The Career Framework That Changed How I Think

💡The Resume Wave Test

If someone looked at your resume today… would they say you are part of a recent wave relevant to this role? Or would it look like you are sitting this one out?

In tech, especially if you want to keep career options open, what matters more than title is the story your career tells. If you are looking for boosted momentum, here is what you want to stand out in your career story:

• Were you at the right kind of company at the right moment?

• Were you involved in the development of the relevant, future-facing technologies?

• Or… did you ignore the shift?

Timing matters.

Especially in new technologies, deep knowledge doesn’t matter right away. What matters is your ability to learn fast, apply frameworks, and learnings from earlier waves.

When I started to work on mobile, there was no framework for “user-onboarding” or sign-up flows. But frameworks were developed on web that could be reused and adapted. And they evolved on mobile. These learnings now flow into, for example, designing in-vehicle user experiences or user interfaces for AI interactions.

The 5 Tiers of Career Boosting

🏆 S-Tier: Founder Mode

Before we dive into the likely paths for most people, the clear breakout would be to start something yourself.

Being a founder or co-founder will teach and stretch you more than any other role in a company could. It signals initiative, courage, entrepreneurial drive and vision. Hiring managers will respect it and as far as I have seen, it gives you a boost to the roles you would be leveled for.

No title at any company will beat: I started something and made it real.

🌊 Tier 1: Wave Makers

Joining a company that is known for driving a new technology revolution early on shows that you weren’t just part of it. You helped invent it.

Examples: early Google, Apple, Amazon, and these days OpenAI and Nvidia.

You signal that you were part of shaping a technology. You are ahead of the curve and can think boldly and visionarily.

So the current CPO of OpenAI did that perfectly by being early on top of some of the most meaningful technology waves from the last two decades. That’s exactly what positioned him so well for his role now.

🏄 Tier 2: Wave Riders

These are the companies that are fast to recognize and hop on the wave. Their core business might not be driven by a technology that is just emerging but they will be sure to leverage it. Fast.

Companies that are known to execute fast and learn how to scale.

Examples: Discord, Shopify, Roblox

These companies scale new technologies and they grow with it. If you position yourself in a company of this tier, your chances are higher that you’ll grow even within this company at a faster rate. What makes them fast? Superior execution combined with smart and early bets on big trends.

Netflix: Wave Rider —> Wave Maker

There is a chance to hit a wave maker before you even know it.

Netflix rode the broadband + digital media wave. Netflix didn’t invent streaming, but bet very early on dirching DVDs. When they started to create content they turned into a Wave Maker and had every other network follow.

🧱 Tier 3: Stable, But Stalling

These are either the large tankers. They are no longer nimble surfboards, but they still get a little propulsion from a wave. The same for startups that might operate in a nascent technology field that becomes more and more relevant but can’t capitalize fast enough - often shown by little or no growth.

You are still in the right space but might not be able to grow as fast as the higher tiers. If you are in a larger company at least it should be with a good, well known brand. Even if you miss the breakout, its still a good signal you were technically on the wave.

Examples: Dropbox, Evernote, Zynga - early on waves but couldn’t stay on top to scale further.

💀 Tier 4: Stay-Away Zone

This place might offer great benefits, promote work-life balance, and high 401 (k) contributions. But if you are seeking career growth, you might be in for a nasty surprise.

These are slow-moving companies in dying industries.

Think:

• Retailers still struggling with e-commerce in 2025

• Cable companies that double down on landline bundles

• Printer, copier, or paper companies 🙂 - sorry, Michael Scott…

If the industry won’t matter in 10 years, neither will your role there.

This is a place where you sail into the sunset of your career, looking relaxed and hoping to avoid all waves because you might spill your wine.

So… What Do You Do With This?

If you think my theory is valid, and you may be in a lower tier than you’d like to be:

• No need to quit tomorrow

• But maybe it helps you be aware and reflect

Ask yourself:

• What wave am I near?

• Am I learning and growing where the momentum is heading?

• Can I pivot my current role or maybe start a wave-relevant initiative in my current role? Enhance/connect it with AI or learn a new tool, for example.

If you’re considering a bigger shift, start building momentum on your terms — toward the tier list that matches your ambition, curiosity, and the future you want.