Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 75 posts

Re: Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

#51

Post by rockostrich »

akatechis wrote: post #41

I've been working in this field for about 15 years, mostly full stack but focus on frontend. In the past couple of years I've been making this transition from individual contributor/senior developer to a team lead and manager role. For me, what has worked CONSISTENTLY are 3 things: 1. Take initiative: I can't stress this enough. If you act like a team lead, people will recognize you. And if they don't, you should con…

This pretty much hits the nail on the head. (3) is necessary for companies with engineering orgs that are most than a 50 or so people, but if you join when it's smaller then it takes less than 3 years. Especially since (1) is kind of a necessity at a smaller company to be successful in general and you most likely won't even have a team lead type manager if the company is smaller so you need to kind of take on that kind of role anyway.

Re: Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

#52

Post by SkyPuncher »

akatechis wrote: post #41

I've been working in this field for about 15 years, mostly full stack but focus on frontend. In the past couple of years I've been making this transition from individual contributor/senior developer to a team lead and manager role. For me, what has worked CONSISTENTLY are 3 things: 1. Take initiative: I can't stress this enough. If you act like a team lead, people will recognize you. And if they don't, you should con…

This generally aligns with my perspective.

I have seen another path for #3. Switch to a smaller company that's growing.

If you're already at the top of your IC skill set, you can likely come in at a relatively senior role with direct lines of communication with senior leadership. As they need more teams, it's easy to throw your hat into the conversation.

Re: Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

#55

Post by pfannkuchen »

Why do you say that moving to backend would come with a pay cut? This has not been the case anywhere I have worked, and if anything backend has always seemed to have more headroom technical career-wise, with more high level ICs compared to front end.

Re: Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

#56

Post by TheChaplain »

My partner went from being a full time researcher to became a manager about 6m ago, and I do have one advice that is extremely important;

You need the full and unyielding support from _your_ supervisor.

My partner had the most unfortunate luck, the company joined recently had a reorganization and the team consisted of... well, let's say "less motivated" characters that were not picked by other managers during reorg.

Without a good supervisor, they would have left long ago.

Re: Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

#58

Post by siliconc0w »

Management is a lot more about relationships - try to get 1:1s with your manager, their manager, and their manager. Show up to the 1:1s with good questions, ask to audit leadership meetings/summits, start to send out proposals to improve how the team works rather than what to work on.

What I didn't really realize is that 9/10 if you ask people for their help, they'll usually give it. So if you just ask, "hey can I goto the leadership summit?" They'll say no. But if you ask, "Hey I'm trying to understand what a management direction for my role might like and I think I would learn a lot from the discussions at the leadership summit, do you think I could tag along - maybe virtually- for a day or two?" - They'll probably say yes and throw out an invite. Now you're in the room and can build relationships with the leaders that decide the next manager. (or wisely learn attending these types of meetings isn't what you want to be doing)

Re: Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

#59

Post by itake »

My advice:

1/ Find a company with EMs are also expected code. These companies have more EM's, smaller teams, and thus more opportunities for the EM title and less "competition".

2/ Find a company with high churn due to worklife balance and grind it for at least 2 years, but preferably 4.

Re: Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

#60

Post by Firmwarrior »

miroljub wrote: post #44
duggan wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hate this sort of logic. Sounds far too much like social darwinism. Sometimes things that are worth doing are hard.

> Sometimes things that are worth doing are hard. I said that in my comment already, if for you, it's not worth doing it, don't do it. The unwritten assumption is that you should do it if it's worth it to you, even if it's hard.

> you'll never be a lead player, or be able to play in a college team, and you'll enter a NBA stadium only if you pay a ticket

Sounds like you're saying "If you aren't a prodigy from the start you're not going to amount to anything"

FAANG middle managers don't grow on trees. It's way easier to get into that space than the NBA IMO

Post reply on HN