Jean at the youtube channel! : www.youtube.com/@exaltitude/v...
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Subtitles for this video were created using [XL8.ai](xl8.ai/) machine translation.

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[@tongobong1]

Likability and credibility is terrible advice for men. Men should look professional and serious.

[@xst9880]

Marry me 🥰

[@tongobong1]

@@xst9880 who me?

[@i_zoru]

"Blindly following trends is a recipe for failure because you are always one step behind" this is the most advice some new people in SE need to hear

[@rwmusic8126]

this is currently happening where I work. It's exhausting to keep up with the trending tech and gives no good results.

[@i_zoru]

well im the opposite, but i still understand how you feel because my friends experienced it too Hype-Driven Development are like this, make you keep up to date, but with the cost of your project gone to shit, problem arises when trending tech u use isn't fitting the project requirement

[@sancho7198]

true

[@TheNextBestGamers]

That makes 0 sense. She wants people that can learn new things without trying out new things. Trying new programming languages and frameworks is the best way for you to learn new concepts and adopt new skills. The worst you can do is code in same language your whole life and never adopt to trends/market.

[@i_zoru]

@@TheNextBestGamers learn new things and blindly following trend is a 2 different thing, this 'new things' doen't have to be the trending one, but the useful one, the one that might fit best to current and future situation, and one more thing, trends and market sometimes can be different, a lot of boot camp says 'B' is the trending langauage, while most company still uses 'A' or need people that have experience with 'A'

[@3am.productions948]

1. " Blindly Following Trends Is Receipe for Failure because you always step behind " 2. "Prioritize the things " 3. " Clearly define what exaclty you want "

[@dawid_dahl]

(4: Be credible and likeable.)

[@FrontTech-qu3pe]

These advices are good but highly vague

[@ReflectionOcean]

- Recognize that influence stems from likability and credibility. (0:31) - Identify and focus on your unique strengths and what you want to be known for. (1:14) - Avoid blindly following trends; prioritize learning and inquisitiveness. (1:56) - Seek a balance between ownership, mentorship, and autonomy in your career. (3:13) - Embrace simplicity and prioritize ruthlessly in your projects and features. (5:01) - Ensure everyone on your team understands the long-term goals and priorities. (6:02) - Understand the impact of money on life and find work that feels meaningful and enjoyable. (8:01)

[@eggcellerate]

Thank you❤

[@InconspicuousChap]

Add lifelong loyalty to the organization to this list, and you get a mafia oath. What's most interesting here is that there is not a single word about the IT (so called "hard") skills. This also matches the mafia HR principle. P.S. I hope this is just her personal projection because neither I nor a number of senior engineers I know wouldn't work in an environment she describes.

[@danwallace213]

😮😮😮😮

[@brajat5538]

​@@InconspicuousChapwhat are hard skills? Isn't she having fun in her work? 😅

[@InconspicuousChap]

@@brajat5538 my comment was not about whether she is having fun (I'd bet she's not), but that her recommendations are no different from those for joining Cosa Nostra. And if you try to follow them to find an engineer job, you going to get into a management hell.

[@derekdevs]

I started going to college (part time) at 27 and didn’t start coding until 30. Graduated with a degree in CS and have been working in the field for 18 months now. I love what I do and wouldn’t change a thing. If you like solving problems, start coding!

[@ozonzechibudike4293]

Thank you for this advice! I love it cos I am in similar shoes..

[@LizyAd]

Same!

[@Prakhar_Choubey]

In this field you can't survive if you don't change a thing 😅

[@glockiyana2591]

If you wanna be successful in any company you work for, just be HUMBLE, don't try to put others collegues down, ignore or be a duchbag just because your job is "more important" or you have more knowledge, learning how to listen is the first key to skyrocket you as a professional and human being

[@drummermike5150]

Damn...this right here!!!!!

[@Optim40]

You know what that is though ? Common sense.

[@Optim40]

​@@drummermike5150Why you acting like you've never heard this before ? As if Gen Z is schooling you ...nahh 😂

[@AnykeySkywanker]

​@@Optim40why you acting like you already know it while being a douche?

