I don’t work at Microsoft, but I’m assuming it works very similarly to other big tech companies I’ve been at. Good news is that at a big company promotions are

I don’t work at Microsoft, but I’m assuming it works very similarly to other big tech companies I’ve been at. Good news is that at a big company promotions are a well worn path! Tell your manager that you’re interested in a promo and have them help you craft a plan and give you feedback. Check out the career expectations for the next level up and do those things (easy, right?). Basically at higher levels it generally isn’t about better tech skills, but more about having more responsibilities and a larger impact. Some teams have way more opportunity for growth - so try and find a team that suits you. As an older engineer hopefully you have a lot of those soft skills already! Sometimes the easiest way to a promo is interviewing. The system design interview in particular is where you can help your case in earning a higher level.