Ask HN: Unconventional Role? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Unconventional Role?

9 pointsbeaker526 comments

I'm seeking direction and guidance. I'm between roles. I've been trying to carve out an unconventional role for myself, doing what I enjoy doing and what I'm best at. I'm seeking advice because I'm not sure what role best matches what I'm looking for.

I've come through software development. I juked the Management track and stayed on the IC track. Senior, Team Lead, Principal. But I don't want to strictly do software engineering anymore. I'd like to do systems engineering, or business engineering, or something.

I'd like to make the lives of customers and employees better, through making possible what was not possible before, or reducing burden.

I'd like to do that by helping businesses build systems _beyond just software_ that, having both internal and external effects. This could be having a hand in the product offering, business organisation and operation, commissioning software teams or shaping organisational culture. I'd also like to help coach the software engineering teams that build the software, because that's where I've come from.

I feel like I'm looking for something between a principal engineer, a product manager and an engineering director. I want to keep my boots on the ground, but help shape what is going on above.

I'm applying for principal engineer roles, however the companys I've interviewed for are looking for this role to be primarily focussed on moving tickets across a JIRA board, which isn't really what I'm shooting for. I want to help businesses and teams move the appropriate tickets across JIRA boards. I'm getting really great feedback, but they just aren't hiring for _that_ role.

Is there another role I could consider in my position?

Any and all advice is appreciated.

It sounds like you are on the right track - but because it is an unconventional role, you might just have to keep trying until you find the company who needs what you want. It also may be a patience game - if you identify companies you'd like to work with and they want to work with you, keep talking to them. If they do realize they need such a role in the future, you are already in their minds.

The other way to help speed that up is to go join one of the management consulting firms. A couple years doing that will build up your network to know who needs the help and teach you how they find and sell themselves into organizations. I suspect you won't love that work, but it is a valid stepping stone.

I’m currently in an internal solutions engineering role that checks most of your boxes. My day is spent working with business and software teams throughout the company; figuring out how to improve processes, bring new products to market, etc. I build out proofs of concept to show the software teams how to move forward on an idea and help the business teams visualize next steps. I also act as the engineering manager.

You have to be careful with that title. Most solutions engineering roles are client-facing. Client services isn’t really my cup of tea, but it may be for you.

> I'm applying for principal engineer roles, however the companys I've interviewed for are looking for this role to be primarily focussed on moving tickets across a JIRA board, which isn't really what I'm shooting for.

That isn't what a principal is for. Avoid that place like the plague.

Isn't principal just a "beyond-senior" title that companies give to people who have been seniors for a long time? Since these people have a lot of experience, they're sometimes involved in decision-making for teams beyond their own - but in the time between such duties, they move tickets across the board like everybody else.

It's not in my understanding and experience. But titles are just titles - each organisation puts their own interpretation on roles at all levels.

The teams I've encountered that I think get it right see that Principals strive to coach teams in software engineering practices, and support teams as they collaborate with each other in the wider organisation. If your org has them, Principals usually end up working closely with, and often pick up some of the responsibilities of Architects.

That's my experience at least.

In addition to what beaker52 said, principal means that you can take responsibility for a major section of functionality, basically unsupervised, and certainly not micromanaged. I don't see "jira tickets" intersecting with that at all.

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