diff --git a/_posts/2025-06-10-mid-senior-engineer.html b/_posts/2025-06-10-mid-senior-engineer.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c5063bb8 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2025-06-10-mid-senior-engineer.html @@ -0,0 +1,165 @@ +--- +layout: post +title: "Mid-Senior Engineer: A Journey of Self-Discovery" +date: 2025-06-10 +author_name: Irina Kamalova +author_role: +blurb_img: /assets/images/blog/2025-06-10-mid-to-senior-engineer.png +blurb_img_source: +description: | + So, you've mastered the fundamentals, you're a reliable contributor, and the "Mid-Level + Engineer" title feels comfortable. But the ambition to grow, to take on more responsibility, + and to reach that coveted "Senior Engineer" status is bubbling beneath the surface. You're + not alone! The journey from Mid to Senior is a significant step in any tech professional's + career, and understanding the available pathways is crucial for strategic advancement. +category: Career-progression +--- + +
+

+ So, you've mastered the fundamentals, you're a reliable contributor, and the "Mid-Level + Engineer" title feels comfortable. But the ambition to grow, to take on more responsibility, + and to reach that coveted "Senior Engineer" status is bubbling beneath the surface. You're + not alone! The journey from Mid to Senior is a significant step in any tech professional's + career, and understanding the available pathways is crucial for strategic advancement. +

+ +

+ I suggest to look at two strategies following the chart: +

+ +
+ mid-to-senior engineer chart +
+ +

+ Path 1: Get a promotion within your company +

+
    + + +
  1. Align your goal with your manager.
    2. +     +

    + This is the first and the most crucial step. Unless you come to the person who is responsible for your promotion + and ask for it there's no sense in preparing a plan with steps, enrolling in certifications for promotions, and + getting more projects on the plate without any advice. +

    + + +
  2. Set up exact steps with your manager.
    3. +     +

    + From the first step, you should learn what you need to do: where your gaps are, where your strengths are, where + your weaknesses are. +

    + + +
  3. Execute those steps
    4. +     +

    User SMART technique for each step.

    + + +
  4. Ensure recognition across teams.
    5. +     +

    It's crucial for promotion to be visible inside your company. The more you help others, the more scope you touch + and your knowledge increases.

    + + +
  5. Work for the review & feedback.
    6. +     +

    The important point is to know exact dates where reviews and promotion windows inside your company are happening. + Your review date is your hard deadline. + ● Outcome (if your goal is not yet achieved): +

    +
+ +
+
    +
    + +
  1. Gather the feedback and create an actionable plan from it to close gaps.
    2. +     + All those steps gave you an amazing experience. How could you do better? What is left for the next time? Through + several iterations you're guaranteed to get the promotion. However, it could be from 2 to 5 iterations with a + feedback loop. +
    + + +
  2. Go from 1 to 5 from the previous block again.
    3. +     + + Pass the Interview to obtain the Senior position + + +
+

+ A couple of months ago, shortly after I released my fourth solo mobile game project on the Google Play Store, I + texted an old coworker of mine. He replied, “Oh, I didn’t know you were also a developer!” And I immediately tried + to convince him that I wasn’t. “I’m not a developer! I just… make games in my spare time. I learned it myself, but I + have so many things I don’t know. So, I’m not a developer,” I said, almost defensively. And he said, “Well, I’ve + never released any games, so there’s a lot you know that I don’t, and a lot I know that you don’t.” And that + conversation bugged me for a while. What makes a person a developer? Certainly I, an English major, couldn’t be one. + But I wanted to prove to myself why that was so. +

+ +

+ After thinking long and hard about my excuses, and carefully separating myself from people who are “developers”, I + came to the conclusion that I had lots of gaps in the most basic things that any “developer” would know + instinctively. The thing is, I knew some of the terms I didn’t understand, but the biggest problem was that I didn’t + even know what I didn’t know. And that’s when I decided to join the mentorship program at Women Coding Community. In + our first session, Rajani successfully identified my gaps and suggested how I could improve them. She also told me + how important it was that I already had complete projects. She gave me what I couldn’t give myself - an honest, + experienced outside perspective. I had always been extremely self-critical, always focusing on what I lacked. With + her help, I managed to just stop and look at how far I’ve come, and appreciate the things I’ve accomplished. She + suggested that I take an algorithms and data structures course, which I did from various free online sources, and I + already feel much more comfortable. +

+ +

+ Now, the great question: should you follow both paths simultaneously? It's up to you, however, the balanced model + will be to go through Path 1 for a year and if you've not succeeded go through Path 2 for the next year. The + iterative approach will lead you to the goal. However, the common trap for engineers is to try to do both paths at + the same time and it leads to burnout. One path can be the background while the other is the focus. Regular + interviews wouldn't hurt but be mindful of your time and remember that they were in the background path when you've + got a rejection. + I wish you the best of luck on your way! + +

+ +
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