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After only seven years in the industry, a promotion doesn’t make much sense to me right now. I want to write good code and build great products. But in the cor
by rednafi 2y ago
After only seven years in the industry, a promotion doesn’t make much sense to me right now.
I want to write good code and build great products. But in the corporate world, visible work is more important than good work. So, there are two options for me: either be a staff engineer or a manager. While staff seems like the obvious choice, in most companies, staff engineers are just managers who code. The number of meetings and admin work goes through the roof. Not to mention the nasty politics and mind games you have to play just to survive.
So, if I have to choose between staying at home or getting promoted, WFH is the obvious choice. Oh, and I learned late that hopping jobs is far better than chasing promotions for my financial and mental health.
- leeoniya 2y ago> in most companies, staff engineers are just managers who code managers, by definition, have direct reports while ICs do not. for L5/L6 roles you're a mix of tech lead/architect/product mgr, with broader scope. you do have more meetings, but they're typically ones where your input is needed, not just ceremonial bs.
- rednafi 2y agoI’d love to expand the scope of my work and do better stuff. But meetings without concrete agendas are the bane of my existence, and even as an IC, I’ve had to sit through far too many. Post-senior paths are kind of hazy, and I’d rather job-hop than climb these ladders. The number of times I’ve gone “above and beyond” only to hear, “Sorry, we don’t have the budget for a raise,” is exhausting.