> One of the things I have noticed in both my full time jobs at this point is that my direct managers have had no idea what I do day to day.
FYI: This isn’t normal. It’s not even particularly common in the industry as a whole. It is, however, a hallmark of dysfunctional companies that are headed in the wrong direction.
If you find yourself consistently stuck under clueless managers or working in companies that reward all the wrong things, it might be worth reevaluating your choice of companies and shaking up your career a bit.
It’s not good to be stuck in dysfunctional companies for years. This is how people become disgruntled and cynical.
I am "reevaluating" my choice of companies for other reasons [0], but it is interesting to learn that this abnormal. That is an organizational thing, as my manager is part of the "leadership" team, so he often has wall to wall meetings.
I will be sure to inquire about this in interviews then. Thank you. I very much had the impression that management was often distant.
The unpleasant reality is that getting promotions requires a bit self-promotion. While good managers (which you apparently don't have) will clue you in on what's necessary and help out with it, the bulk of the burden is always on the employee to be able to explain their value to the company and to make sure their achievements are known and recognized.
(Taken to extremes, this can be as sociopathic as it may sound. So don't and avoid those who do.)
There are entire weeks where I could have achieved absolutely nothing and I am not sure if it would have been noticed.
And that is probably not conducive to promotion as nobody who has power has any idea what I do.