[@mavioz]

This is really refreshing to hear. Simplicity and prioritisation will drive you forward. Especially in this age of bombardment of content.

[@shuddafuqup]

Very sensible and straightforward advice and insights. Nothing fancy or unnecessarily contrarian.

[@hp4985]

I always feared that I was learning the wrong things but now I feel I'll be okay as long as : 1. I have good ethics and morals and can be friendly to others. 2. And have at least learned the coding concepts regardless of language, system, etc. practicing life long learning everyday is very fun but also important to keep my brain healthy enough for long term work Just summarizing for myself

[@Medallion702]

love the straightforward message, truly inspirational, i hope to build my career up and this gave me so much energy listening to someone who is passionate successful and driven. cheers.

[@saurabhrthakur]

These conversations would really be helpful to future engineers.

[@rcgonzalezf]

Good interview and refreshing because it wasn't selling us a subscription, good content!

[@sanz1996_]

Great video, Having a mentor to look upto makes all the difference. There are great roles in companies outside of big tech gaints.

[@dadamnmayne]

its hard to find good videos like this these days. she drops fact after fact here.

[@kannayao]

As an expat working oversea, I agree with her 100% that the likability and creditability are the main characters we look for when forming the A Team for new project.

[@clovemao329]

You earned subs. I can say I like you already when you explain the concept credibility and likeability. Man. I hope to learn more from you. I am an empty sheets 😅

[@UniversalTomato]

What an awesome video and message. As I start my first day of my first software engineering job tomorrow I’ll be sure to reference this video afterwards and then once again every year or so as my journey continues.

[@i_zoru]

good luck buddy, i hope the best of u

[@diwakardayal954]

Hey Maintain daily log wat works what not Might help you in long run All the best

[@Enterprise-Architect]

One person's success could be another person's failure. Follow your journey than following another person's footstep... Honesty and Discipline is the mantra for success!

[@EnglishBros]

0:28: Influence in tech: likability and credibility are key for success. 1:48: Success in software engineering requires inquisitiveness, passion, and a focus on core utility features. 3:37: Experiencing rapid growth and learning from experienced founders led to the success of WhatsApp, with a focus on engineering culture. 5:41: Prioritizing user experience and guiding principles in software engineering management. 7:37: The impact of financial opportunities, the importance of finding fulfilling work, and the value of continuous engagement in one's passion.

[@RAHULTMNT100]

shes just lucky she was working in whatsapp. all of this dont mean shit

[@Trigenetic]

My late friend had both likability and credibility/ability to deliver. She also invented Celery and made a difference in alot of things. RIP my friend. Love you

[@friendly__drone9352]

Amazing interview! I would work for her in a heartbeat! I wouldn't be good enough to be on her team but still!

[@PreludeSon]

You need to believe in yourself. It'll be a good start

[@lethatsinkin]

Great video, ending was really a cherry on top ❤

[@seunghwanlee1542]

What an informative content ❤ thank you EO

[@RomanShchekin]

Breathtaking. Thanks. Gonna think it.

[@MrDavidrie]

Thank you so much for this. Loved The idea of what work should mean

[@autreelodia3456]

Omg, she is so inspiring! 😻 Thank you very much gor this video!

[@user-ic4rq1jp1o]

Amazing. Share a lot of insights.

[@csy897]

The bad thing about loving your job so much is that everything else seems boring even the latest and greatest tv show. And when your doctor says you need to reduce stress and work it is extremely difficult.

[@YosmelLGD]

Amazing interview!

[@ryanmckenna2047]

Amazing advice , you inspire me!

[@kenjimiwa3739]

Great honest video thanks for sharing!

[@naveenimmadisetti1548]

how to be a great engineer to how to spend the life.. awesome video..

[@wardsuleiman1640]

Thank you for this amazing video!

[@namaefumei]

I teach web dev, I do mentoring and I cant even start to explain the thoughts beginners have about react because or the ecosystem chaos. It's like a maze now. You need to learn sooo much to land a job now. Solid HTML CSS JavaScript AND React isnt enough now. You need nextjs too. Layer over layer.

