Career Ladders & Progression: From Junior to Principal
A comprehensive career ladder framework for engineering teams. Includes level definitions, promotion criteria, IC vs management tracks, compensation bands, and tools to help engineers chart their growth path.
The Career Conversation That Determines Retention
Your best engineer asks: "What does it take to get promoted to Senior?" You freeze. There's no written criteria. Promotions happen based on vibes. Some people get promoted after 1 year, others wait 4. It's inconsistent, unfair, and driving your top talent away.
Most companies either have no career ladder (chaos) or copy a big-tech ladder with a dozen-plus levels (overkill for a 20-person team). Engineers don't know what's expected, managers promote inconsistently, and high performers leave because growth feels arbitrary.
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▶ Interactive tool
Put this into practice — free, no sign-up
Run your own numbers in this interactive tool built for exactly this decision.