Software Engineer or Manager? Things to Know Before Making the Switch

[@davidglover2834]

Spot on. The “thrill” of solving a technical challenge is absent as a manager. Depending on the organization, you can spend all day in meetings but “accomplish” nothing.

[@art_of_bayar]

This is the single best channel that I love to watch about AWS and tech in general. Amazing hands-on experience videos, thoughtful videos on tech skills like this! Really awesome videos, keep going!

[@BeABetterDev]

Thank you so much!

[@Schippo10]

Thank you so much for this video. I am in similar situation to decide on how I wanna progress carrier wise and this was really helpful 🙏🏻

[@BeABetterDev]

You're very welcome Felix! I'm so glad I was able to help.

[@fbwthe6]

This was fucking incredible. I was promoted to SEM recently through the second path - positioning myself as a reliable manager role unofficially - and this is just a brilliant breakdown of the job description, expectations and pitfalls. Thank you so much.

[@twhizzay]

Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@phambinhchau8188]

Great thanks for sharing bro. Best I 've seen.

[@BeABetterDev]

Thanks Pham!

[@marianciortea5606]

That's a really interesting story. Just from your videos you really seem to be suited for both roles, technical and managerial. But now, knowing your experience, I understand you enjoy more the technical side. Is it you like designing systems or coding more?

[@BeABetterDev]

Hi Marian. Thanks for the question. After reflecting, the thing I get most satisfaction from is designing solutions to ambiguous problems. It isn't so much about the end product, but more about the journey of learning when initially faced with the problem to the "ah hah!" moments, to finally the end goal. I still enjoy coding but in my role I get to do less and less of it. Cheers, Daniel

[@NinjaAnkit]

I have been certified as AWS Cloud Practitioner on 29 July 2022. Due to your YT videos, I learn a lot. Credit goes to you. When I try to find you, I didn't get your LinkedIn Profile to mention you. I applied for so many jobs and I tried to find a Job in the cloud but it is tough to get at the entry-level. Please help me or guide me.

[@BeABetterDev]

Hi Ankit, I'm so glad my videos have been able to help you learn. I'm sorry to hear about your struggles with the job hunt. What type of jobs are you currently applying for and what does your resume look like? If you are newly transitioned into this industry it helps to have a couple portfolio projects available for your employer to assess your skills. That and being passionate about learning / the industry would really set you apart. Unfortunately as you initially break into the industry its a numbers game. You just need one company to take a chance on you so you can get that valuable initial experience. Once you're past that blockade, it will be much easier finding interviews. Keep applying and improving yourself and stay resilient - all it takes is one "you're hired".

[@rolucic]

This is very thoughtful and very well said. (The communication skills "going through the roof", I guess). I am struggling with the same "dilemma" myself. I find myself "managing" during the day and "going technical" in the evening... Starting to realize this is not a sustainable process. Thank you for sharing.

[@BeABetterDev]

Be careful of burnout - it can be real and hit you hard. !

[@ibrahimfazil7106]

Great video! Can you make a video about Software Manager vs Product Manager?

[@BeABetterDev]

Hi Ibrahim, I can certainly talk about my take on it but don't have much PM experience.

[@WhiteArtsMagic]

I have about 10 years in the industry and recently took a manager role. Wondering about if I want to switch back to IC...

[@CC-ij3ky]

Hi mate, This might not be the correct comment section to reach you about my question but let me try :) I have a new engineering manager lady which gives me the feeling every time that she is prioritising and trying to enforce her own goals over me and started to get away emotionally from that person. Basically I don't feel anymore to walk an extra mile for my company because of that reason. Because I feel like this selfish behaviour will be satisfied if I go in the direction I am being enforced to. In our last 1:1, I was not prepared enough I accept that but I have been told that "this is a performance based company and those are your responsibilities, I can just help you with those". This sentence pissed me off to be honest. I would appreciate your insight about this!

[@archana-fg9mh]

So how would your (or anyone else's who is in the same situation) career path go on from here. What would be the next positions and will they be paying equally or less? Coz along with job satisfaction, it is impossible to ignore the income potential. Coz maybe over time we would get more adapted and find content in Managerial role as well. Please share your thoughts. Your new subscriber here!

[@joanmarosa4888]

Thank you for sharing your honest opinions on being a dev vs a mgr. I can absolutely relate to it. I have been a dev for a long time and really enjoy being a dev. Got many opportunities to change to mgr career path, but refused bcos of the very same cons you pointed out. Could you please share in another video the mgr skills/capabilities/attitudes which you found useful and you are continuing after switching back to dev role? Thanks

[@BeABetterDev]

Hi Joan, glad that I'm not alone in my thought process. Thank you for the great suggestion. I've added your video idea to my list of TODO's. Thanks again, Daniel

[@HippocraticDev]

Can you give some insight into how any compensation changes influenced your ultimate decision to be a Software Engineering manager vs an IC software engineer? My gut tells me that I would miss being an IC for all the same reasons you bring up in this video, but I struggle with the idea that I may gimp my career and leave money on the table for me and my future family should I decline a management offer. There's not a lot of career progression available once you are already a senior software engineer unless you either change to a more lucrative tech stack or go the management route. I'd love to hear any insight you have on this.