[@vivekteega]

This was a great video, thank you

[@John-3692]

This is a true gem. I recently enjoyed a similar book, and it was a true gem. "Mastering AWS: A Software Engineers Guide" by Nathan Vale

[@nosh3019]

Wow great and authentic. Thanks

[@mirror03251]

Thank you. Very informative!

[@josephjoestar995]

Incredible video, such great advice

[@jenuelganawed]

thanks you for the great video,,

[@kurihara9023]

In fact why should I be ? The truth is the more genius you are the lot of responsibility you should carry,,in fact you are not going to stand over the corner and watching people die or killing each other right,,and because you don't understand what is love that make you protect the things you care..

[@Normi19]

What great insights, and video.

[@krysnkem6746]

So much depth

[@VKjkd]

Great video. Thank you 🙏🏼

[@Dazaer]

Universal Basic Income. How about we make it happen so that everyone can just "redefine the meaning of work" and not only the ones who win out on billion dollar sales?

[@jonathandavis9507]

She just explained what skills work in the video. That doesn’t mean you’ll get acquired by Facebook but it will help in your career.

[@barayoon-vq6ey]

Great tips

[@viky2002]

amazing !

[@Yuraeka]

Informative contents = )

[@jmon24ify]

I really like this video. My only questions are what is the top 1% of software engineers and what identifies someone as top 1%?

[@hugenerretho9151]

Ikr, its just for attention to get a view on this video

[@KellyOhara]

Excellent!

[@nammi895]

Forgot top 1% software engg. Can Jean Lee give a talk on how to be in top 1% of beautiful women🎉❤ Beauty with brains

[@mrj774]

Can you please make sure people with M1 macs and 16GB RAM can use WhatsApp without memory hogging, lag, disconnections and flicker. Thx

[@rickr530]

Oh yeah, it's always fun when a rich person tells you how unimportant money is or the CEO gives a pep talk about how "work should be fun" right before hopping on the corporate jet to conduct business from a ski lodge in the Swiss Alps. I'm sure they're right, though. If I had everything they have then I too would take it for granted.

[@HSNMSD]

I really love this video and learned to become a part in my computer science journey. Your video help me to keep working on your prioritize task instead work on at the same time on multitasking. Learning new things every day as the technology changes we learn to solve own problems and clients problems. we can solve the problem if we understand the problem well. I also afraid to math a lot but i try to solve math problems as i become engineer. sorry for my bad english actually i'm learning to write in english.

[@truth-12345.]

1:57 This is what I'm talking about. I've fallen victim from this KZbin channels that were talking about new shiny platforms and frameworks that were not proven yet and will likely bring your project to shit if you relied on it. I was late to realize that they were just including this stuff in their content just for "clout". Don't make this same mistake ever.

[@itsworkinprogress]

Wise woman!

[@aberba]

WhatsApp is now getting complicated by the day with it's design as they move to add in more features. It's a hard problem but they're approaching it wrong in terms of navigation and layout. Channels is messed up.

[@joristube]

Unlike 99% of all hiring managers

[@mementomori8856]

I wish someone just gives me a chance, I just need one.

[@ashura5357]

advise me on how to sell people’s personal data

[@bawabro]

I never understood what whatsapp engineers were building except for the different UI each year unecessarily.

[@JoaquinTorroba]

👏🏼

[@princebautista]

Leaving a comment so I can get back to this

[@WofWca]

Can you find the list of your comments? In case not, here is a notification for you

[@princebautista]

@@WofWca History (left panel) > Comments (right panel)

[@asdfchaos]

That’s great, but I still don’t like how WhatsApp collects so much user data that ends up being leaked or sold. It’s really not privacy safe.

[@evurohardware]

Take a breather

[@FUTURE_XD]

Note to self: make app for grandmas in the middle of nowhere.

[@maintaintechtz]

nice video

[@mathijs9365]

Hiring managers only want ro see experienced in lot of different languages

[@namu5583]

Why chopping the video if you have multiple camera? Why not make it smooth editing?

[@khanra17]

WhatsApp has a terrible codebase. Atleast the Android part

[@menthorlabs]

First!

