Career Paths Beyond IC vs Manager

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Breaking the Binary: Rethinking Tech Career Progression

Let’s get honest for a second: If you’ve spent any time in tech, you’ve probably noticed how quickly career conversations boil down to a single choice—do you want to stay hands-on as an individual contributor (IC), or do you want to manage people? From company ladders to job postings to hallway chats, this binary shows up everywhere. But here’s where this gets real: What if neither track quite fits you?

Maybe you want to grow, have more impact, and take on new challenges—but giving up the technical craft that first drew you to engineering? Not so appealing. I’ve been there, and I’ve seen so many talented folks wrestle with this exact tension.

The way we talk about careers in tech often misses something important. Not every engineer wants to manage. Not every leader wants to let go of building. There’s a whole world of ambition, skill, and motivation between those two poles, and honestly, our industry is just starting to catch up. As The New Stack highlights tech career growth without management: “Not everyone wants to become a manager. Not everyone should be a manager. There should be a way to grow your career within an organization without having to manage a team.”

If you’re feeling the pull between leadership and craft—or just wondering if there’s more than two doors open—let’s dig in. This post is for anyone who suspects the real adventure might be in the space between code and classic management.

Why the Standard Tracks Don’t Fit Everyone

After years of heads-down growth as an engineer, it’s common to hit a plateau. The message you’ll hear is clear: master your domain, then it’s time to manage people. But if that transition feels forced or just plain wrong for you, you’re not alone.

In my experience, wanting more influence or scope—without stepping fully into management—isn’t rare. It’s something I’ve struggled with myself. I’ve watched peers hit this crossroads and pause, wondering if something’s wrong with them for not wanting the traditional next step. As one user shares on TeamBlind about the IC vs. manager dilemma:

"On the manager track also trying to be realistic I can definitely reach the senior manager level moving to director may be possible but also pretty rare. If I want to maximize my employability, especially against the ageism boogie man, but also make sure I get descent total comp is one path a better option? There are less engineering manager jobs and I think staff+ roles are in demand but curious to get Blinds thoughts."

I’ve seen brilliant developers—people who light up in architecture reviews or who naturally mentor teammates—hesitate at the thought of managing direct reports. In some companies, these folks have become Staff Engineers or technical leaders, roles that finally recognize their value without forcing them into management for the sake of a title.

But let’s be real: This isn’t just about personal preference. It’s baked into how most organizations see advancement. LeadDev discusses engineering career progression frameworks:

"It’s often assumed that the only level up from a senior software engineer role is lead engineer, followed by engineering manager. But this path might not be appealing to those who don’t aspire to become people managers or lead teams, and who are better suited to become senior individual contributors (ICs). As a result, engineers might feel limited, and start exploring opportunities elsewhere."

This hunger for alternative paths is everywhere. And when companies don’t support it? They lose out—not just on talent, but on the creativity and drive that come from people carving their own way. It mirrors the broader challenge of redefining success beyond job titles and promotions—success can look different for everyone, and organizations benefit from embracing multiple forms of impact.

Discovering and Defining Alternative Paths

So what’s out there besides the familiar IC vs. manager split? More than most people realize. Tech organizations are starting to create roles that blend deep technical expertise with broader influence—without requiring you to manage a team.

Staff Engineer, Principal Engineer, Architect—these titles are becoming more common, though they’re still misunderstood in many circles. According to The New Stack's definition of staff engineers:

"By the simplest definition, a staff engineer is a senior, individual contributor (IC). The job does not involve managing a team directly. It’s a sociotechnical and strategic role that helps drive business goals forward via technical decisions..."

In these roles, you keep building software—but you also steer architectural direction, mentor others, and influence across teams or even organizations. What I’ve seen work is embracing the 'T-shaped skills' model: build deep expertise in one area (the vertical bar), while developing broad abilities across related domains (the horizontal bar). This is what makes hybrid and Staff+ roles thrive—you’re both specialist and connector.

Principal Engineers and Architects take it up another notch. They might decide which tools get adopted company-wide, define best practices, or drive transformation through influence rather than authority. Loiane Groner describes this further:

"You help decide tools that will be adopted at an organizational level, define processes as best practices for the engineering team and how to adopt them... You can influence the company at the global level." Organizational impact through principal roles

Hybrid roles are popping up too—think engineering plus product strategy or developer plus community advocate. As Yarooms introduces hybrid roles:

“A hybrid role is a job where one person takes on tasks from different positions instead of just one specific function… These unique combinations make work more exciting, but they also require you to have diverse skills and be adaptable to change.”

