Ask HN: How do you apply for a position one step up from your current position? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How do you apply for a position one step up from your current position?

So lets say you're an architect who wants to become an director of engineering, or a director who wants to become a VP of engineering or CTO, or a senior dev, who wants to become a lead?<p>How do you apply for and interview for such a job, especially if you haven't actually performed in that capacity before?

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1. This is much, much easier to do as an internal applicant than someone applying to a new position at a new company. It's far more likely that a company that knows and trusts you will take a risk promoting you to a new position than will a company that is meeting you for the first time.

2. Make it known WELL in advance (years in advance, if possible) exactly what job you're interested in, and don't be shy about it. If you want to be a director of engineering, say so. Ask you current manager what skills you'll need to build to reach that goal. Meet the other directors. Meet their bosses. Tell them you want to work for them. Ask how you'd go about doing it. Follow their advice. Everyone has career ambitions - it's ok to talk about them as long as you continue to kick butt and be humble in your current role.

3. There is a big difference between getting a job truly "above" and a job "diagonally" to where you currently are. Software engineer -> Senior engineer -> Architect. That's an upward progression of titles within a role. Moving from senior engineer to engineering manager is a diagonal move, and very different. An engineering manager isn't (necessarily) a more senior role than an architect, but it's a very different skill set. If you are trying to move to a role diagonal to yours, you'll have to build a different set of skills. Again, work with you current manager to figure out what you need to do, and be willing to spend "extra" time on projects that will prepare you for the alternative role.

More thoughts as they come to me :)

2.a. Concretely, if you make it known what you're interested in you are FAR MORE LIKELY to see that type of work come your way. You're an engineer interested in product management? Guess who your product manager is going to go to on the engineering team when she needs help? And if you are speaking at meetups regularly - guess which engineer the sales team is going to ask to present to a big client?

4. (potentially a little risky unless done right) Apply to related jobs internally. Even if you're a long shot, you'll express your intent and get the opportunity to meet the hiring managers for the job you're interested in (or create buzz among that tier of managers).

5. Never ever imply to your manager that you are after his job. If that's the job you really do want...get a new job and come at it sideways, or look for external positions.

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