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Ask HN: Is it bad that I don’t want to be a senior engineer?

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Ask HN: Is it bad that I don’t want to be a senior engineer?

#1
Work at a Fortune 500, I’m a senior engineer who is expected to be a tech lead for my team and work on cross functional projects.

I’m burned out, I don’t want to be responsible for architectural decisions. I don’t want to write TDDs. I just want to be given tickets and run with them. I miss those days.

I just need to relax a bit in a role with less responsibility. Has anyone ever felt this way before? What did you do about it? Am I wrong to feel this way?

Re: Ask HN: Is it bad that I don’t want to be a senior engineer?

#2
The problem is the pay usually doesn't come with the lower responsibility.

I was a senior dev some where and decided to quit because they were outsourcing and reorg-ing and using a weird platform. I quit. but, I sure miss the regular raises and the pension and the 401k match.

Re: Ask HN: Is it bad that I don’t want to be a senior engineer?

#3

The problem is the pay usually doesn't come with the lower responsibility. I was a senior dev some where and decided to quit because they were outsourcing and reorg-ing and using a weird platform. I quit. but, I sure miss the regular raises and the pension and the 401k match.

That is fair. Are you in the Bay Area?

Re: Ask HN: Is it bad that I don’t want to be a senior engineer?

#4

The problem is the pay usually doesn't come with the lower responsibility. I was a senior dev some where and decided to quit because they were outsourcing and reorg-ing and using a weird platform. I quit. but, I sure miss the regular raises and the pension and the 401k match.

It depends.

I'm a senior SWE at a non-tech (tech is a cost center) company. However, many tech (tech is a profit center) companies - not just FAANG - will pay at least, if not significantly more, for midlevel roles. Hence one of the reasons I don't mind downgrading.

OP mentions "Fortune 500", which I often see used for non-tech companies. If this is the case, the above is something to keep in mind. The downside is you're most likely to be leetcoded during interviews so you need to prepare.

Re: Ask HN: Is it bad that I don’t want to be a senior engineer?

#6
I’ve felt the same way, and actually left my last role 3 months ago because of it.

I did have some burn out, however I was increasingly becoming more aware that the small salary jump for a senior role just didn’t match the massive jump in responsibilities.

In the end I’m working on my own stuff now, but failing that I’d be looking for a more normal role, or significantly more remuneration to take on that stress/work again.

Re: Ask HN: Is it bad that I don’t want to be a senior engineer?

#7

The problem is the pay usually doesn't come with the lower responsibility. I was a senior dev some where and decided to quit because they were outsourcing and reorg-ing and using a weird platform. I quit. but, I sure miss the regular raises and the pension and the 401k match.

It depends. I'm a senior SWE at a non-tech (tech is a cost center) company. However, many tech (tech is a profit center) companies - not just FAANG - will pay at least, if not significantly more, for midlevel roles. Hence one of the reasons I don't mind downgrading. OP mentions "Fortune 500", which I often see used for non-tech companies. If this is the case, the above is something to keep in mind. The downside is yo…

Decaf is it fair to say that you’re experiencing the same thing? I’m not actually at a Fortune 500, I shouldn’t have said that. Tech is a profit center and I’m in the Bay Area.

Yeah I’m just wondering if I should either work at a place where tech is a cost center or just seek a less exhausting L4 role somewhere.

Re: Ask HN: Is it bad that I don’t want to be a senior engineer?

#8
> I’m a senior engineer who is expected to be a tech lead for my team and work on cross functional projects.

Shouldn't the title then be "Is it bad that I don't want to be a tech lead?"?

I think that there is a distinction between a tech lead and a senior engineer. As a tech lead you have more responsibility for the success of a given project while as a senior engineer you're (mostly) responsible for your own contributions.

So is it bad if you don't want to be a senior engineeer? Yes, because it's a very natural progression from being a non-senior engineer. It would almost be like saying that you don't want to be good at your job.

Is it bad if you don't want to be a tech lead? Not at all, it's a different job, requires a different skillset and you should absolutely be able to turn it down if it isn't for you.

Re: Ask HN: Is it bad that I don’t want to be a senior engineer?

#9

> I’m a senior engineer who is expected to be a tech lead for my team and work on cross functional projects. Shouldn't the title then be "Is it bad that I don't want to be a tech lead?"? I think that there is a distinction between a tech lead and a senior engineer. As a tech lead you have more responsibility for the success of a given project while as a senior engineer you're (mostly) responsible for your own contrib…

I want to be good at my job, but not necessarily a senior dev. At my company, you're required to work extra hours as a senior dev, which really negates any pay raise. Not to mention, I've filled the role of senior dev and even tech lead for a couple years with the politics getting in the way of the official promotions (and management not following HR policies).

Re: Ask HN: Is it bad that I don’t want to be a senior engineer?

#10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It depends. I'm a senior SWE at a non-tech (tech is a cost center) company. However, many tech (tech is a profit center) companies - not just FAANG - will pay at least, if not significantly more, for midlevel roles. Hence one of the reasons I don't mind downgrading. OP mentions "Fortune 500", which I often see used for non-tech companies. If this is the case, the above is something to keep in mind. The downside is yo…

Decaf is it fair to say that you’re experiencing the same thing? I’m not actually at a Fortune 500, I shouldn’t have said that. Tech is a profit center and I’m in the Bay Area. Yeah I’m just wondering if I should either work at a place where tech is a cost center or just seek a less exhausting L4 role somewhere.

I also work at a "tech as cost center" company. I think you would be annoyed by the policies and politics. Some of the slowness and product-level decisions annoy me to no end.
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