r/ExperiencedDevs

How the community works

The subreddit's central rule is that you should only post or comment if you have three or more years of professional experience. Newer developers can take part in a weekly "Ask Experienced Devs" thread, and posts from inexperienced members outside it are removed. That single rule changes the conversation compared with general programming forums.

Recurring topics include:

• Performance management and promotions
• Dealing with a difficult manager or peer
• Whether to move into a lead or management role
• When and how to leave a job
• Scope that has outgrown a title
• Hiring, interviewing others and running teams
• How AI tools are changing day-to-day engineering work

Why the rule matters

General career subreddits are dominated by students and job seekers, and the advice reflects that. Here, answers more often come from people who have run the hiring loop, managed a team or faced the exact situation being discussed. The result is more nuanced, and often more candid about trade-offs.

How to use it well

• Search before posting. Most career questions have been discussed several times, often with excellent threads.
• Weigh patterns, not single replies. A confident top comment is still one person's experience.
• Consider the context. Many members work at US tech companies, and advice on pay, job markets or employment law may not apply in Pakistan or elsewhere.
• If you have less than three years of experience, read freely and use the weekly thread to ask questions.

Where it falls short

• It can be negative, especially about management, the job market or large companies. That reflects the people who choose to post.
• Answers skew towards US and European workplaces.
• It is not a technical help forum; coding questions belong elsewhere.

Pair it with

• The Pragmatic Engineer for reported industry context
• StaffEng and The Staff Engineer's Path for the senior individual contributor path
• A mentor at your own company, who knows your context in a way a forum cannot

Common questions

Can students read it? Yes. Reading is open; the rule is about posting and commenting.

Is it anonymous? Reddit accounts are pseudonymous, which is part of why people share candid experiences. Avoid details that identify your employer if you post.

Is it better than LinkedIn for career advice? It is usually more candid and less promotional, but less tailored to your local market.

Best for: mid-level and senior engineers making career decisions, and newer engineers who want to read how experienced peers think.