Promotion Expectation Examples (Good vs. Bad)

In this lesson, we show how vague career frameworks aren’t enough for real growth—and how transforming generic expectations into detailed, personalized criteria creates clarity, direction, and stronger promotion outcomes.

- We explain that most companies’ career matrices are extremely generic (“have broad influence in code review”), making them nearly useless for understanding what to *actually* do to reach the next level.
- We demonstrate how to replace vague statements with concrete, customized expectations that clearly outline the **delta** between current level and next level.
- We give an example from Meta: mid-level engineers (E4) typically review code only in their domain, while senior engineers (E5) are expected to review code across unfamiliar modules, broader systems, and even sister teams—showing multiplicative impact.
- We highlight that this level of specificity makes it far easier for us to understand, track, and execute on what “the next level” actually requires.
- We emphasize that crafting a detailed plan also has a perception benefit: it signals seriousness, ownership, and thoughtfulness—making managers more likely to advocate for our promotion.

Create A Promotion Plan

In this lesson, we explain why creating a written promotion plan is essential and how treating it like a living contract dramatically increases our chances of moving up, even though perfection or guarantees don’t exist.

- We emphasize getting everything in writing: building a promotion plan that outlines exactly what “performing at the next level” looks like, so expectations are clear and aligned.
- We note that even with a solid plan, promotions can fall through due to org politics or director-level decisions—but having a plan still increases success odds by 10x compared to “just doing good work and hoping.”
- We highlight the need to maintain the plan monthly, updating it as org priorities, reorgs, or company conditions shift—especially crucial at senior or staff levels where project selection matters.
- We explain the importance of defining the delta between your current level and the next—clarifying what skills, behaviors, or scope need to improve.
- We recommend structuring the plan around the company’s evaluation axes (e.g., engineering excellence, direction, project impact, people) to clearly identify which “stats” need leveling up.

Promotion Dialog Examples

In this lesson, we examine how *not* to ask for a promotion, then show how to reframe the conversation in a way that aligns incentives, builds trust, and opens up productive dialogue with our EM.

- We highlight that asking “Can I get promoted?” is a poor approach because it’s self-focused, lacks evidence, feels transactional, and corners the manager into a yes/no response.
- We break down why this framing fails: it signals entitlement, doesn’t show impact, ignores team goals, and provides no data or context for advocacy.
- We offer a better alternative: expressing commitment to the team, desire to increase impact, and asking what steps are needed to reach the next level—an open-ended, collaborative question.
- We explain that managers value signals of long-term commitment and team-oriented motivation, not demands based on tenure or frustration.
- We reinforce that smart framing aligns our goals with the manager’s incentives: helping us grow increases team impact, which helps them succeed too.

Framing The Dialog

We cover how promotions actually work, why they’re not guaranteed even if we’re performing well, and how to talk about them with our EM in a way that aligns incentives and builds trust.

- We explain that promotions require **both** performing at the next level **and** an organizational need for someone at that level—otherwise even great performers can’t move up.
- We note that promotion discussions require trust; bringing up promotions too early (e.g., in week one) backfires because the manager doesn’t yet know our work or commitment to the team.
- We warn that reorgs can derail promotion momentum when a new manager must advocate for us without shared history; coordinating between old and new managers helps mitigate this.
- We highlight that promotions are meant to signal that we already operate with higher scope, independence, and cross-org trust—not something to wish into existence.
- We emphasize framing promotion goals in terms of **increasing team impact** rather than title or compensation, since managers (especially in tight-budget environments) prioritize engineers who help them deliver more impact, not those who simply want advancement.

Be Upfront About Your Goals

In this lesson, we emphasize the importance of sharing our performance goals openly with our EM so they can effectively advocate for us during performance reviews, which are human-driven, subjective, and highly dependent on manager alignment.

- We highlight that performance ratings are not generated by an objective system (i.e. they’re decided by people), so managers need clear insight into what rating we’re aiming for to advocate properly.
- We stress that “no negative feedback” does *not* mean we’re on track for a good rating or promotion; assuming this is one of the most common and costly mistakes ICs make.
- We reinforce that 1:1s are the central place to share our target rating or promotion timeline, whether we’re aiming for “meets,” “exceeds,” or a promotion, so we can then build a plan with our EM.
- We note that even if our goal is simply to maintain solid performance (e.g., a 3/5), we should still say so explicitly to avoid slipping into a low rating unexpectedly.
- We share a story illustrating how unchecked assumptions about performance can lead to disappointment—and how early, honest conversations could provide clarity and opportunities to improve.

