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I have always wondered this. Tech and probably other fields do want you to be promoted. From what I have heard, if you are not able to get promoted in certain n

I have always wondered this. Tech and probably other fields do want you to be promoted. From what I have heard, if you are not able to get promoted in certain number of years, you are put on a PIP and possibly laid off. But there are lesser number of Senior Engineers than Engineers, and lesser number of Principal Engineers than Senior Engineers. What exactly happens? Just the fact that the numbers in the pipeline is always reducing suggests to me that some people get laid off and never find a job? Is that true? If not, what exactly is happening? I am still at the one of the lowest levels on the totem pole, so maybe I am missing something obvious here.

taurath 8y ago
I work with senior engineers who are in their late 20s, and mid level devs in their 40s - I feel like the idea that a career path always has to have an upward trajectory is a bit of a farce - there are a lot of companies full of people who have kids, are competent, but don’t really want to take on the extra responsibility and time.
- toomuchtodo 8y ago
  At some point, you realize your family is more important than a few extra dollars and an org chart.
idunno246 8y ago
Senior is considered a terminal role in most companies in terms of required promotions, so you don’t have to get promoted again. Staff and principal is a different job kinda like management is, so at/after the senior level it’s splitting into 3 - managers, staff, and senior ICs, hence numbers go down.
ummonk 8y ago
> But there are lesser number of Senior Engineers than Engineers, and lesser number of Principal Engineers than Senior Engineers. What exactly happens? More and more people going into software engineering than in previous generations.
lproven 8y ago
This is a real issue. In journalism, the career path is jr writer, writer, sr writer, jr editor, sr editor -- and then you go do management. I was the IT Manager of a London stockbroker in the City by 26 years old. I didn't like it and ultimately quit. But the expected career path for many companies is to go from being a "mere" techie to being a manager. If you don't want to do that, then age becomes a big problem. I changed track to journalism, not knowing that the Web was going to kill the computer magazine industry within a decade. But short term, it was a good move, and I loved it.

taurath 8y ago

I work with senior engineers who are in their late 20s, and mid level devs in their 40s - I feel like the idea that a career path always has to have an upward trajectory is a bit of a farce - there are a lot of companies full of people who have kids, are competent, but don’t really want to take on the extra responsibility and time.

toomuchtodo 8y ago
At some point, you realize your family is more important than a few extra dollars and an org chart.

idunno246 8y ago

Senior is considered a terminal role in most companies in terms of required promotions, so you don’t have to get promoted again. Staff and principal is a different job kinda like management is, so at/after the senior level it’s splitting into 3 - managers, staff, and senior ICs, hence numbers go down.

ummonk 8y ago

> But there are lesser number of Senior Engineers than Engineers, and lesser number of Principal Engineers than Senior Engineers. What exactly happens? More and more people going into software engineering than in previous generations.

lproven 8y ago

This is a real issue. In journalism, the career path is jr writer, writer, sr writer, jr editor, sr editor -- and then you go do management. I was the IT Manager of a London stockbroker in the City by 26 years old. I didn't like it and ultimately quit. But the expected career path for many companies is to go from being a "mere" techie to being a manager. If you don't want to do that, then age becomes a big problem. I changed track to journalism, not knowing that the Web was going to kill the computer magazine industry within a decade. But short term, it was a good move, and I loved it.