Career Levels
What each level means, how to level up, and when to switch tracks.
TL;DR
- Levels = impact, not tenure - 5 years at IC1 doesn't make you IC2. Sustained next-level impact does.
- IC0-IC1: Execute - Ship reliably, learn fast, don't go dark
- IC2: Own - Given problems, design solutions, work across teams
- IC3: Lead - Drive business outcomes, lead cross-functional work, multiply others
- IC4: Set direction - Shape strategy for domains, influence org-wide
- M1-M3: Deliver through people - Your success = their success
- Management is a role change, not a promotion - IC4 ≈ M2 in seniority
- To level up: Operate at next level for 2-3 quarters, then get recognized
Quick Reference
| Level | Title (Eng) | Title (PM) | Core Question | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IC0 | Intern | Associate PM | Can you learn and execute tasks? | Given tasks with guidance |
| IC1 | Junior Engineer | Product Manager | Can you ship reliably? | Given problems with suggested solutions |
| IC2 | Associate Engineer | Senior PM | Can you own problems end-to-end? | Given problems, design solutions |
| IC3 | Senior Engineer | Lead PM | Can you drive business impact? | Given goals, find and solve problems |
| IC4 | Lead Engineer | Principal PM | Can you set direction? | Given a space, shape strategy |
| M1 | Engineering Manager | PM Manager | Can you grow a team of 3-5? | Deliver through people |
| M2 | Senior Eng Manager | Senior PM Manager | Can you scale a team of 10-15? | Build org structure |
| M3 | Director | Director | Can you own a product area? | Drive business outcomes at scale |
What Each Level Looks Like
IC0: Learning
You're here if: You need guidance to execute. You're learning the craft.
| What you do | What success looks like |
|---|---|
| Execute tasks with clear instructions | Work gets approved in 2-3 revision rounds |
| Ask questions when stuck (not after 4 hours) | You're faster and more independent each week |
| Learn something new every week | Seniors spend less time reviewing your work |
Eng: Add form validation using this library, following this pattern. PM: Write user stories for login flow using this template.
IC1: Execution
You're here if: You ship reliably. You understand quality. You still need guidance on approach.
| What you do | What success looks like |
|---|---|
| Ship features independently within your domain | What you ship doesn't break or need redoing |
| Follow team standards and best practices | Team trusts you to execute without daily check-ins |
| Own your work in production | Complete commitments consistently |
Eng: Build login flow using OAuth. Handle edge cases. Write tests. PM: Ship onboarding improvements that increase activation from 30% to 40%.
IC2: Ownership
You're here if: You own problems end-to-end. You design solutions, not just execute them.
| What you do | What success looks like |
|---|---|
| Design solutions, not just execute them | People come to you with problems, not tasks |
| Work across teams (eng, design, PM, stakeholders) | Your projects move metrics |
| Think 1-2 quarters ahead | Good decisions that don't come back to bite you |
| Mentor junior team members | Juniors you mentor level up faster |
Eng: Design checkout system that handles multi-currency, edge cases, and 10K TPS. Zero P0 bugs for 4 weeks. PM: Own onboarding area end-to-end. Drive 7-day retention from 40% to 50%.
IC3: Leadership
You're here if: You drive business impact. You lead initiatives. You multiply others.
| What you do | What success looks like |
|---|---|
| Drive outcomes, not just output | Projects you lead impact company OKRs |
| Lead cross-functional initiatives | You unblock others more than you get blocked |
| Influence roadmap and strategy | People seek your input on hard problems |
| Grow other people through mentorship | ICs you mentor get promoted |
Eng: Lead API redesign that reduces latency from 800ms to 200ms p95. Mentor 2 ICs to independence. PM: Ship checkout redesign worth $2M ARR. Define product roadmap for next 2 quarters.
IC4: Strategy
You're here if: You set direction. You shape strategy. You multiply force across the org.
| What you do | What success looks like |
|---|---|
| Set technical/product strategy for domains | Your decisions impact multiple teams |
| Influence org-wide decisions | You shape what the company builds for 1-2 years |
| Drive transformational initiatives | Other ICs across the org learn from you |
| Develop leaders, not just contributors | You make 10+ people more effective |
Eng: Own authentication strategy across all products. Reduce auth-related incidents from 12/quarter to 0. PM: Define marketplace strategy for next 18 months. Influence $10M+ in revenue decisions.
M1: Team Leadership
You're here if: You manage 3-5 people. Your success = their success.
| What you do | What success looks like |
|---|---|
| Grow individual contributors | 1-2 people level up each year |
| Deliver outcomes through your team | Team ships consistently and reliably |
| Run 1:1s, goal setting, performance reviews | Team morale is high (retention + feedback) |
| Hire 1-2 people per year | You unblock faster than they get blocked |
Eng: Manage 5 engineers. Ship payments v2. Level up 2 ICs from IC1 to IC2. PM: Manage 4 PMs. Ship marketplace features worth $5M ARR.
M2: Org Building
You're here if: You manage 10-15 people (multiple teams or managers). You build orgs.
| What you do | What success looks like |
|---|---|
| Manage managers or multiple teams | Teams execute without constant oversight |
| Build talent pipeline | People want to join your org |
| Standardize how teams work | Org ships bigger impact than when you started |
| Set direction for your org area | Other managers learn from your processes |
Eng: Run 2 teams (12 engineers). Ship annual roadmap across 2 product areas. PM: Manage 10 PMs across payments + marketplace. Drive $10M ARR growth.
