This is how you become a senior software engineer

You don’t get a senior title and then magically start acting like one. It’s actually the other way around. Without the magic.

Seniority is extremely vague, though. It’s a spectrum, rather than a milestone. It also differs for each company. You could be a mid-level at your current position and a senior somewhere else. At least according to the label they assign you.

But true seniority is something else, beyond the labels. It’s how you show up in everything you do. It’s a mindset. It’s a set of traits. It’s the way you communicate. It’s how you show up for others. As you can tell, it’s a little bit of everything.

Technical proficiency is not the end-goal. It’s the baseline.

As you progress in your career, you naturally start taking on more responsibility. You own a small system or a component. Then a larger one. You lead a simple project. Then a riskier one. Brick by brick, you’re moving across the spectrum.

Nothing will happen on your fifth-year-mark unless you spent the last four strategically moving towards it. Some people have ten years of experience, with two years effective experience. The other eight were repetition and a slow decline.

How can I trust you without a proven track record? Welcome to your own catch-22. This is precisely why we need to wiggle our way in there. Start putting points on the board as early as possible.

Here’s advice I wish I had three years ago. Tldr; learn to handle vague requirements, connect with the business, and start taking on more ownership.

You can do each of these things at any point in your career, in any company. And it’s under your control. You’ll definitely need help from others in getting there, but you own the process. Internalize this - your career is your responsibility.

So don’t just float around and wait for someone to grab you by the neck and “teach you how to be a senior”. Teach yourself.

There is no handbook. There are books and hands. Start using both.

Good luck.