I got a E6 offer from FB. I have the option to choose Management track or IC track, as I cleared both tech loop and leadership loop. Yoe10, engineering management background, tc475. I know expectation on level 6+ is extremely high, and FB is infamous for its quick firing culture. I want to survive longer and have an easier ramp up. Which track is easier? And I know it may not be a fair comparison, as the skills needed are different. I would love to hear from both sides. Thank you.
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Any managers chime in and comment? I thought first-line manager’s job is tougher, involving both technical and political challenges.
Tech lead manager M1 is harder than IC6 because you’re kind of expected to do both jobs at once. Org leader M1... in some ways it is easier, because if your team is great and you don’t get in the way, you’ll at least do OK even if you didn’t do very much. In some ways it is harder, because if your team isn’t great, you are accountable for the team results but, unlike an IC6 tech lead, you are discouraged from directly telling people what to do and disempowering them. Fixing a team indirectly generally takes longer than a review cycle so you’re likely to be penalized in the interim even if you’re doing the right things.
Both can be hard or easy - it depends on your skills. For external hires- getting to the e6 bar is difficult and may strong engineers are not used to having to identify high impact projects for themselves and being held accountable for doing that. Assuming you show a good trajectory, fb doesnt fire new hires that fast (especially at 6+) and you'll have a year to catch up. Similarly, management in fb is different than many of the companies that I've seen and some people struggle to make that adjustment. Personally, I dont think that successful M1 managers are as rare as e6 engineers, but it really depends on the management style you have coming in and how quick you are to learn and adjust In either case, if you consider yourself to have "just made it" and are not comfortably a strong 6 - I'd recommend taking the other track. (And of course- if you have more passion to one track of the other - that should be the only determining factor. You shouldn't choose track you will be less happy with long term to avoid getting fired)
> "management in fb is different than many of the companies that I've seen" How so?
Far less directive, but very accountable for team impact and success. Usually does not include TLing or project management responsibilities- purer people management Counter to perception by ICs - managers get pushed out faster than other places I've seen
How long post your loop did you get your offer btw?
Op, what did you decide and how has your experience been?
Looks like most people think M1 is easier. Any tips on external manager ramp up?
The poll result is most likely the IC’s illusion of manager’s job being easier, considering there are way more ICs on Blind than FB managers.
Yes- listen to Microsoft. The poll only shows the strong ic bias in blind