Ask HN: Where has your career progressed after being a tech lead

#1

Post by londondev45 » Tue, Oct 13, 2020, 5:26 PM UTC

Hi,

A question for engineers who have been tech leads. Where did your career progress to, what was your next role?

I ask this as a current tech lead, trying to work out the next stage in my career and where I might like to go.

Re: Ask HN: Where has your career progressed after being a tech lead

#2

Post by sethammons » Tue, Oct 13, 2020, 11:03 PM UTC

I went from mid level to senior to lead to principal. Everything that I read on https://staffeng.com/ seems accurate and some of my colleagues have written stuff there.

If you want to go the management route, Camille Fournier wrote The Manager's Path. Very well received book.

Re: Ask HN: Where has your career progressed after being a tech lead

#3

Post by croo » Wed, Oct 14, 2020, 8:54 AM UTC

I became tech lead and project manager and business analyst and architect simultaneously. I tried to delegate as much as I can as that was too much for me and half year later only the "project manager" hat remained. I'm not yet sure I like that.

I can second the book from Camille Fournier. I've read multiple manager books and her book is the best I've read. Very practical and dense without bullshit.

Re: Ask HN: Where has your career progressed after being a tech lead

#4

Post by S-Stanley » Wed, Oct 14, 2020, 1:52 PM UTC

As a tech lead too, I think getting a share of your company and be more involve for marketing side and success as a team should be a good answer.

Or you can try to work on the architecture and security of the code, which is more a strategic way of software.

Re: Ask HN: Where has your career progressed after being a tech lead

#5

Post by giantg2 » Fri, Oct 16, 2020, 4:03 PM UTC

I was a midlevel dev filling the role of a tech lead.

It lead nowhere. They outsourced the product I supported. Then I started over on another obscure tech/stack and they cut the headcount 50%. Then I started over again on a more mainstream tech/stack.

So 3-4 years later, here I am. Still a midlevel dev. No real opportunities. Working a job I hate to support my family. But I guess I don't really count since they never officially promoted me.