Lily Konings @lilykonings Twitter profile

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Women don't need more imposter syndrome workshops. We need better managers.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Please talk salary with your friends and peers. As someone who grew up pinching pennies, I couldn't even fathom the amount I could get paid in tech. When I moved to SF, I asked for $100K, received a phenomenal offer at $120K, then realized everyone was getting paid $150K.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

Give yourself full permission to interview your future managers back. When they ask "Do you have any questions for me," take the opportunity to expose what your next 1+ years under this person might be like. Here are 5 questions I have or wished I'd asked of my future managers:

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

Tiny design detail: nested border radii look really funky if they're the same. To maintain the same curvature, the outer radius = inner radius + padding.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

The moral of that story isn't to be greedy. Ultimately it's all stupidly high numbers. The point is equal pay for equal work. It was soul-crushing to know my peers (esp men) of the same title and years was making significantly more than me simply because I didn't know better.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

Q: Most/all of my interviewers were men. Can I speak to some women on the team to hear more about their experience? Why: This happens. A lot. Having zero representation of someone like you can be a very bad sign of how the team respects diverse perspectives.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

A good manager should never surprise you. Never ever. Not during performance reviews. Not during re-orgs. You should always know where you stand and where you're going.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

Q: When was the last time you promoted someone on your team? How did it happen? Why: It's highly likely your experience will be similar when you ask for a promotion yourself under this person. So make sure their answer is something you'd be happy to live out.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

My 52-yo, immigrant mother just got her first job as a data analyst after 15 years as a nail technician. It is NEVER too late to pivot and pursue a new career.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

Q: Why did the last person in this role leave? Why: Unless this is a new position, the reason that someone left can be very telling. Worst case: they quit because of a toxic workplace. Best case: they were promoted up, meaning this role can lead to similar opportunities for you.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

Q: How do you nurture psychological safety in your team? Why: The workplace may be challenging, but it should never be threatening. A manager who intentionally fosters a sense of acceptance and respect can be the reason you love your job.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

Q: When was the last time you supported a direct report's growth, even if it meant leaving your team or company? Why: A supportive manager cares about your goals, not gluing you to your seat. The very best managers realize when it's time to move you up.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

would any women in tech be interested in getting together and straight up talking about money? like how much we make, how much we spend, how we invest, etc? no pride or judgement, just empowerment.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

I got a promotion this week! 😭🥺 And my manager timed champagne to be delivered exactly when he gave me the news. That is next level thoughtfulness.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

The shift in 1:1s with I replaced "How's everything going?" with "What's one thing that could be better?" is bonkers. This is the difference between being open to feedback and seeking feedback.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

One of my favorite parts of becoming a manager is doing all the stuff that I wish I got when I was an IC. This includes sending a how-to guide to my reports to take the guesswork out of working with me. Here's a public version:

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Not to romanticize NYC even more but I've felt like the best version of myself since coming back here.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

any designers out there who are not actually good at visual and just good at strategy so you constantly feel like an imposter?? asking for my sanity

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Work meetings are seriously not built for introverts. The perpetual struggle of not talking over someone so I'm not rude but also talking over them bc otherwise I'll never get a word in is exhausting.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Can we talk about how making friends as an adult is basically happy hour with your coworkers until you leave your job, and then it's a coin toss whether you keep in touch and you just do it all over again?

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

@Duncanma That is terrible, I'm so sorry. I hope you were able to make a case for a significant raise after that!

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

The Senior IC path is probably the best thing that's happened to management. Forcing reluctant people into managerial roles has caused so much workplace trauma for everyone.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Interviewers who thrive on intimidating their candidates don't actually know how to interview. They just know how to turn away good candidates.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

when PM says we don't have the bandwidth but you and your friend on the eng team build it anyways

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

You should not be winging your behavioral interviews. 99% of the questions are variations of the same basic topics and thinking of an answer on the spot can be really hard. So internalize your experiences ahead of time and come prepared with some solid stories in your pocket.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Invest in your coworkers. Help them get their work done, even if it's not your job. Being kind at work often pays surprise dividends later on when you need someone on your side in a tough room.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

Yikes I should not have uploaded a transparent PNG on Twitter. Here's a fixed version for those on mobile:

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

I'm officially an advisor for @Pallet_HQ ! how it started how its going

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

there is no anxiety like waiting for your turn in a group ice breaker

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

The most effective presentation skill is backchanneling, which is where you shop your idea to each stakeholder well ahead of time and get verbal buy-in. Presenting then becomes a cake walk because it'll essentially be a formality.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

People aren't taking PTO not because they're somehow just *that* in love with work. People aren't taking PTO because coming back from PTO can create even more work than they started out with and now they need to work overtime to make up for the hours they took off.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

Hiring mangers, what are some of the most common reasons you reject a design candidate?

