Questions with 1-1 with skip manager or above?

Question

For a junior engineer, what type of things can be discussed in a 1-1 session with someone in upper middle management?Most of the things I want, I discuss it with my manager and architect. The upper management has frequent all hands sessions and most of time it helps me get the information that I want to know. These may include roadmaps or plans or employee support. What are some things that that I should be thinking of?

tobyhede · Accepted Answer

Rather than thinking of this as a way to get information, a skip level is also an opportunity to be recognised by someone senior. The fact that you have a good grasp of the roadmap gives you a chance to demonstrate strategic thinking and alignment with that strategy. I would tend to ask open ended questions that demonstrate your understanding, show you've thought about the issues, and give the manager a stage to explain and guide.
Have a concrete action that you are proactively working on for your career this year that lines up with something useful. E.g. Completing online course in UX because you've recognised this as important for project blah blah blah.
Making your direct manager look good never hurts either.