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Home > Getting the Interview and Job > Beyond the Interview > Understanding Software Engineer Levels and Titles (L3–L7, IC vs EM)

Two Career Tracks

You’ll hear about IC and EM:

  • IC = Individual Contributor. You lead through technical judgment, design, and influence—often without direct reports.
  • EM = Engineering Manager. You lead people, teams, and process. You’re accountable for outcomes, not just outputs.

Neither is a promotion from the other; they’re parallel tracks with different muscles. Senior ICs often have broader technical scope than new EMs. Choose by energy source: code and systems vs people and systems.

Two Career Tracks

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