[@TheUmangTarang]

K, I'm a fan

[@WoWUndad]

Supet senior engineer explains her basic chat app

[@Jeremy-ji1sk]

❤

[@puneettripathi8418]

They might have thrown away the "No gimmick" note, based on the recent bullsh*t updates they have been pumping out.

[@vizzyphd]

Why am i crying? 🥺🥺

[@tyo007]

whatsapp acquired for $19 billion. If she had like 0.01% of total shares, that would be a grand total of $1.9 million, millionare in overnight..super lucky and of course counting how many days she works there as well..

[@the_derpler]

So basically be talented AND super luck out at being in the right place at the right time? I have friends here in SF that just own homes here and quit their career because they happened to work at Instagram doing normal level work during their facebook acquisition. They are no more or less talented than any of the friends in our engineering crew out here. It's just about lucking out for a huge % of people that make it.

[@Youtubehandles1234]

Title has a typo

[@twowheelwanderer98]

don't know,its like hearing your own story through some one else , really liked it .

[@Niko753A]

I am going to get a tattoo saying "Following trends is a guarantee for failure because you will be a step behind" :-)

[@ant-dev]

*always be

[@bloodz0r]

Easy. Born as korean

[@AndreasLianos]

that would be a great video is it wasn't excited within an inch of is life.

[@Optim40]

It really is just common sense. Like..damnn..😂

[@ParagPandit]

She sounded IBM before she said 3:23

[@dumbfailurekms]

The video is 9 minutes yet all the comments are like summaries with timestamps lol

[@universal1772]

👍

[@sul-dev]

To sum up what she said in one word: Prioritisation

[@andreypopov6166]

we do not care about the programming language you are using, instead what is matter if you are able to memorise patterns to solve "far away from real life" coding challenges in 15 mins :))))

[@soumo3464]

I guess the poster of "No gimmicks" fell off the wall. And whatsapp is back with channels , payments 🎃

[@tensor5113]

1) Join a unicorn startup before the billion dollar sale or going public 2) Now you're a top 1% genius

[@rickr530]

For reals. All the people taking notes in the comments hoping to imitate success should know that for every one person who ground it out and made it to the top, there are ten thousand more who ground it out and got a 3% raise at the end of the year.

[@GameMasters825]

In this field chinese people are dominant dammmm

[@KristianTheDesigner]

Great talk. The music is really distracting.

[@Y0seo]

Just to put this out there: Your value as a person is not dependent on your economic productivity.

[@denisnasyrtdinov6796]

With all due respect I think there is a little value in this video. The speaker describes one particular product with certain core values that might be not relevant to your personal experience. Not every company gets acquired enabling you to cash out and to tell about things money can’t buy. And the videos title has nothing to do with its contents.

[@martinjochnick8457]

Disagree. Title is “advice from top engineer”, first two minutes she’s says optimize for likability and credibility. Later goes on to say that interviewers care more about ability to learn new languages more than expertise in any single one, since what they use tomorrow may be different than what they use today. Then she says when building, go for depth, reliability, and quality in the core offering over adding gimmicky features. Video is rife with advice for engineers.

[@debbs_io]

The video is highly useful. But the title is definitely off putting

[@pieteb_nl]

She’s top 1% for sure and she has some good general guidance. I liked the vid.

[@vapor4]

Absolutely. You get it.

[@srinivaskalyanpotru6478]

I found the video helpful.

[@wonderingmechatronics7114]

In other words not focusing on doing the job but pulling the strings to adjust into a work environment, woke engineers.

[@plaidchuck]

Sorry 19B was waaaay too much. Kicking themselves now

[@sunnyboi1221]

Lol the top 5 programming languages trend will not change much daily. You’re safe to pick a trendy language to begin.

[@lammydidon]

my comment

[@oinkpiggin]

The big takeaway here is that she got lucky by getting in a startup that didn't fail. Luck is extremely important in anyone's life. You can be the best in the world, but if luck is not on your side. You are still fucked. Yes, preparation (which is BS talk) does help a bit with getting lucky, but still it is not guaranteed.