Your Rating Should Never Be A Surprise

In this lesson, we explain why your performance rating should *never* be a negative surprise and how maintaining transparent, ongoing conversations with your EM prevents career-derailing outcomes.

- We emphasize that if you expect “meets” and end up on a PIP, something has gone catastrophically wrong—and it’s almost always preventable through proactive communication.
- We recommend regularly asking for a *hypothetical rating* (“If you had to rate me today, what would it be?”) while explicitly acknowledging it’s not a guarantee—this makes managers comfortable giving candid signals.
- We highlight that good managers are usually 80–90% accurate with these hypothetical ratings, giving you strong insight into where you truly stand.
- We note that engineers who avoid this conversation out of discomfort effectively “walk themselves off a cliff” by choosing to stay in the dark.
- We reinforce that building trust through vulnerability, consistency, and strong 1:1 habits unlocks your manager’s willingness to give honest performance signals—ensuring you’re never blindsided.

Having The Meeting

In this lesson, we walk through exactly how to run a high-impact 1:1 with our EM by using the time intentionally to build trust, surface wins, work through challenges, and create momentum through clear action items.

- We start each meeting with 2–5 minutes of personal check-in to strengthen rapport, since life and work affect each other deeply.
- We share weekly wins to stay visible and ensure our contributions are recognized—while also making future performance review writing much easier.
- We move through our pre-seeded agenda topics (e.g., promotion planning, feedback digestion, team conflicts), which flow smoothly because we prepared them ahead of time.
- We close with clear action items for both sides—then begin the next week’s 1:1 by reviewing whether the previous actions were completed.
- We reinforce that framing wins with a “so what?” (impact or next step) and writing notes live during the meeting both strengthen trust and make the manager feel valued.

Before The Meeting

In this lesson, we dig into how to prepare for 1:1s so they’re consistently high-value and how thoughtful prep not only improves the conversation but also prevents cancellations and protects our time.

- We advise seeding the 1:1 agenda at least 24 hours in advance so our EM can “pre-compute”—arriving prepared instead of reacting on the spot to complex issues.
- We recommend prioritizing agenda items, putting critical topics first in case time runs short, and leaving lower-priority items for follow-up on Slack if needed.
- We highlight that surprising a manager with heavy topics during the meeting leads to wasted time and weaker guidance, whereas advance notice empowers them to think deeply and respond effectively.
- We explain that sending a thoughtful agenda also makes it harder for the manager to cancel or move the meeting, since it clearly shows we’ve invested effort and have meaningful topics ready.
- We reinforce that consistent preparation creates smoother, more productive discussions and helps us extract maximum value from the limited 30 minutes we have each week.

The Basics

In this lesson, we outline how to structure manager 1:1s so they become one of the most powerful tools for growth, clarity, and alignment in the IC–EM relationship.

- We highlight that the gold standard for 1:1s is weekly, recurring, and 30 minutes long, which is long enough for meaningful depth but manageable on a manager’s packed calendar.
- We stress that cancellations should be rare because these meetings are the “lifeblood” of the relationship and the primary space where trust, alignment, and problem-solving happen.
- We recommend keeping a running meeting notes document with agendas, discussion points, and assigned action items to ensure continuity and accountability.
- We emphasize that although 1:1s take only \~1–2% of our weekly hours, they influence 30–70% of how quickly we grow and how effectively we leverage our EM.
- We reinforce that strong engineers prepare intentionally for these meetings—coming with notes, plans, and reflection—rather than waiting passively for their manager to drive the conversation.

Feedback Is A Gift. Seriously

In this lesson, we explore how feedback, especially how we *receive* it, is one of the most important levers for building trust with our engineering manager and accelerating our career growth.

- We highlight that managers are the primary (and often only) source of meaningful feedback, since peers rarely want the discomfort or risk of giving constructive criticism.
- We emphasize that when we first receive feedback, our job is to say **thank you**, avoid defensiveness, and take time to reflect—even if we disagree or feel misunderstood.
- We explain that most feedback contains at least a kernel of truth, and our responsibility is to identify what’s useful and implement changes quickly, then follow up later to show progress.
- We warn that pushing back defensively can permanently shut down future feedback, leaving us “rudderless” with no insight into what to improve.
- We share that the fastest-growing engineers treat feedback as a superpower: they assume good intent, absorb nuance, implement rapidly, and create a virtuous cycle where their manager is eager to invest even more in their growth.

Be Vulnerable

In this lesson, we highlight the importance of vulnerability in building a strong, supportive relationship with an engineering manager—because they can only help us if they understand what we’re going through.

