When Should a Programmer Become a Manager?
Leadership • Software Development Career Advice
Does programming ever get tiring? Frustrated by being left out of decisions by the company? You may wonder if you should become a manager.
Watch or listen to this episode
YOUTUBE
SPOTIFY
APPLE
Is It Time to Move from a Tech Role to Management?
Are you getting to that point in your career where you’re starting to wonder if it’s time to switch from being a programmer, DevOps engineer, or another individual contributor role into management? Shudder the thought, right? Many of us reach a crossroads in our careers where this question looms. While not everyone is cut out to be a manager, there are signs that might indicate it’s the right move for you. Let’s explore some of those signs so you can decide if it’s time to make the leap or if you should stay the course or explore other paths in your tech career.
You’re More Concerned with People Than Technology
If you find yourself increasingly bothered by how people are treated in your company or how they work together, this might be a sign that management is calling you. It’s one thing to be passionate about Agile, continuous delivery, or DevOps practices, but it’s another to be deeply concerned with the broader organizational structure and culture. If your thoughts often drift toward how to improve collaboration, motivation, and workplace culture, management might be a good fit for you. This shift in focus from technology to people is a strong indicator that it could be time to explore a management role.
You Want More Organizational Insight
As an individual contributor, your view of the company’s goals and direction is often limited. You see the backlog, new features, and maybe a bit of the roadmap, but the bigger picture might be elusive. If you’re finding that you’re frustrated by learning about company changes late in the game or that you want more influence over the company’s direction, this desire for organizational insight could be a sign that management is the next step. Management roles often provide a broader perspective and a greater voice in shaping the company’s future.
You’re Tired of the Technical Interview Process
The technical interview process in the software industry can be grueling, especially as you advance in your career. The expectation to constantly prepare for algorithm-based interviews, often with little relevance to your actual work, can be exhausting. If you’ve reached a point where the thought of going through another round of technical interviews fills you with dread, management might be an appealing alternative. Management interviews tend to focus more on interpersonal skills, experience, and scenarios rather than technical prowess, which can be a refreshing change.
You Want to Work Less Overtime
Overtime is a common pressure in technical roles, often due to the nature of project deadlines and the expectation to deliver on estimates. While managers aren’t immune to overtime, the nature of the work is different. Managers are responsible for being available to their teams, smoothing out issues, and facilitating communication, which can often mean less of the intense, last-minute crunch that developers face. If you’re tired of the constant pressure to work overtime and want to set more boundaries around your work hours, management might offer a reprieve from the relentless demands of technical deadlines.
You’re Tired of Learning New Technology
As a technologist, the need to continuously learn new tools, languages, and frameworks can eventually become a grind. The pace of change in tech is relentless, and it can feel like you’re constantly starting from scratch. If you’re finding that this constant learning is no longer exciting and instead feels like a burden, it might be time to consider management. Many management skills, especially in technical management roles, are more timeless. The fundamentals of managing people, scaling teams, and facilitating communication don’t change as rapidly as the tech stacks do. If you’re tired of the tech treadmill, management could be a way to leverage your experience in a new, less volatile way.
Conclusion
Have you seen any of these signs in your own career? Are you starting to feel that it might be time to consider moving into management? If not, what’s holding you back? Maybe you’re still on the fence, unsure if this is the right path for you. What are your concerns about making this transition?
About the THRIVING TECHNOLOGIST show
On YouTube and all major podcast networks, Jayme shares teamwork and leadership strategies, guidelines for healthy company culture, and stories about real projects so you can have a sustainable career in the software industry.
Jayme Edwards
A family man and veteran of nearly 40 software projects, Jayme experienced many wins and losses over his career as an architect and consultant.
Now he's coaching software developers, managers, and business owners to overcome challenges in the IT industry - so they keep growing.