From a 1:1 Meeting
The Story
Today, X from my team asked me, “Can I stay as an IC forever?”
“Of course you can! Why do you ask?” I replied.
“Well,” he said, “my friend works at Facebook, and his manager told him that being an IC is a dead-end for developers — you can’t influence anyone except yourself.”
“Hmm,” I replied, “that’s not the case at all. Influence isn’t tied to your title or position. It’s about how you collaborate with people, the work you deliver, and your attitude. It’s all in your approach, not your title. A title just comes with more responsibility.”
“But if I continue as an IC,” he asked, “is there really a growth path? My friend’s manager made it sound like a dead-end.”
“Not at all,” I told him. “I’ve worked with amazing ICs who made a big impact without managing anyone. Let me share a few examples.”
The ‘Public’ Coder
As a developer, you might enjoy coding, trying out new technologies, setting up clusters, or writing abstract classes. You build infrastructure — RPC systems, tools, validation engines, and define exception/error code — that others rely on. You name coding conventions and set up templates to make it easier for others to follow.
Eventually, you’ll take on the role of Principal Engineer. Your work becomes visible across the company, and people will respect your contributions. But not…