M3: Executive Leadership
You're here if: You own a major function. You manage 20-40 people. You set strategy.
| What you do | What success looks like |
|---|---|
| Own business outcomes for your area | Your org delivers outsized business impact |
| Partner with exec team on strategy | Exec/board trusts your judgment |
| Build high-performing orgs at scale | Managers under you are thriving |
| Drive 2-3 year vision | People want to work in your org |
Eng: Director of Engineering. Own platform + infrastructure, 30 engineers. PM: Director of Product. Own product portfolio. Drive company growth.
IC vs Manager Track
Management is a role change, not a promotion. IC track goes just as high.
| IC Level | Manager Equivalent | Seniority |
|---|---|---|
| IC2 | ~ Entry Manager | Mid-level |
| IC3 | ~ M1 | Senior |
| IC4 | ~ M2 | Lead / Strategic |
| Staff/Principal | ~ M3 | Executive |
Common switches:
- IC3 → M1: You want to grow people, not just ship code/product
- M1 → IC3: You miss the craft and want to go deep again
- IC4 → M2: You want to scale through org-building
How to decide:
| Choose IC if... | Choose Manager if... |
|---|---|
| You get energy from solving hard problems | You get energy from watching others grow |
| You want depth in your domain | You want breadth across teams |
| Your best days involve building | Your best days involve unblocking |
| You want to influence through work | You want to influence through people |
How to Level Up
Step 1: Know Where You Are
Read the level descriptions. Be honest about where you consistently operate — not your best day.
| If you're wondering... | You're probably... |
|---|---|
| "Am I IC1 or IC2?" | IC1. IC2s don't ask — they're already owning problems. |
| "Am I IC2 or IC3?" | IC2. IC3s have business impact they can point to. |
| "Am I IC3 or IC4?" | IC3. IC4s are shaping strategy others follow. |
Step 2: Identify 2-3 Gaps
Compare your current level to the next. Find the biggest gaps.
| Transition | Common gaps |
|---|---|
| IC1 → IC2 | Designing solutions (not just executing), working across teams, thinking in quarters |
| IC2 → IC3 | Driving business outcomes (not just shipping), leading cross-functional work, mentoring |
| IC3 → IC4 | Setting strategy (not just leading projects), org-wide influence, developing leaders |
| IC → M1 | Coaching (not just doing), hiring, running effective 1:1s and reviews |
Step 3: Set Quarterly Goals
Use the Quarterly 1:1 to set goals that bridge the gap. Focus on next-level behaviors, not current-level excellence.
| Bad goal (current-level) | Good goal (next-level) |
|---|---|
| "Ship 5 features" (IC1 doing IC1 work) | "Own checkout redesign end-to-end, 0 P0 bugs" (IC1 → IC2) |
| "Reduce latency to 200ms" (IC2 doing IC2 work) | "Lead API redesign across 3 teams, mentor 2 ICs" (IC2 → IC3) |
| "Lead the migration project" (IC3 doing IC3 work) | "Define auth strategy for all products, get org buy-in" (IC3 → IC4) |
Step 4: Sustain for 2-3 Quarters
Promotions recognize sustained performance at the next level. Not one good quarter. Not potential.
The cycle:
- Operate at next level consistently
- Track evidence in your Win Log
- Get feedback from manager and peers
- Promotion happens when the pattern is undeniable
Core Dimensions
How we evaluate across all levels:
Problem Scope
| Level | What you're given | What you figure out |
|---|---|---|
| IC0 | Exact tasks ("Do this") | How to execute |
| IC1 | Problems with solutions ("Build X using Y") | How to ship reliably |
| IC2 | Problems ("Solve this") | The solution |
| IC3 | Goals ("Move this metric") | Which problems to solve |
| IC4 | Domains ("Own this area") | Which goals matter |
| M1-M3 | Business outcomes | How to deliver through people |
Collaboration
| Level | Who you work with |
|---|---|
| IC0 | Mentor + immediate team |
| IC1 | Immediate team independently |
| IC2 | Across teams (eng, design, PM) |
| IC3 | Cross-functional initiatives, stakeholders |
| IC4 | Org-wide, leadership partnerships |
| M1 | Through 3-5 direct reports |
| M2 | Through managers, cross-org |
| M3 | Exec team, representing your function |
Mentorship
| Level | What you do |
|---|---|
| IC0 | Receive mentorship |
| IC1 | Help onboard interns |
| IC2 | Mentor juniors regularly |
| IC3 | Develop ICs, help people level up |
| IC4 | Grow leaders across org |
| M1 | Grow 3-5 ICs |
| M2 | Develop managers + ICs at scale |
| M3 | Build leadership bench |
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| "I've been here 2 years, I deserve a promotion" | Time doesn't earn promotions. Sustained next-level impact does. |
| "I do senior work sometimes" | You need to operate consistently at the next level for 2-3 quarters. |
| "Promote me, then I'll do next-level work" | Promotions recognize sustained performance, not potential. |
| "Management is the only way up" | IC track goes to IC4 (≈ M2). Pick the track that fits your energy. |
| "I'll get promoted by being great at my current level" | You level up by demonstrating next-level impact. Being excellent at IC2 work makes you a great IC2, not an IC3. |
| Setting goals at current level | "Ship 5 features" (IC1 work) → "Own checkout end-to-end, drive metric" (IC2 work) |
| Building social capital only with your manager | Your manager might leave. Build trust across 10+ people on 3+ teams. |
Related:
- Competency Matrix - Score engineers across 20 skills to determine level
- Social Capital - Trust, credibility, and relationships that let you influence without authority
- Goal Setting - Set stretch goals that unlock capabilities
- Quarterly 1:1 - Where your goals and win log live
- Performance Reviews - The full quarterly + annual cycle