[@aahpandasrun]

When a lot of your pros sound like cons to me, I knew it was time to move back to being a SDE

[@BeABetterDev]

I'm glad I was able to help you find yourself :)

[@nammi895]

I'm a SDE at Amazon, and was thinking about the same thing nowadays. Either I've to target L6, L7 in software or on the managerial side. Currently as an SDE I'm sick of writing code and debugging things & i literally hate that feeling when things don't work. But didn't know who would earn more in longer run. Making huge money is my end goal (I'm not ignorant to admit this)

[@BeABetterDev]

Hi nammi, Unfortunately working through problems and debugging things is a big part of our jobs. It can be extremely frustrating (been there!) but rewarding once you figure it out. If you don't enjoy your day to day anymore I think its reasonable to start considering other possible careers. SDM isn't the only path - TPM is another good fit I sometimes see SDEs move into. If making money is your sole ambition, I think it is slightly (JUST slightly) easier to advance in a managerial role assuming you are good at what you do and can deliver through your team. Keep in mind though that the SDM role is a completely different job and it may shock you in terms of what the job entails. But I hop this video gives you an idea of what to expect.

[@sholland42]

Management is the first cutbacks they make. Developers are always necessary.

[@jalvarez7609]

I feel so seen. After a day of meetings with people from other teams, 1:1s, stand ups, I felt depleted. And, I still had to write design documents, updates, reply emails, and update stakeholders. I though that my energy levels had just disappeared, however going back to doing IC work I found I had almost an infinite amount of energy. Engineering Management is really taxing, but on the flip side the impact is very rewarding.

[@funkykong9001]

Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@BeABetterDev]

I'm glad you enjoyed!

[@ropro9817]

Lol, this is almost creepily on point. Literally 2 months ago, I transitioned from an IC engineer to engineering manager! 🤠

[@ropro9817]

The selfish part of me wishes that you continued as a manager and started a new channel about the trials an tribulations of management. But I'm glad you rediscovered your passion and are back where you belong!

[@mehdi_brd]

as a person who want to persue one of these two jobs but wants to be a professional athlete at the same time, u think being a manager is a bad idea due to lack of free time?

[@paraschawla3757]

So Eloquent & succinct ..Being myself working in Amazon myself, i can vouch on every single point you made. Thanks for this wonderful channel

[@AlvinC-sz3li]

At least in Amazon, an L6 SDE role has very large overlap with L6 SDM.

[@gregf9160]

First rate advice, Daniel. I'm in the same boat.

[@BeABetterDev]

Thanks Greg! Glad you enjoyed.

[@gregf9160]

@@BeABetterDev I always follow and enjoy your videos. They have been so instructive and helpful, not only professionally, but also personally.

[@BeABetterDev]

Thanks so much Greg! I remember your comments from what feels like years ago!

[@BobBob-qm2bm]

Thanks for sharing your industry insights👨‍💻

[@BeABetterDev]

My pleasure Bob!

[@mrrishiraj88]

Thanks a million

[@BeABetterDev]

You're very welcome !

[@whatthefunction9140]

As a sr dev everything you are saying makes me sick. This industry needs huge changes.

[@fylkasalitheias7451]

I learnt a lot from your experience. Thank you!

[@gamingzeugs4842]

I am currently working as an project manager and my problem at the moment is that i dont get the time from my boss i would need to full time manage a team of 5 people... i dont know but it seems this is so ineffiecent und frustrating. The pros you talked about are so right and the cons are the same problems i face at the moment

[@BeABetterDev]

Have you tried speaking to your boss about your bandwidth constraints?

[@gamingzeugs4842]

@@BeABetterDev Yeah and he sees my points but the problem i think is the business model which constrains us.

[@itsnpe]

Are you an Amazon employee?

[@BeABetterDev]

Yes

[@jam1239665]

@@BeABetterDev what's your login? Lol I want to give an accolade :D

[@BeABetterDev]

Its @dggalati :)

[@tw5222]

i am glad youtube recommend me this video at this time. as senior development engineer, i am currently in dilemma which career path should i chose next. i love having a long uninterrupted coding/debugging session and feels of accomplishment when i cracked it. but sometime i feel like i do not feel good enough to become IC engineer because there are many excellent engineer around me and thinking of choosing managerial path. i mean, i feel not particularly bad but just average as IC engineer. is it valid reason to choose managerial path?

[@BeABetterDev]

Hi T W, I've shared your thoughts about not feeling good enough. I wouldn't let you stop you from pursuing the IC path. I would re-frame your feelings of "i'm not good enough" to "i'm not as experienced yet" when you compare yourselves to these folks. Never stop learning and focus on improving yourself! Daniel