Re:Ask HN: Getting back into an IC role as a manager
by bhavikkumar on Tuesday January 31, 2023 @08:12AM
(#34594610)
I have made the transition from a engineering manager to IC last year. I had spent 3 years as a EM and that was long enough to lose significant amount of day to day knowledge around engineering. I did 3 months of Leetcode and I got a role a Senior Software Engineer.
Would I do it again, no unless it was within my current company. Jumping to another company after not being hands on for a few years was very difficult. Especially when it came to the system design questions.
Edit: Now that I've made the transition, its great. It was a slow start with the coding aspects. The management background helps a lot for interactions with my peers and junior developers. My peers already think I should be at least the next level in the IC track, but that is probably because I take on responsibilities outside my immediate area.
Would I do it again, no unless it was within my current company. Jumping to another company after not being hands on for a few years was very difficult. Especially when it came to the system design questions.
Edit: Now that I've made the transition, its great. It was a slow start with the coding aspects. The management background helps a lot for interactions with my peers and junior developers. My peers already think I should be at least the next level in the IC track, but that is probably because I take on responsibilities outside my immediate area.