Expectations

Being a senior software engineer is like being the Gandalf of the coding realm. You're not just expected to know your way around a keyboard; you're the wise wizard guiding a fellowship of developers through the treacherous lands of bugs and syntax errors.

It's not enough to speak fluent code; you need the charisma to convince the non-tech-savvy that your magical spells (or algorithms) are the key to saving the day. And let's not forget, while others might see a tangled mess of code, you see a canvas where you paint solutions with the brush of your keyboard.

So, why do seniors need to know so much? Well, in this tech-driven adventure, you're not just a coder; you're the maestro orchestrating a symphony of ones and zeros, and that's a role that demands a wizard's level of knowledge and a dash of humor to keep the magic alive.

An excerpt from Levels of Seniority from roadmap.sh
The seniority of a developer cannot just be decided by their age, years of experience or technical knowledge that they have got. There are other factors in play here — their perception of work, how they interact with their peers and how they approach problems.

Leadership Quality

• Demonstrate leadership qualities, like giving pep talks that could inspire a rock to roll uphill, or at least coding languages to compile seamlessly.
• Exhibit a growth mindset, because if bugs can evolve, so can we! Embrace challenges like they're the unexpected plot twists in a coding adventure.
• Mindfully apply empathy and emotional intelligence, understanding that even code has feelings (or at least it seems to when it throws errors).

Business Domain Expert

• Align development efforts with the company's business goals, because writing code that sells more widgets is more satisfying than just writing code for the sake of it.
• Understand the perspectives of management, sales, marketing, and other departments, because sometimes it feels like we're translating between different species rather than departments.
• Leverage knowledge of the business domain to inform development decisions, because coding without context is like baking without a recipe – you might end up with something unexpected.

Holistic Thinking

• Recognize the broader scope of the role, extending beyond code-writing, because we're not just architects; we're the architects of the digital universe!
• Focus on providing comprehensive solutions to problems, considering various aspects, because solving one problem at a time is so last century.
• Embrace a mindset that views challenges as opportunities for holistic improvement, because who said coding can't be a zen garden of self-improvement?

Big Picture Strategy

• Break down large, complex problems into manageable components, because tackling an entire project at once is like trying to eat an elephant in one bite – it's just not practical!
• Propose multiple options, fostering collaboration within the team, because brainstorming is like a buffet – the more options, the better.
• Implement solutions that address the overarching goals of the project, because building castles in the air is great until someone tries to live in one.

Collaborative Team Player

• Actively mentor team members, because teaching someone to fish is good, but teaching them to debug is even better.
• Undertake diverse responsibilities, including less glamorous tasks like documentation or testing, because even superheroes have to do their laundry.
• Acknowledge the collective responsibility within the team dynamic, because a team is only as strong as its weakest debugger.

Adaptive Expertise

• Swiftly adapt to new tools, languages, or paradigms, because if technology were a fashion show, we'd be the trendsetters.
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of the field, choosing the right tools for the job, because using a jackhammer to fix a bug is probably overkill.
• Apply innate problem-solving skills to learn and implement new solutions efficiently, because in the coding world, every problem is just an unimplemented feature waiting to happen.

Problem-Solving Mastery

• Proactively address software development challenges through foresight and experience, because predicting bugs is a superpower we all wish we had.
• Learn from past mistakes and apply lessons to foresee and resolve potential issues, because making the same mistake twice is just a fancy way of saying "I like debugging."
• Guide codebase and architecture with a strategic mindset, because coding is not just a game of chess; it's a game of 3D chess with multiple dimensions and a time-traveling queen.

Pragmatic Decision-Making

• Make practical choices, because, let's face it, the fanciest algorithm is useless if it takes longer to run than it does to brew a cup of coffee.
• Exhibit a balanced approach, knowing when to be flexible and when to stand firm, because code is a delicate balance between rigidity and chaos.
• Navigate trade-offs effectively, making decisions based on project needs, because in the coding universe, every decision is a trade-off, and we're the cosmic traders.

Evidence-Based Decision-Making

• Formulate judgments and propose solutions grounded in empirical evidence, because in the court of code, evidence is our most valuable witness.
• Avoid baseless complaints, contributing constructively to problem-solving, because complaining without a solution is like throwing code into a black hole.
• Encourage a culture of fact-based decision-making within the team, because a team that bases decisions on facts is like a well-oiled debugging machine.

Respectful Evaluation

• Approach inherited legacy code with an "opportunity mindset," because every line of code is a chance for redemption.
• Generously evaluate existing architecture and design decisions for improvement, because being a critic is easy, but being a constructive critic is an art.
• Cultivate a respectful and constructive attitude toward code written by others, because in the end, we're all just coders on this pale blue dot.

Constructive Communication

• Provide feedback that contributes to the team's growth without causing harm, because constructive criticism is the secret sauce of team improvement.
• Foster an open and inclusive communication culture within the team, because in a world where semicolons can break hearts, communication is key.
• Effectively communicate ideas, solutions, and concerns, because even the most brilliant code is useless if no one understands it.