Navigating the Path to Seniority: A Guided Journey for Junior Engineers

Welcome to my series on helping junior engineers become successful senior professionals.

As an engineering manager, I've had the opportunity to see the challenges of trying to advance one's career. I've also seen the value that both junior and senior engineers bring to a team.

For example, I remember working with an engineer who was determined to become an architect. They consistently sought out opportunities to take on more challenging projects, and within no more than a couple of years got promoted several times up to a senior position. Today, I'm proud to see how that person has become head of engineering. 🫡

This series will guide you to identify and develop the skills needed to become a senior engineer.

First off: What is seniority?

There is no universal way to measure seniority, and it can vary depending on the company, industry, and role in question. However, there are a few common factors that are often used to measure seniority:

1. Experience: Time in field, number and complexity of projects are good representations.
2. Expertise: Ability to solve complex problems and design effective solutions.
3. Responsibility: Ability to handle several projects of distinct complexities.
4. Recognition: Awards or publications are good examples.

Seniority is the measure of expertise and ability to handle complex responsibilities.

Why does seniority matter?

It can bring benefits to your career, like promotions, higher pay, and the opportunity to take on more challenging projects. It's an important step to take in order to advance your career.

Seniority is important for companies because it often brings a level of expertise and responsibility that can be valuable in tackling complex tasks and projects. Senior staff can provide guidance and mentorship to junior staff, and their experience can help inform decision-making and problem-solving.

Overall, having a strong senior staff can contribute to a company's overall efficiency and success.

Do I have to become a senior?

It's important to note that pursuing seniority is not for everyone, and it's perfectly okay if it doesn't align with your interests.

Examples of why someone might choose not to pursue the seniority path:

• Personal interests: Some may be interested in other aspects of their job or career, and may not feel the need to pursue seniority.
• Work-life balance: Some may focus on work-life balance and not want to take on the extra responsibility that comes with more senior roles.
• Career change: Some may pursue a career change, and may not want to focus on advancing within a specific field.
• Other priorities: There may be other priorities, like family or hobbies that take precedence over advancing their career.

What seniority is not

Here are a few common misconceptions about seniority that are worth noting:

Time as the only factor

Seniority is sometimes equated with age, but it's vital to highlight that the two are not the same.

I remember working with a young engineer who was fresh out of college, but he had already developed a level of expertise and responsibility that far surpassed many of his more senior colleagues. Despite his youth, he was frequently sought out for his technical expertise and was trusted to lead important projects. He was a great example of how seniority is not solely determined by age, but rather by a combination of factors including experience, expertise, responsibility, and recognition.

Someone who has worked in their field for a long time may not necessarily be more senior. For example, a developer who has spent their career working on a specific proprietary platform may not be considered a senior in the broader industry even if they have a lot of experience.

Seniority as a one-time accomplishment

Seniority is something that can be continuously built upon. You can continue to develop and improve in your profession as you accumulate more experience and broaden your skill set.

Seniority is only based on technical knowledge

While technical knowledge is unquestionably a crucial component of seniority, it is not the only one. Being a senior professional requires having strong communication, leadership, and problem-solving abilities.

Ok I get it! so, how do I develop these skills?

To advance in your profession and take on more challenging duties, you must learn and grow your knowledge and skills continuously.

If you want to take the first step in becoming a senior and made it this far, congratulations! you're already on the right path!

The following posts in this series "Breaking through, the skills you need to get ahead" will explore in depth the skills you'll need to develop to become a senior professional.

Let me know if you liked this post (or not), and if you'd like me to post on a topic of your interest!

Next up: "Breaking through, the skills you need to get ahead"

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