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

Every startup I'm working with are struggling to hire designers because it's such a candidates' market right now. Job seekers are havng their pick of the litter and demanding their worth. If you're still hesitant about applying for a job, this is your sign to go for it!

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

I took a family day to take my partner to the ER and my manager sent us an Uber Eats card so neither of us had to worry about dinner. That is peak people-first management.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

The best part of becoming more senior in your role is you get sickeningly good at the 80/20 rule. You go from overthinking every single part of your job to only dedicating energy to the things that actually matter. It makes your confidence soar and your time more valuable.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Yesterday marked my 1 year at @messenger and @instagram . It's been an unreal year, both in my role there and in my personal life. I want to talk about some of my highlights and lowlights:

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

I wasn't prepared for this beyond just a few 1:1s so I'm brainstorming the best way to scale this. If you're interested in being notified when the drop happens, add yourself here: Women, LGBTQIA+, and allies welcome.

Money by Womxn

While I'm figuring out the best way to host this type of conversation, complete this short form if you're interested in being notified when it drops. Women, LGBTQIA+, and allies welcome. I will only...

docs.google.com

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

... Leaders must create a culture for women and people of color that addresses systemic bias and racism. Only by doing so can we reduce the experiences that culminate in so-called imposter syndrome among employees from marginalized communities." Source:

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

I'd also like to add she absolutely *dominated* being a nail technician. She went from speaking zero english working for someone else to owning her own successful nail business with some of the wealthiest clientele in the area. She wasn't coasting.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

So much of career progression is identifying who in the org has influence and convincing that person to champion you.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Update: my mom started her data analyst job this week and wrote this to herself for self-motivation.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Just finished my first performance self-review at this company. Some things I learned: - Replace "I was able to lead X" with "I led X" - Ask your coworkers for templates or even their old self-reviews - Send a draft to your manager for feedback before sending it for real

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

Designers wear a lot of black bc: - We believe there is beauty in simplicity - We’ll never be happy with any choice so might as well pick the one that matches everything - Perfect for getting murdered in crit

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

We're homeowners!!!

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

8 months

A few months ago, I left my job at Instagram. I took time to focus on myself, travel to beautiful places, and resolve some existential crises. Now I feel much better and have joined something new! Will announce that separately but wanted to properly close this chapter 🫡

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

To anyone who want to mentor but feel under-qualified: sometimes beginners are better at teaching than veterans! With more clarity on which areas need extra attention, less usage of jargon, and an overall more welcoming attitude, beginners can be stellar mentors.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

"As white men progress, their feelings of doubt usually abate as their work and intelligence are validated over time. They’re able to find role models who are like them, and rarely (if ever) do others question their competence, contributions, or leadership style...

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

I didn't forget about this! Pegah, @ifbirdsfly , @shreya_sud , @brittbranscomb , and I worked endless late nights since that tweet to bring you: ↳ ✨💰 A safe space for womxn to talk about money and share stories. Happening Dec 1-2, 2020.

Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

would any women in tech be interested in getting together and straight up talking about money? like how much we make, how much we spend, how we invest, etc? no pride or judgement, just empowerment.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

crit with a coworker: While I definitely appreciate this option, I think there are some tradeoffs that might need additional consideration. crit with a coworker you're friends with: lol no. try again, fool.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

I've been asking folks for management advice recently and by far the most common one is: lose your ego. Realize that you've gone from being the main character to a supporting cast role. Learn to shine the spotlight on your team without expecting to get recognition yourself.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

@abarrallen She got her degree part-time over the last 6 years! Even my dad tried to convince her to quit because it was so much for her to juggle but she did it.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

I thought being a mentor meant answering all of my mentees' questions correctly but actually it's helping them ask the right questions.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

A gentle reminder not to rush your interviews! There are no bonus points for giving a quick answer. There ARE bonus points for giving a thoughtful answer.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

I've been rejected by the same companies that I now get recruiter spam from. Growth happens and rejection is part of it.

