Software engineering is the only trade I'm familiar with that lacks a skill-based career progression. In most companies, it's generally expected that you will e

Software engineering is the only trade I'm familiar with that lacks a skill-based career progression. In most companies, it's generally expected that you will eventually become a manager and cross over into the business side of the house. You don't see this in other trades: doctors remain doctors, lawyers continue to practice law, accountants continue to deal with tax returns, etc... etc... Even at famous Silicon Valley companies with a tech track, becoming a Staff Engineer is a generally inferior career path compared to the title inflation seen on the business side. Ben Horrowitz endorses this in The Hard Thing About Hard Things when advocating that title inflation is "free" in respect to competing companies.[1] Fortunately, it's juxtaposed with Zuckerberg's / Facebook's title normalization, which ensure engineering titles remain comparable with non-engineering titles. Software engineering needs stronger leadership and career tracks that encourage craftsmanship and mastery. Why continue in an inferior career track, when you can start your own company and leap frog all of middle management altogether? The value proposition simply isn't there. We need a new management structure, one that resolves the multiple and independent types of leadership and encourages engineers to become better engineers, and not to become managers who don't code. [Edit] What's really interesting is the way in which this power dynamic plays out in most tech companies. Engineers clearly possess the upper hand, but aren't interested in power and so are heavily placated with a pile of perks to the resentment of others because of their lack of corresponding responsibilities. In SV, engineers are the "talent" and everyone else implicitly fills support roles, even PMs. This also of course creates cultural disparities where you can make $250k/yr (including bonuses and RSUs) and work < 40hr/wk. [1] http://blog.skillbridge.co/teams/unless-its-king-james-be-wary-when-you-look-at-someones-title/ http://blog.skillbridge.co/teams/unless-its-king-james-be-wa...