Modern tech organizations—especially big players—are hungry for people who can flex across boundaries (GAFAM companies as example). If you’re wired for both depth and breadth, you’re exactly what the future of tech needs.

Expanding beyond default tracks often means breaking out of your bubble: Cultivating awareness and connection across disciplines opens up new opportunities that traditional ladders can’t always provide.
Collaborative writing session
Image Source: Collaborative Writing in Technical Teams

Carving Your Own Role: Strategies to Grow Beyond Titles

Here’s where this gets actionable. You don’t have to wait for your company to hand you a new ladder—you can start building your own branch right now.

What I’ve learned over time? Treat your career like a product: iterate, seek feedback, experiment with new responsibilities. Here are some practical ways to carve out your path:

  1. Look for Staff+ Roles

    Start by searching internally (or externally) for titles like Staff Engineer, Principal Engineer, or Architect—even if they’re not well advertised. Sometimes these roles exist quietly until someone steps up.

  2. Pitch Hybrid Value

    In smaller companies or startups especially, propose a blend of responsibilities that match your skills and ambitions. Are you already leading initiatives or mentoring? Document those contributions—they’re your best proof when making your case.

  3. Make the Invisible Visible

    A lot of leadership happens outside of formal titles: mentoring, architectural guidance, cross-team problem-solving. Don’t let these go unnoticed—track them and highlight them in performance reviews or promotion cases. Building visibility is crucial; sometimes it helps to remember that visibility is contribution, not self-promotion.

  4. Talk to Your Manager

    Instead of asking for a generic promotion, open a conversation about how you can blend leadership with technical depth: “I’d like to grow into a role that lets me lead more while staying technical. What might that look like here?” This invites creative thinking—and shows initiative.

  5. Expand Your Impact Sideways

    Look for ways to influence beyond your team: join hiring panels, onboard new colleagues, present internally, or write docs for broader audiences. These stretch your leadership muscles while keeping your hands in the craft.

  6. Follow People Doing It

    Seek out Staff Engineers or hybrid leaders online—LinkedIn, tech blogs, podcasts. Their journeys offer proof and inspiration that there’s more than one way up.

Don’t skip this part—it’s where the shift happens. The more you make your value visible—and show how it fits real needs—the easier it becomes to shape your own path.

For those wrestling with imposter syndrome during this process, remember: the surprising truth about imposter syndrome is that it often signals growth rather than lack of ability.

Building Influence Without Losing Your Craft

One of tech’s biggest myths? That leadership means leaving hands-on work behind. In reality, some of the most influential engineers I know keep coding while shaping systems and mentoring teams.

Research backs this up: Staff+ contributors who stay involved in codebases report higher satisfaction and stick around longer. Influence and craft aren’t opposites—they amplify each other.

I’ve seen organizations wake up to this value—realizing technical leadership can move mountains without direct reports. Sometimes it just takes one person (maybe you?) showing how much farther influence can go when anchored in genuine expertise.

Learning how to maximize productivity anywhere you work gives you more room for high-impact activities instead of busywork—freeing up time for deeper influence and growth.
Mentoring in technology careers
Image Source: Christine Pfund on improving mentoring relationships

Conclusion: Embracing the Space Between Code and Leadership

Here’s my nudge: The classic career ladder doesn’t fit everyone—and honestly? That’s not just okay; it’s how real innovation happens.

By stepping off the IC vs. manager binary path—even tentatively—you open up room for growth that fits you. You can build things, lead change, mentor others, shape direction—all while holding onto the craft that lights you up inside.

There’s never been more opportunity—or more need—for creative technologists willing to forge their own trail. Whether you pursue Staff+, Principal, Architect roles or invent something entirely new along the way, know this: Your best career might branch out in unexpected directions.

Think of your journey less like climbing a ladder and more like growing a tree—branches shooting off in new directions with every skill learned or responsibility taken on. Upward isn’t the only way forward.

If you’re ready to explore that space between code and classic management? Don’t wait for permission—start building it today. The future of tech careers is bigger than any binary can hold.