Currently, I'm a L6 TL. My team has been growing and my manager has too many direct reports. He asked if I'm interested in managing. I'm currently overseeing work of a few L4s. Never been a manager before, but I think it may be worth trying it for a bit to get experience. I have decent enough people skills and already seem to spend half my day in meetings and coding less, though I still enjoy it. In my mid-40s, so feel like I got to try it now before I'm too old. I don't think I can get to L7 at Google as an IC. The other option is to try for L7 IC elsewhere. Anyone who has gone through the transition to a manager have tips?
How many years at Google? Mid 40s and L6 is great đ
10+ years
You can go back to IC anytime but this kind of opportunity does not show up very often. I was in the same boat a few years ago. Became a manager to gain the experience. Didn't like it much, and after 3 years, I requested to go back to IC. The experience has been very valuable though to build the connection and learn new stuff
It's so valuable that you stayed in management. Those who can, do, those who can't, manage.
How many L4 you oversee? And overseeing entails reviewing code?
Currently overseeing two team members, soon three. code reviews, talking through implementation issues, getting them invited to the right meetings, project prioritization and finding ways to unblock them.
Think about becoming a manager as learning more skills. Now itâs always a good idea to learn more skills if you want to grow. If you find that the role is not a good fit and is making you miserable then go back to being an IC. But now you are an IC who knows how a manager thinks and can help preemptively and be of more value than before. The biggest difference between being an IC and being a manager is that as an IC your time is your resource. As a manager your time is your teamâs resource. Career growth can happen in all directions and it is a good idea to grow more and more skills to be ready for the next opportunities.
I did for a bit. I went back IC after a few years, got IC7 at Meta eventually (I agree at Google they under-level) One problem is it takes up a lot of time, and you lose yourself as an IC for your future team. Is the team strong enough without you? You wonât get a promo for managing either unless you are M2 and have long stopped coding. Another problem is you can get pivoted into completely random projects. Do you have a specialty or care about the current project? Anyway, not to be negative, I bet a lot of folks like it. I just didnât enjoy it much and felt like I would be rusty after much longer.
What do you do at IC7? Is it hard to always find enough scope at that level?
Are you a specialist or generalist DaMeta?
India
1h
179
'Hindutva': The Radical Hindu Ideology That Seeks to 'Push Christianity Out of Indiaâ
Health & Wellness
Yesterday
568
Lasik cost
Tech Industry
Yesterday
1678
The two-pizza team rule is racist
Tech Industry
Yesterday
1594
Women, help me understand why this is inspirational
AMA
Yesterday
683
PM Manager, early 40s, married and ENM (Ethical Non Monogamous) AMA
Blind tax