If you have more than 5 years of experience, make sure you always keep a few small projects ready on the back burner. These are ideas you can pick up and run with at any time.

First of all, this is a great way to show that you care about the product and can spot gaps before others do. It also puts you in a good light with your leaders and increases your influence. It helps you stand out as someone who thinks ahead and stays prepared.

While these are already great wins for you, doing this also helps you

• be ready with good first projects for new joiners
• have meaningful work ready during slow cycles
• stay in touch with real customer pain points
• find small wins that build trust with stakeholders

More importantly, it lets you influence the product and your team’s roadmap. This is a great way to earn extra points with leadership and climb the ladder faster.

Keep your back burner hot and your career hotter :)