Frank ☼ Bach

@zendadddy

3 years

all of your favorite designers have received plenty of rejection letters

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

1.5 years later, I copped another promotion!!! Incredibly thankful for the role models at my company who believe and invest in my growth. To many more years of learning and giving that same generosity back to those around me 🙏

Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

I got a promotion this week! 😭🥺 And my manager timed champagne to be delivered exactly when he gave me the news. That is next level thoughtfulness.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

...Women experience the opposite. Rarely are we invited to a women’s career development conference where a session on “overcoming imposter syndrome” is not on the agenda...

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

None of ^ is going to "compromise" the "integrity" of the interview. Nor is it unprofessional to act like a human being who's just excited to learn about another human being. Normalize not scaring the crap out of candidates.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Turned 27 ✨

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

My mom had an abortion before her pregnancy with me. She planned to do so with me too but realized she did want a child. And while the idea of not existing is haunting, I'm glad she had me when she was ready, instead of leaving it to people with no business deciding that for her.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Any freelance product designers out there with wicked visual and prototyping skills? You'd be working with me for a startup in the e-commerce + AI space for ~10 weeks with huge potential to convert full-time. DM me! I'd love to work together ✨

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

I've been interviewing for 5+ years and I've learned to: - Ask candidates if they want a few mins break, esp for onsites - Give a few common tips for success (speak your thoughts aloud, drive the conversation, timebox, etc) - Explain what types of signal I'm looking for today

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

The overwhelming confidence of the guy who just walked into Chipotle and said "I've never been here before, how does this work?"

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

The best thing you can do for your career is to get involved with your company's hiring process. You get to: - Expose and impact company culture - Learn deeply about roles other than yours - Keep up-to-date on team growth - Be a more confident job seeker when you leave

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

There is nothing bad about breaking into design from a non-traditional background. You just have to know how to translate those skills over: architects are amazing systematic thinkers, engineers are great at sizing feasibility and cost, sales reps can speak on user needs, etc

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

we have an internal marketplace to sell things at work and this dude is haggling with me over $10 for my copy of Last of Us II. I know how much you make, my dude.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Self-care and having a growth mindset aren't mutually exclusive. Take care of yourself.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

@uxlizzy1 @IA_UXJOBS This is how I express it, if it helps! "My strength is product strategy and I thrive most when there is a well established design system to support me"

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

I really miss friends that have seen the best and worst of me, ones that text me "Hey, I'm thinking of you", and would sit on the phone in complete silence while we both eat dinner. Coworkers-friends don't do that.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

It's performance review season again! The most important tip when advocating for yourself: Quality >>> quantity. A self-review is not supposed to be an encyclopedia of every single thing you've done. It's a highlights reel of your biggest and best. Anything else is noise.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

In an industry full of high IQs, it's the people with high EQs that stand out: people who handle confrontation well, improve upon critical feedback, and value people over results.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

7/ All that is to say, I am ultimately proud of my past year. But I've learned that I need to achieve my dreams without also taking what I already have for granted. I need to be someone I'd be proud of not just tomorrow but also in 10 years. Thanks for listening 🙏

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

After living on just a small suitcase of clothes for months but still feeling my best with the outfits I'm wearing everyday, I really want to start a capsule wardrobe fashion line called "Omakase". Dreams 🤩

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Such an amazing job by Jeremy, Graham, and team. I mean, just look at the new illustration system 🔥

Jeremy Goldberg

@jeremygoldbrg

3 years

If you’ve ever worked on a large brand refresh, you know how challenging it can be. @gdevaulthill and I share the backstory on Messenger’s latest brand refresh!

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Hey @Pallet_HQ I don't want another job board. I want a people board. I want to refer designers from diverse backgrounds who may not have worked at big brand names. I want to bait recruiters with my name and switch it to those designers instead. Can you help with that?

