Getting a software engineering promotion can be a rewarding and challenging goal. It can boost your income, reputation, and career satisfaction. However, it can also require a lot of hard work, dedication, and strategy. In this article, you will learn some tips and best practices to improve your chances of moving up the ladder as a software engineer.
One of the first steps to getting a software engineering promotion is to understand what your current role and level entail, and what the expectations and requirements are for the next level. You can do this by reviewing your job description, performance reviews, and feedback from your manager and peers. You can also research the industry standards and benchmarks for software engineering roles and levels. This will help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, and gaps, and set clear and realistic goals for your professional development.
In my career, I have met many engineers who don't think they should have career goals. They think that they just come to work, do their best work and they will be recognized and promoted for it. And at some point in my career I was that engineer. While it may sometimes work this way, it often doesn't. As an engineer, you should have a clear understanding of your career goals and no, "I want to make more money" is not a career goal. - Do you want to grow as an individual contributor or do you want to lead? - Do you want to understand your industry and business better to be able to make better contributions to your product? - Maybe you want to learn than new tech that everyone's talking about? Whatever it is... talk to your manager about it!
To boost your shot at a software engineering promotion, it's not just about coding skills. Show initiative: tackle challenging problems, propose improvements, and lead projects. Keep learning, whether it’s new technologies or understanding business aspects. Communication is key, so share your achievements and collaborate effectively with your team. Be a problem-solver, not just a coder. And remember, your attitude matters as much as your aptitude. Stay positive, be a team player, and your efforts will stand out.
One of the most critical pieces of my promotion from IC to Management was by setting clear expectations with my manager and skip lead that this was a path I wanted. This actually started as early as the reverse interview before I started. As a result they leaned in and pushed opportunities to prove my leadership my way, and it was known by our department heads that I was moving in that direction all along.
Another important step to getting a software engineering promotion is to seek mentorship and feedback from people who have more experience and expertise than you. You can find mentors within your organization, such as senior engineers, managers, or leaders, or outside your organization, such as former colleagues, instructors, or industry experts. You can also join online communities, forums, or networks that are relevant to your field and interests. Mentors can provide you with valuable advice, guidance, and support, as well as help you expand your network and visibility. You should also seek feedback from your manager, peers, and customers on a regular basis, and use it to improve your skills, performance, and impact.
The difference a good mentor can have for your career cannot be overstated. If you're lucky enough to have a great manager who is also your mentor you just won in a career lottery! Congratulations! But, if not, seek mentorship elsewhere and don't be afraid to change jobs if you feel that you can't find one in your current organization. But mentorship is a two-way street. You need to be open to feedback and be willing to learn. Nobody wants to mentor the "know-it-all"!
"Feedback is a gift" is a phrase I was told by a colleague and it really stuck with me. Even if you don't have a formal mentor, ask for feedback constantly (within reason) from you lead and peers. It starts out awkward but once you strengthen this muscle it becomes a normal occurrence in all of your relationships. This not only gives you feedback you may not have received otherwise, but also encourages others around the org to do the same. As a result you can become known as an honest peer and a person who is trying to improve where they can.
One of the most crucial steps to getting a software engineering promotion is to demonstrate your value and impact to your organization. You can do this by taking on challenging and meaningful projects that align with your goals and the organization's vision and priorities. You can also showcase your skills, knowledge, and creativity by solving problems, improving processes, and delivering high-quality products. You should also document and communicate your achievements, results, and learnings to your manager, team, and stakeholders, and highlight how they contribute to the organization's success and goals.
One of the most rewarding steps to getting a software engineering promotion is to learn new skills and technologies that can enhance your capabilities and competitiveness. You can do this by taking online courses, reading books and blogs, watching videos and podcasts, attending webinars and workshops, and participating in hackathons and competitions. You can also practice your skills and technologies by working on personal or side projects, or contributing to open source or community projects. You should also update your resume, portfolio, and online profiles with your new skills and technologies, and showcase them in your work.
One of the most beneficial steps to getting a software engineering promotion is to build relationships and network with people who can influence your career growth and opportunities. You can do this by being proactive, friendly, and helpful to your colleagues, managers, and leaders, and by collaborating and sharing your ideas and insights with them. You can also reach out to people outside your organization, such as former coworkers, alumni, mentors, or industry contacts, and keep in touch with them. You should also attend and participate in events, conferences, meetups, and online groups that are relevant to your field and interests, and expand your network and visibility.
This is a particularly helpful yet often neglected step. One can only be as great as their sphere of influence, and with constant formal and informal interaction with peers as well as cross discipline interactions, you get to grow the circle and increase recognition. Key is getting to interact with those who have gone before, to understand how the 'system' works and where to improve it, know the stakeholders, not just the technologies. As you network, don't just learn the technologies, learn the people problems as well, then at your desk mate the technologies to the problems for a relevant adoptable solution.
One of the final steps to getting a software engineering promotion is to negotiate and advocate for yourself. You can do this by preparing a strong case for why you deserve a promotion, based on your achievements, impact, skills, and goals. You can also research the market value and salary range for your desired role and level, and use it as a reference point. You should also schedule a meeting with your manager, and present your case confidently and respectfully, and ask for their support and feedback. You should also be ready to handle objections, questions, or counteroffers, and to compromise and negotiate until you reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
Advocating for oneself does not often come naturally to most engineers, which means it takes dedicated effort to learn to do so. It's easy for me to say don't be afraid to tout your own horn to your management, so one way to make this easier would be to create a "hype doc" that you update regularly (seriously) where you jot down your contributions/leadership/impact to projects you're involved in. This can make it more objective and easier to advocate as it will boost your confidence when reviewing it.