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"and pretty much steer your destiny as you choose" Generally no - every rung up the ladder gets about 500% more competitive, and even worse, it's political com

"and pretty much steer your destiny as you choose" Generally no - every rung up the ladder gets about 500% more competitive, and even worse, it's political competition. Middle management is the worst kind of work beyond raw labour. When you're young, usually you're learning, doing 'actual work' and you can make no mistakes really. If you have a protected executive job, and can handle politics, there can be stability there. Bug upper manager and Director ... my god - you still have to show hard results, and you're not always in position to do it. It's thankless. You don't even get to make the big decisions.

jasonkester 8y ago
Why move to management then? Software Developer is the best gig imaginable right now, in pretty much any dimension you can measure. - Senior level pay is pushing $500k for employees, ( and higher for consulting) - Pretty much any gig can be remote - Hottest job market in history - Lots of fun work to be found if you don't want to go the BigCo track So yeah, why fight all that stuff you list on that path when you can stay in individual contributor and have it easy?
- vonmoltke 8y ago
  > Senior level pay is pushing $500k for employees, ( and higher for consulting) At a handful of elite, highly-competitive companies. > Pretty much any gig can be remote The defense, health care, finance, and embedded sectors would beg to differ. Also, can be remote often does not equal "allowed to* be remote. > Hottest job market in history "In history" is too strong, but it is definitely a hot market (in most areas). > Lots of fun work to be found if you don't want to go the BigCo track If you choose this your first bullet doesn't apply.
  - jasonkester 8y ago
    So to be clear, in response to me asking why a developer in this market would intentionally put himself into a disadvantageous situation, you have chosen to list off a bunch more disadvantageous situations a developer could put himself into. I’m willing to concede that one can find a second tier company willing to pay sub-market rates for boring work in a cubicle, if one chose. But again, I’ll ask why you would do that to yourself when there are such better options?

jasonkester 8y ago

Why move to management then? Software Developer is the best gig imaginable right now, in pretty much any dimension you can measure. - Senior level pay is pushing $500k for employees, ( and higher for consulting) - Pretty much any gig can be remote - Hottest job market in history - Lots of fun work to be found if you don't want to go the BigCo track So yeah, why fight all that stuff you list on that path when you can stay in individual contributor and have it easy?

vonmoltke 8y ago
> Senior level pay is pushing $500k for employees, ( and higher for consulting) At a handful of elite, highly-competitive companies. > Pretty much any gig can be remote The defense, health care, finance, and embedded sectors would beg to differ. Also, can be remote often does not equal "allowed to* be remote. > Hottest job market in history "In history" is too strong, but it is definitely a hot market (in most areas). > Lots of fun work to be found if you don't want to go the BigCo track If you choose this your first bullet doesn't apply.
- jasonkester 8y ago
  So to be clear, in response to me asking why a developer in this market would intentionally put himself into a disadvantageous situation, you have chosen to list off a bunch more disadvantageous situations a developer could put himself into. I’m willing to concede that one can find a second tier company willing to pay sub-market rates for boring work in a cubicle, if one chose. But again, I’ll ask why you would do that to yourself when there are such better options?