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

we're looking for a product designer to join my team @messenger ! 💪open to all IC levels 📍Menlo Park / SF but remote during covid ⚡super talented team ( @alicechuang , @mmarndt , @tarekoyou ) DM me if you're interested! I'd be happy to answer any qs

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

I've moved to NYC and this is the album ✨

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

half designer, half PM life for meeee

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Part of the solution here is frontloading some of that work to before you take time off but also, leadership should not be putting stuff on the roadmap that can't be executed unless every single employee works 40 hours a week for the next 6 months.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

My team at @Messenger is taking as many referrals as possible til the end of the week to fill roles across eng, product, design, content, and data. If you are from an underrepresented group, I'd love to refer you asap! IC: 6+ YoE Manager: 5+ management YoE Director: 10+ YoE

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

The generosity of this platform never ceases to amaze me. A bunch of strangers I've never met have helped me more than most people I've actually met. That is internet at its best.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

Becoming a senior anything is just reading a bunch of articles and going "Wait, there was a word for that??" and then using that word from then on.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

If you're like me and have a hard time accepting compliments, responding with "I appreciate you saying that" > "Thanks". The 1st focuses on gratitude to the other person while the 2nd feels like I agree with the compliment itself, which can take time to actually be internalized.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

The audacity of my brain to admire others for their confidence and then slam myself for trying to do the same.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

My favorite mentees are the ones who send me updates about their life. They tell me about school, work, and life and keep me invested as a person that is part of their journey. These are the people I continue to mentor over the course of years.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

Nearly finished with my next newsletter issue, after a 1.5 year hiatus in writing 😳

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

someone trying to break into design asked me to compare life between startup, agency, and enterprise. I gave an answer I didn't hate:

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

. @duaaIity , @mollyfmielke , and I are hosting design office hours on Twitter Spaces tomorrow at 6pm PST. Come and hang out! 💫

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Out of curiosity, I used our internal calculator to see what going remote would pay at various locations. Obv it's not the only factor but interesting to see: SF, NYC → 100% of current salary LA, Seattle → 95% Austin, Miami, Chicago, Boulder → 90% London → 75% Toronto → 68%

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

@taotetek at a prev company, a peer that constantly dismissed and mansplained to me was promoted to be my manager and when I pushed back, I was told I should help him become a better manager bc it would be his first time 🙄

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

Today I sent out the first issue of my biweekly newsletter, where I aim to answer questions from readers as honestly and thoughtfully as I would in a 1:1 coffee chat. Top question for this week: What are common areas of weakness among junior designers?

Issue 1: What are common areas of weakness among junior designers?

How important are cover letters? What is the ideal number of case studies?

lilykonings.substack.com

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

mentoring is the best way to realize how much you’ve grown and how much you still have to go

Meng To

@MengTo

4 years

Designers should look less at how good they are and more at how much they’re learning

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

@Padday @Zendesk @intercom there are real people working behind the scenes at zendesk. don’t demean their value just to celebrate yours.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

I have a solid plan in place and I'm so excited for it. are there any experts who are willing to help and speak on the following topics: - negotiating - pricing: contract, freelance, etc - personal finance / budgeting - investing: stock, retirement, etc

Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

would any women in tech be interested in getting together and straight up talking about money? like how much we make, how much we spend, how we invest, etc? no pride or judgement, just empowerment.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

I jokingly ended my design crit today with: I'll have another terrible idea for you guys next week dw and someone responded: I'd be disappointed if you didn't and if thats not peak crit humor, idk what is

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

Here's the set of questions I always prepare for: Past work - What was the biggest challenge? - What could you have done better? - Where would you take it next? - When was a time you failed or pivoted?

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

I love interns so much. They literally make me aware of all the reasons I love design. Never lose that energy. Lookin at you guys @tarekoyou @duaazaheers

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

1/ Within my first week at my job, I told my manager I wanted a promotion as soon as possible. This got me projects and responsibilities that would accelerate me down that path and we checked in on that progress regularly. 10 months later, I got it.

Lily Konings

@lilykonings

3 years

I got a promotion this week! 😭🥺 And my manager timed champagne to be delivered exactly when he gave me the news. That is next level thoughtfulness.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

2 years

The reason I do this is because the inherent imbalance of power between manager and report often makes working together more awkward for the latter. But I can take the initiative to diffuse that discomfort, instead of having them painfully dissect what makes me tick.

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

Expectations like this come from a place of privilege. Companies expect you to already have done internships for these positions but what they don't understand is not every student can do that. Some support families. Some can't pay rent to live in the city.

Joey Lacus

@JoeyLacus

4 years

How can you say a junior role needs 2+ years experience? They’re junior, literally starting. Why is this still so difficult?

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Lily Konings

@lilykonings

4 years

shoutout to my manager whom I told I had a bad nightmare the night before, to which he sincerely offered me the day off 🥺

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