Throughout my career, I have always been under the impression that the coveted role of a manager is a promotion of sorts and that you’ve made it if you’ve become one. Only lately did I realize as I was reflecting the journey of my career and my potential future paths, that indeed this role is not a promotion but in fact a parallel track of its own. When I recently got promoted at work, everyone kept asking me one question — “so, are you a manager now?”
To everyone contemplating or in the same situation as I am, I hope some of this advice makes sense. First and foremost, careers are not determined by your title but by the impact you can bring to a company as a sole individual. If you didn’t exist, would the company have had made the same decisions as it did with you. Keep pondering on that question and you will start seeing how much impact or influence you have for whatever project you are shipping today or presentation you are making.
Careers also can be more flexible. You can always transition between a management role and an individual contributor role and likewise, transition back. During my time at FB, I’ve seen and encountered countless individuals who hated being a manager and transitioned to an IC. Similarly, I’ve also seen individuals who craved to be a manager and transitioned from IC to management. However, this transition does not necessarily mean that you are promoted.
To outside world, or companies recruiting candidates although a manager position sounds much more “impactful” than a…
