AI Engineer to
Management Track

Engineering Managers are responsible for team outcomes, not personal output. Daily work: 1:1s with reports, hiring and interviewing, performance reviews, project planning, cross-team coordination, removing blockers, representing team to leadership. You spend 50-80% of time in meetings. Your success is measured by team delivery, retention, and growth—not your personal technical contributions. You're accountable for what your team ships, not what you personally build.

As IC: your output is direct (code, designs, systems). As manager: your output is through others. ICs get satisfaction from building things; managers get satisfaction from helping others build things. Managers have less control over their time (meetings, interruptions). ICs can go deep; managers context-switch constantly. Managers deal with ambiguity and politics more. The transition often feels like starting over—your technical skills matter less than your people skills.

People skills: giving feedback, difficult conversations, understanding motivation, building trust. Communication: presenting to leadership, writing clearly, facilitating meetings. Organizational: prioritization, planning, cross-team coordination, navigating company politics. Technical: enough to evaluate work and earn respect, but not to do the work yourself. Emotional: handling ambiguity, stress, and being responsible for others' careers. Most engineers underestimate how different these skills are from IC work.

Entry-level EM (managing 3-6 people): $150K-$200K. Mid-level EM (7-12 people): $180K-$250K. Senior/Director (multiple teams): $220K-$350K. VP/Executive: $300K-$600K+. Comparison: At junior/mid levels, IC and management pay is similar. At senior levels, Staff+ IC can match or exceed EM pay. At executive levels, management typically pays more. Don't choose management for money—at most levels, the best ICs earn as much as managers.

Yes, but it's harder than people think. Your technical skills atrophy after 2-3 years in management. You may need to accept a lower IC level than you'd expect. Some companies have formal paths (Manager to Staff IC) but they're not always easy. The longer you're in management, the harder the return. If you're not sure, try being a Tech Lead first—leadership with continued technical work. Going back after 6-12 months is much easier than after 5 years.

While still IC: mentor junior engineers, lead projects, volunteer for hiring/interviewing, facilitate team meetings. Ask for feedback on leadership skills. Have honest conversations with your manager about management interest. Try tech lead role first if available—it combines leadership with IC work. When ready: apply for EM roles internally or externally. Internal transitions are easier because people know you. Expect to feel incompetent for the first 6-12 months—that's normal.

Minimum realistic: 4-5 years as an engineer, with at least 1-2 years at senior level. Sweet spot: 6-8 years including project leadership experience. Technical credibility matters—your team needs to trust your judgment. But don't wait too long—management skills are different and need time to develop. The best managers usually had strong IC careers but transitioned before becoming deeply specialized in a technical niche.

Building leadership skills as IC: 12-18 months of deliberate practice. Getting first management role: 3-12 months depending on opportunities. Becoming competent as new manager: 6-12 months of learning. Becoming good: 2-3 years of practice. The transition is a career change—expect it to feel hard. Most new managers feel imposter syndrome for the first year. If you're not enjoying it after 12-18 months, it might not be for you.

You become a member of the AI Native Engineer community, and you stay and keep going. Career transitions take different amounts of time for everyone, and I'm not going to abandon you if things take longer. You get ongoing support through good times and bad.

Online courses give you content. 1:1 coaching gives you a personalized roadmap, direct feedback on your work, career strategy, interview prep, and accountability. You get answers to your specific questions and guidance tailored to your unique situation instead of generic advice meant for everyone.

Investment details are discussed during the 30-minute strategy call, where we'll assess your goals and create a custom plan. The program is designed to pay for itself quickly through your increased salary. Most AI engineers see a 20-50% pay increase.

Absolutely. Most of my clients work full-time and make steady progress. We'll schedule calls at times that work for you and create a realistic plan that fits your schedule. Consistency matters more than intensity.