- We stress that EMs can’t read minds; if we’re struggling, whether with a teammate, a project, or something personal, we should tell them so they can protect our well-being at work.
- We explain that good managers act like part-time therapists, and sharing when things are rough allows them to adjust workload, mediate conflicts, or at least offer support.
- We note that vulnerability builds trust, just like in friendships outside of work, and that trust significantly improves how effectively we collaborate.
- We clarify that we shouldn’t overshare, but we also shouldn’t hide everything—sharing selectively helps EMs understand who we are and how to help.
- We reinforce that showing vulnerability increases the “trust meter,” strengthens the partnership, and ultimately unlocks more powerful support from our EM.

Partner, Not A Boss

In this lesson, we talk about shifting the mindset from seeing an engineering manager as an authority figure to treating them as a partner whose incentives align closely with ours, unlocking far more growth and support.

- We emphasize that while EMs have real power (performance reviews, promotions, PIPs), relating to them through fear undermines trust, collaboration, and growth.
- We highlight that both we and our EM share the same fundamental goal: maximizing our impact, because our increased impact directly elevates their team impact.
- We explain that when we grow, deliver more, and navigate the org effectively, our manager looks better—so supporting our development is in their best interest.
- We encourage adopting a peer-like, partnership mentality rather than a hierarchical one, which creates more openness, trust, and meaningful dialogue.
- We reinforce the idea that adding value to our manager—through communication, initiative, and impact—encourages them to reciprocate with resources, advocacy, and opportunities.

Be Very Visible

In this lesson, we focus on the importance of visibility in the IC–manager relationship by making sure our EM always knows what we’re doing, where we’re succeeding, and where we need help.

- We emphasize assuming our EM has *no idea* what we’re working on; their schedule is chaotic, especially for high-performing managers, so visibility must come from us.
- We recommend over-communicating: CCing them on major updates, posting milestones publicly, and adding them as optional attendees to key meetings so they can see our impact firsthand.
- We note that joining high-stakes meetings (like SEV investigations) gives managers direct visibility into our leadership, problem-solving, and alignment skills.
- We highlight that 1:1s are the most valuable channel for surfacing wins, blockers, and complex problems that require “manager API powers.”
- We reinforce that visibility builds organizational reputation and that one of the traits managers value most is strong communication, where bad news early is fine, but surprising bad news is not.

Have A Conversation About Conversation

In this lesson, we explore how to set up a healthy, effective relationship with an engineering manager by having a “meta” conversation early—one that focuses not on tasks, but on how we want to work together.

- We introduce the idea of a personal “README file,” where we proactively explain our background, working style, motivations, and concerns so our EM understands how to support us.
- We emphasize sharing what energizes us and what drains us, giving our manager the context they need to advocate for us and assign work that helps us thrive.
- We suggest regularly reflecting on what’s going well and what isn’t—using 1:1s not just for status updates, but for deeper calibration on collaboration.
- We call out the importance of explicitly discussing how we prefer to receive (and give) feedback, whether direct and verbal or written and reflective.
- We highlight that starting the relationship with these meta conversations sets the foundation for a smoother, more aligned partnership with our EM.

The Onus Is On You

In this lesson, we focus on how to approach the engineering manager (EM) relationship effectively, emphasizing that our success depends heavily on how we engage, not on our manager doing everything for us.

- We stress that the responsibility for our career growth lies with us, not with our EM; they’re busy, context-switching across many reports, and can’t automatically know our needs or struggles.
- We explain that EMs need clear direction from us—without input, they can’t create opportunities, remove blockers, or advocate on our behalf.
- We compare managers to an API: they won’t initiate action on their own, but when we “call” them with the right inputs, they can be incredibly valuable resources.
- We reinforce that good managers will support us deeply if we engage correctly, but it’s our job to plug in and guide that support.
- We highlight that initiative is one of the most appreciated traits: EMs love working with engineers who proactively identify problems, propose ideas, and seek impact without needing to be pulled along.

Engineering Managers Day-To-Day

In this lesson, we break down what an engineering manager’s day-to-day really looks like—why their calendars are packed with meetings, how they handle technical planning, and why the emotional side of the role is often underestimated.

- We highlight that EM calendars are dominated by 1:1s, alignment discussions, and cross-team negotiations, much of which shields us from logistical or resourcing debates.
- We explain that managers need enough technical depth to estimate project scope, evaluate dependencies, and participate meaningfully in planning without writing code themselves.
- We note that much of the real work happens outside meetings—reviewing docs, giving feedback, writing updates, and communicating progress upward to directors and VPs.
- We emphasize that people management is a huge portion of the job: coordinating collaboration, following up for junior engineers, resolving interpersonal issues, and handling performance challenges.
- We discuss the emotional burden managers carry handling compensation, performance ratings, personal struggles, and burnout and how this makes them part-time therapists as well as leaders.

