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# Creating Clear Career Ladders That Increase Retention

You are an Engineering Director or VP creating a career ladder framework that drives high eNPS by giving engineers clear growth paths and reducing turnover.

## Current State

### Existing Career Framework
- [ ] Do we have a career ladder? (Yes/No/Partial)
- [ ] Is it documented? (Yes/No)
- [ ] Is it transparent? (Yes/No)
- [ ] How is it used? (Promotions, Reviews, Hiring)

### Pain Points
[List common issues]
1. [Issue 1] - e.g., "Engineers don't know how to get promoted"
2. [Issue 2] - e.g., "Unclear expectations between levels"
3. [Issue 3] - e.g., "High turnover due to lack of growth"

### Retention Context
- **Current Turnover Rate**: [X]%
- **Average Tenure**: [X] years/months
- **Promotion Rate**: [X]% per year
- **Top Turnover Reasons**: [From exit interviews]

## Career Ladder Design Principles

### 1. Transparency
- Publicly available documentation
- Clear expectations at each level
- Understandable progression criteria
- Regular updates and communication

### 2. Fairness
- Objective, measurable criteria
- Consistent application across teams
- No favoritism
- Clear appeals process

### 3. Flexibility
- Multiple paths (IC vs Manager)
- Individual contributor growth
- Technical specialization tracks
- Lateral moves encouraged

### 4. Growth-Oriented
- Focus on capability, not just output
- Continuous development
- Learning opportunities
- Stretch assignments

## Career Ladder Structure

### IC Track (Individual Contributor)

#### L1: Junior Engineer
**Expectations:**
- [ ] Learns from senior engineers
- [ ] Completes well-defined tasks
- [ ] Follows coding standards
- [ ] Asks questions proactively

**Key Behaviors:**
- [ ] Receptive to feedback
- [ ] Self-directed learning
- [ ] Basic technical skills
- [ ] Good communication

**Promotion Criteria:**
- [ ] Can work independently on standard tasks
- [ ] Demonstrates growth in technical skills
- [ ] Consistently delivers quality work
- [ ] [Other criteria]

#### L2: Mid-Level Engineer
**Expectations:**
- [ ] Works independently on complex tasks
- [ ] Contributes to technical decisions
- [ ] Mentors junior engineers
- [ ] Improves team processes

**Key Behaviors:**
- [ ] Takes ownership of features
- [ ] Proactive problem-solving
- [ ] Collaborative with team
- [ ] Technical depth in one area

**Promotion Criteria:**
- [ ] Can lead small features end-to-end
- [ ] Mentors junior engineers effectively
- [ ] Contributes to architecture decisions
- [ ] [Other criteria]

#### L3: Senior Engineer
**Expectations:**
- [ ] Leads technical initiatives
- [ ] Designs scalable systems
- [ ] Mentors multiple engineers
- [ ] Influences team direction

**Key Behaviors:**
- [ ] Strong technical leadership
- [ ] Cross-functional collaboration
- [ ] Long-term thinking
- [ ] Raises team's technical bar

**Promotion Criteria:**
- [ ] Consistently delivers high-impact work
- [ ] Strong technical judgment
- [ ] Effective mentorship
- [ ] [Other criteria]

#### L4: Staff Engineer
**Expectations:**
- [ ] Drives technical strategy
- [ ] Works across multiple teams
- [ ] Influences organization-wide initiatives
- [ ] Mentors across teams

**Key Behaviors:**
- [ ] Systems thinking
- [ ] Strategic technical vision
- [ ] Strong influence skills
- [ ] Technical expertise recognized widely

**Promotion Criteria:**
- [ ] Leads organization-wide initiatives
- [ ] Strong technical impact across teams
- [ ] Recognized technical leader
- [ ] [Other criteria]

#### L5: Principal Engineer
**Expectations:**
- [ ] Sets technical direction for organization
- [ ] Drives major technical decisions
- [ ] Mentors senior engineers
- [ ] Represents company externally

**Key Behaviors:**
- [ ] Visionary technical leadership
- [ ] Industry recognition
- [ ] Thought leadership
- [ ] Strategic impact

### Manager Track

#### M1: Engineering Manager
**Expectations:**
- [ ] Manages 3-8 engineers
- [ ] People management and development
- [ ] Technical oversight
- [ ] Team process improvement

**Key Behaviors:**
- [ ] Effective 1-on-1s
- [ ] Career development support
- [ ] Technical judgment
- [ ] Team building

**Promotion Criteria:**
- [ ] Strong team performance
- [ ] Effective people management
- [ ] Team retention and growth
- [ ] [Other criteria]

#### M2: Senior Engineering Manager
**Expectations:**
- [ ] Manages multiple teams
- [ ] Cross-team coordination
- [ ] Strategic planning
- [ ] Developing other managers

**Key Behaviors:**
- [ ] Multi-team leadership
- [ ] Strategic thinking
- [ ] Manager development
- [ ] Organizational impact

#### M3: Director of Engineering
**Expectations:**
- [ ] Manages organization of teams
- [ ] Sets technical strategy
- [ ] Builds scalable organizations
- [ ] Executive communication

**Key Behaviors:**
- [ ] Organizational leadership
- [ ] Strategic vision
- [ ] People development at scale
- [ ] Business alignment

## Career Ladder Implementation

### Documentation
- [ ] Create public career ladder document
- [ ] Define expectations for each level
- [ ] Include examples and behaviors
- [ ] Make it searchable and accessible

### Communication
- [ ] Announce career ladder launch
- [ ] Train managers on usage
- [ ] Share in onboarding
- [ ] Regular refreshers

### Integration
- [ ] Link to performance reviews
- [ ] Use in promotion processes
- [ ] Incorporate into hiring
- [ ] Guide career conversations

## Supporting Initiatives

### Career Development
- [ ] Career development plans
- [ ] Regular career conversations
- [ ] Growth opportunities
- [ ] Stretch assignments

### Mentorship
- [ ] Mentorship programs
- [ ] Cross-team mentoring
- [ ] Manager mentorship
- [ ] External mentors

### Learning & Development
- [ ] Learning budgets
- [ ] Conference attendance
- [ ] Internal training
- [ ] Technical talks

### Internal Mobility
- [ ] Transfer processes
- [ ] Internal job postings
- [ ] Cross-functional opportunities
- [ ] Rotation programs

## Measurement & Success

### Metrics
- **Retention Rate**: Target [X]%
- **Promotion Rate**: Target [X]% per year
- **Time to Promotion**: Average [X] months
- **Career Ladder Clarity**: Survey score >4/5

### Regular Review
- **Frequency**: Annual review of ladder
- **Updates**: Based on feedback and market
- **Communication**: Share changes transparently

## Success Criteria

A successful career ladder should result in:
- **Higher Retention**: Lower turnover rates
- **Clearer Growth Paths**: Engineers understand how to advance
- **Fair Promotions**: Consistent, objective promotion process
- **Higher eNPS**: Engineers see growth opportunities
- **Better Hiring**: Clear level expectations help hiring

## Notes
- Start simple, iterate based on feedback
- Involve the team in creating the ladder
- Keep it practical, not theoretical
- Update regularly based on market and company needs
- Make it accessible and easy to understand
Creating Clear Career Ladders That Increase Retention | A Proven AI Prompt for management for engineering directors | Engify.ai
Creating Clear Career Ladders That Increase Retention

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