June 10, 2025

Mid to Senior Engineer - A Journey of Self-Discovery

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By Irina Kamalova
VP Lead Software Engineer @ JPMorgan Chase
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So, you've mastered the fundamentals, you're a reliable contributor, and the "Mid-Level Engineer" title feels comfortable. But the ambition to grow, to take on more responsibility, and to reach that coveted "Senior Engineer" status is bubbling beneath the surface. You're not alone! The journey from Mid to Senior is a significant step in any tech professional's career, and understanding the available pathways is crucial for strategic advancement.

I suggest to look at two strategies following the chart:

mid-to-senior engineer chart

Path 1: Get a promotion within your company

    Goal: Get a promotion within your company.

Plan:

  1. Align your goal with your manager.
    2.

    This is the first and the most crucial step. Unless you come to the person who is responsible for your promotion and ask for it there's no sense in preparing a plan with steps, enrolling in certifications for promotions, and getting more projects on the plate without any advice.

  2. Set up exact steps with your manager.
    3.

    From the first step, you should learn what you need to do: where your gaps are, where your strengths are, where your weaknesses are.

  3. Execute those steps
    4.

    User SMART technique for each step.

  4. Ensure recognition across teams.
    5.

    It's crucial for promotion to be visible inside your company. The more you help others, the more scope you touch and your knowledge increases.

  5. Work for the review & feedback.

    6. The important point is to know exact dates where reviews and promotion windows inside your company are happening. Your review date is your hard deadline.

Outcome (if your goal is not yet achieved):
  1. Gather the feedback and create an actionable plan from it to close gaps.
    2.  All those steps gave you an amazing experience. How could you do better? What is left for the next time? Through several iterations you're guaranteed to get the promotion. However, it could be from 2 to 5 iterations with a feedback loop.
  2. Go from 1 to 5 from the previous block again.
    3.

Outcome (if your goal is achieved): Promotion to Senior Engineer.

Pass the Interview to obtain the Senior position
    Goal:Pass the Interview to obtain the Senior position.
  • Plan:
    • Apply for the interview.
    • Ask HR what stages and how to prepare; ask for feedback in advance.
    • Prepare for the interview.
  • Possible Outcomes:
    • Obtain the role in a company with a quicker feedback loop and get the promotion there.
    • Analyse the feedback and apply for the next interview. (This outcome loops back to the "Plan" stage for passing the interview).
    • …and, of course, obtain the role of Senior Engineer!

Now, the great question: should you follow both paths simultaneously? It's up to you, however, the balanced model will be to go through Path 1 for a year and if you've not succeeded go through Path 2 for the next year. The iterative approach will lead you to the goal. However, the common trap for engineers is to try to do both paths at the same time and it leads to burnout. One path can be the background while the other is the focus. Regular interviews wouldn't hurt but be mindful of your time and remember that they were in the background path when you've got a rejection. I wish you the best of luck on your way!