How Engineering Managers Are Evaluated

In this lesson, we walk through how managers are evaluated, what “meeting” versus “exceeding” expectations looks like, and how we as ICs can help them succeed, which in turn helps us.

- We emphasize that a manager’s core responsibility is delivering team impact—not promotions, not firing—so our goal is to help them maximize that impact.
- We learn that strong managers are influential: they build relationships, earn trust, and can meaningfully sway decisions both across and above the team.
- We outline “managing down,” which includes recruiting top engineers, retaining high performers, setting priorities, enabling growth, and dealing directly with low performers through feedback, PIPs, or transitions.
- We highlight the importance of retention as a key evaluation metric—if everyone wants to leave a manager’s team, leadership sees that as a failure.
- We explore “managing up,” where managers frequently provide updates to directors/VPs, take ownership of escalations, and proactively communicate timelines, issues, and product health to leadership.

Engineering Manager Responsibilities

In this lesson, we talk about understanding incentives, especially your manager’s, as a key to navigating your career and collaborating effectively. By assuming people act in their own self-interest, we better understand how managers operate and how to work with them.

- We frame a “model of the world” where we assume people act selfishly, helping us predict behavior and align with our manager’s incentives.
- We note that understanding how an engineering manager is evaluated allows us to help them look good—and in doing so, we benefit too.
- We highlight that the EM role is challenging: they’re responsible for the team’s impact without writing code themselves, focusing instead on empowering and unblocking engineers.
- We clarify that growing engineers is only part of the role—EMs also handle hiring, firing, and performance reviews; sometimes their job is not to help us grow but to manage us out if needed.
- We describe additional responsibilities like removing cross-team blockers, resolving interpersonal issues, and creating team “synergy,” which includes a wide range of people- and process-related challenges.

What Is An Engineering Manager?

In this lesson, we explore what an Engineering Manager (EM) is, what they do, and how understanding their incentives helps us collaborate more effectively.

- We learn that an EM is a leadership role supporting engineers, typically managing 8–12 reports, though team sizes can vary widely.
- We understand that the EM’s primary goal is ensuring the team consistently delivers meaningful impact.
- We recognize that knowing an EM’s core incentives helps us work with them more effectively and collaborate better overall.
- We review the two major career tracks in tech: the IC (individual contributor) track and the M (management) track, which begins with the EM role.
- We note that the EM is the first layer of management, with roles like Director, VP, and CTO above them, and that most of us will report to an EM unless we reach very senior IC levels (e.g., L8/L9).

Tailoring Your Answers

If you want direct interview support from Alex and Uzair, take their live Maven course with discount code **TARO10**: <https://maven.com/alex-kliotzkin/acing-em-interviews>

To deliver unforgettable interview answers, we need to learn how to tailor our responses to match the company, the role, and the specific audience we’re speaking to. This session explains how to adapt our stories based on context, organization type, and our own leadership philosophy—even when we haven’t faced a specific scenario before.

- **Tailor Stories to the Team and Business**
  - We must deeply understand the hiring team and the company’s business context to highlight the most relevant parts of our story.
  - Even small adjustments—altering 10% of a story—can have a big impact in aligning with the company’s values and needs.
- **Adapt Answers Based on Company Type**
  - For example, when answering a question about influencing stakeholders, we need to highlight different dynamics depending on whether it’s a startup (external stakeholders like customers or investors) or a big org (internal cross-functional teams).
  - Similarly, questions about balancing delivery vs. quality should be approached differently for consulting roles (focus on fast delivery and milestones) vs. product roles (focus on long-term impact, maintainability, and operational excellence).
- **Responding to Questions You Haven’t Faced Before**
  - If we haven’t directly experienced a situation (e.g., managing underperformers or doing capacity planning), we should draw on adjacent stories and clearly articulate our leadership philosophy and approach.
  - It’s helpful to describe what we’d do in the first 90 days on the job—such as building a plan or upskilling—and how that reflects our values and learning mindset.
- **Use Leadership Philosophy as a Guide**
  - Our answers should reflect consistent values, such as building high-performing teams, holding people accountable, and prioritizing quality.
  - Even without a direct experience, framing our response through this philosophy helps convey credibility, ownership, and potential.

Tech Career Growth Videos

Our instructional videos provide software engineers with insights needed for career growth. Masterclasses go incredibly in-depth on a specific tech topic while case studies are real examples from established engineering leaders.