My biggest issue with line level managers is that they don’t control budgets or have any real authority - raises, promotions, etc.
I love managing initiatives - just not people. But anytime I have been bought into a company where I was responsible for major company wide strategy, I made sure I reported directly to someone with authority - a director or a CTO. It was mostly small companies.
Even now where as a staff level employee where I do report to a line level manager (who is at the same salary band as I am) who I like and respect very much, I am making sure I have visibility and the ear of my skip manager and my CTO about things I care about - without stepping on my managers toes.
I don’t consider a line level manager a promotion. I consider that the fifth level of hell.
The pay bump was nice, but I totally get where you're coming from. I'm actually thinking about moving back to IC
My biggest issue with line level managers is that they don’t control budgets or have any real authority - raises, promotions, etc.
I love managing initiatives - just not people. But anytime I have been bought into a company where I was responsible for major company wide strategy, I made sure I reported directly to someone with authority - a director or a CTO. It was mostly small companies.
Even now where as a staff level employee where I do report to a line level manager (who is at the same salary band as I am) who I like and respect very much, I am making sure I have visibility and the ear of my skip manager and my CTO about things I care about - without stepping on my managers toes.