For software engineers, by one
The Compounding Engineer
Personal finance for engineers, and navigating life as one - written by a practicing tech lead.
Latest
How a Brag Doc Changed My Promo (and Comp) Outcome
I started as a contractor with no guaranteed role. A mentor's advice to track every task, every day, is the reason I didn't stay one.
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What a Promotion Packet Should Say That Most People Leave Out
The common failure modes in promotion packets, and what actually separates the ones that land from the ones that don't.
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The First 90 Days as a New Tech Lead: A 30/60/90 Checklist
A 30/60/90 checklist for the first 90 days as a new tech lead: what to observe, when to act, and the mistakes to avoid.
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When to Leave a Team You've Outgrown, Even If You Like Your Manager
A good manager isn't proof your career is still growing. Here's how to tell you've outgrown a team, and what staying anyway is quietly costing you.
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The Real Difference Between Senior and Staff
Titles don't map across companies, but the senior-to-staff shift does. A framework for the three things that actually change: scope, ambiguity, and influence.
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What Actually Changes When You Become a Tech Lead
What actually changes when you're promoted to tech lead, and what you (and everyone else) assume changes but doesn't.
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Why I Stopped Coding Everything Myself as a Tech Lead
Why I stopped writing every line of code myself as a tech lead: what stepping back actually cost, and gained, for the team.
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Job-Hopping vs. Staying: The Bigger Offer Isn't the Raise
A bigger offer isn't automatically a bigger raise. The multi-year math on job-hopping vs. staying, once you price in unvested equity and ramp-up risk.
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What "Good" Comp Actually Looks Like: A 5-Question Framework
Comp isn't one number. It's base, bonus, equity, benefits, and trajectory. A framework for reading any offer's real shape before you compare it.