Is being a manager better? Is it a raise you want? There may be other ways. I make more than my manager.
I've had great managers and I've worked with great software developers and while it certainly helps to be a great developer to be a great manager, some of the worst managers I've had were also great developers. You may have a different skillset. And I don't know that avoiding humiliation is the best motivation to want to be a manager.
As it stands now, I'm a self-employed contractor and that brings some of the upsides of being a manager. I am running my own small business, after all. Maybe that's worth considering? It's not without downsides, though, especially in a soft job market.
I've also been a developer for 15 years (I'm 40 and graduated late at 25) and feel some of your angst, though I think the traditional approach is to take up woodworking or try to start a brewery :-)
No, not at all? It sounds like you have an implicit bias that "broader-scope" is "better". And/or "can wield more power" is "better". But those aren't better, only a role you might want for yourself, if what you want is to operate at a more abstract level or have power over people.
Yep, it’s the “can wield more power” is better. I’m biased in that way because to me if you fail when you don’t have a lot of power, the consequences are worse than when you fail as a CEO or some high level managerial position where you’re given golden handcuffs/parachutes.
In other words, to me it feels like an IC can “fail down” but managers/directors/c-suites only seem to “fail up” - hence, better. I also think managers make way more than an IC, as they are a “level above” in the org structure.
I’m happy to change my bias, but I haven’t seen any evidence to the contrary.
I've had great managers and I've worked with great software developers and while it certainly helps to be a great developer to be a great manager, some of the worst managers I've had were also great developers. You may have a different skillset. And I don't know that avoiding humiliation is the best motivation to want to be a manager.
As it stands now, I'm a self-employed contractor and that brings some of the upsides of being a manager. I am running my own small business, after all. Maybe that's worth considering? It's not without downsides, though, especially in a soft job market.
I've also been a developer for 15 years (I'm 40 and graduated late at 25) and feel some of your angst, though I think the traditional approach is to take up woodworking or try to start a brewery :-)