Stage 8 · Lesson 2 of 7
Reading your career ladder
Many companies publish a . It describes what is expected at each level, such as junior, mid and senior, in areas like delivery, code quality, communication and ownership. Find yours.
If there is none, ask your manager how levels are judged. Read the description of your level and the next one. Mark where you already have evidence and where you do not.
Use the gaps to choose goals and to ask for work that builds evidence. Titles and levels differ between companies, so always use your company's own definitions.
Common trapguessing what "mid-level" means from the internet and working toward a bar your company does not use.
A question to check yourself, an AI practice session and 1 cheat sheet entry come when you add the roadmap to your account. Add it
Resources for this stage
Start with· follow one of these
- GitHub repoFreePath to Senior Engineer Handbook
Jordan Cutler · Intermediate
A free, practical guide to growing from junior through mid-level, with the habits reviewers look for
- BookPaidThe Software Engineer's Guidebook
Gergely Orosz · Intermediate · About $30 to $40 depending on format
Gergely Orosz on the early career years: reviews, promotions, pay and switching jobs
Keep handy
Also worth your time
- Soft Skills EngineeringGo deeper
A free podcast answering listener questions about exactly these first-job dilemmas