TL;DR: At Microsoft as non-senior level 62 YOE 8.5 , want to leave Microsoft and move to California as senior. Worried about being pigeon-holed as non-senior. How do you deal with this when talking to other companies? Do you remove any level-indicating factors from LinkedIn and your resume, and instead only show YOE and a generic title (e.g. Software Development Engineer)? What do you tell companies when they ask for your current level? What if they ask you a direct question like "are you senior"? I don't want to lie. I know that California has laws that prevent a company from asking your current level and salary. Does this prevent them from actually asking? If they do ask, do you confront them with the fact that they are breaking the law? Does this apply when they are talking to a candidate outside of California? YOE 8.5 Current level 62 Yes, my org makes it stupid hard to get promoted. That's part of why I'm leaving.
Also some companies will ask for your current level.
I found most FAANG do not ask levels, just pay (previously, now pay expectations). I think it would be a function on how well you “sell” the scope of work you’ve demonstrated in the past and not underselling yourself on expected TC (request pay bad for the level you believe you qualify for).
No company has ever questioned me when I said a level. 3.5 yrs in tech, currently a lead engineer.
Most companies are more concerned with what responsibilities you held. Not necessarily title. Interview and how you describe past work experience will be telling in this regard. Check www.levels.fyi for how you'd land at other places tough