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An IC variant of this I see:

1. Climb to highest rung that is readily handed out on IC ladder

2. Agree to take on more leadership/management tasks, or even go full-time. (Impact, amirite)

3. After a few years: job hop elsewhere, using your combined tech and management experience

4. Enter at staff/principal, skipping the sometimes brutal process of getting there directly from IC.

Like the OP, this exploits the fact that the highest leverage you have is entering an org




Number 2 is easier said than done. I'm currently sitting at that terrible spot where I'm at the top of the IC ladder, and need to become a manager and have direct reports in order to continue climbing, but the dreaded chicken and egg problem prevents it: You need management experience to become (or job hop to be) a manager.

I had the same painful conversation with my boss that a lot of us have had: Became the top subject matter expert on my growing team, team grew to the point where my boss needed to insert a few managers under him, pitched myself for it and ultimately he hired outside the team because he needed someone who had already been a manager. This exact thing has happened in my last three companies.

Very few companies actually have pure IC roles that are truly parallel (in comp and prestige) with the people management ladder.


Yes. I should say sometimes there's a huge time gap between 1 and 2, as you need enough clout to have someone agree to take a chance on you.

Hope your luck changes on this front.




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