Management & Technical Career Growth Tracks (v2)

This second version of the diagram illustrating technical career tracks reflects the following updates since version one:

  • A product management track is now included. (Future updates may include other tracks like design, editorial and marketing.)
  • There is no longer a contributor-level position on the people-management track. This is because most organizations do not have an entry-level position whose main job is to manage people yet is below the manager level.
  • The number of levels is still 5, but we have merged the two contributor levels below manager into one. We have added the C-level (as in CEO, CTO, CFO, …) band above the VP levels.
  • The director-level position in the technology track is now called principal architect or simply principal.
  • In the people management track, we suggest that a manager directly supervise at least 3 contributors and that a director supervise at least 3 managers. Exceptions can be made to this guideline when it is well-justified, but these are suggested as the default requirement to hold these titles.

(Thanks to Brian Murphy and Brad Kagawa for their contributions to this system.)

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