Lessons from a developer

How I Levelled Up to Staff Software Engineer

As a software engineer, I earned a good salary but couldn't help feeling a bit stuck. It took me a while to figure out what I had to do to earn promotion to Staff Software Engineer and, in the articles listed below, I explain the lessons I learned in order to help me achieve that outcome.

When you're attempting to make the leap up from Senior to Staff Software Engineer, it can feel a little bit like you're pushing up against a glass ceiling.

Unless you're in Big Tech, it's common that the highest individual contributor role in many companies is Senior. If the Staff level does exist, there are so few places available that the odds of landing one of them are slim.

So, what can you do?

Many engineers transition into management but, if you're like I was, this isn't the path you're looking for. You want to continue to be a hands-on engineer, to write code, and to solve problems with your keyboard.

In this series of articles, I explore the lessons I learned in order to earn promotion to Staff Software Engineer.