IC glass ceiling in your company

Apr 18, 2016 47 Comments

What is the IC glass ceiling in your company? For instance at Microsoft level 64 is the glass ceiling for most Marketers at (granted there are always exceptions). That translates to Sr Marketing Manager title. In Engineering it appears 65-66 maybe the top one could get to as an IC.

What about other companies? Please state level, title and job type (SDE, PM, Marketing, Support etc.)

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TOP 47 Comments
  • You're mistaken. In ENG, you could be an IC all the way to partner or beyond to DE, TF. Granted most folks will plateau at L67/L68
    Apr 18, 2016 8
  • We don't have levels for IC's. You earn market value. I know of IC's over $500k
    Apr 19, 2016 4
  • Google
    Awk

    Go to company page Google

    Awk
    Google Fellow, so basically there isn't a ceiling.
    Apr 18, 2016 5
    • Google
      Awk

      Go to company page Google

      Awk
      Just about everyone I work with is at least Staff. Lots of senior staff and principals. I don't think I've met anyone really good stuck at L5 for more than 3-5 years.
      Apr 18, 2016
    • Google
      KsRx15

      Go to company page Google

      KsRx15
      if that's true for you, Awk, you're in an anomalous group. just look at Urs' recent g+ post showing promotion rates at each level.
      Apr 24, 2016
  • Amazon
    trader_joe

    Go to company page Amazon

    trader_joe
    We don't expect people to move from SDE2 to SDE3 (senior). After that it's principal engineer, which is less than ~5% of our SDE population. Then it's sr. principal, and finally distinguished engineer, which is a VP-level role. We have like 3 distinguished engineers in the company. So, an IC can move as high as the highest manager can barring the SR VP role).
    Apr 18, 2016 5
    • that's terrible, nobody should plateau at sde2. people get that level a couple years out of college
      Apr 22, 2016
    • Amazon
      trader_joe

      Go to company page Amazon

      trader_joe
      @ROTH71, it doesn't necessarily mean you plateau. The responsibilities are different, so some choose not to move up. Didn't mean they stopped growing their engineering skills.
      Apr 22, 2016
  • What is the metaphor of glass ceiling?
    Apr 19, 2016 1
    • Yahoo
      gone

      Go to company page Yahoo

      gone
      Formally it appears like there's further upward progress available, but there is in fact a hard stop on progress. Often used in the context of minorities who never get promoted past a certain point even though technically there's no rule against said promotion.
      Apr 19, 2016