When and Why to Ladder
Explore how engineering career ladders function across company sizes and career tracks. Understand when to engage in ladder discussions, the difference between management and technical leadership paths, and how standardized ladders help align your experience for future opportunities. This lesson equips you with insight to navigate your career progression strategically.
Small companies
Some companies don’t have formal ladders at all; they may be too small to justify the formality. However, it is still helpful for you to have a clear discussion with your managers about what is expected for you to succeed in your role. They should want you to earn more responsibility, increase compensation, and have some long-term plan to keep you growing and engaged for the next five to ten years. If they don’t seem to care about giving you a fulfilling long-term career, this is a big red flag.
Companies with 40 to 50 people
Companies generally start introducing formal ladders once engineering gets past 40 to 50 people. Given a standard ratio of one manager to six to eight engineers ...