My presentation at 2019 WIT Seattle: Software Engineering Career Paths There's academia, industry and industry research. There's the management path and the technical path. There's working for startups, working in mid-size companies, and working in global corporations. All these and other career paths are each its own game with its own rules, so in order to be successful it is important to know which game you are interested in, and its rules. I've had the fortune to experience several of these career paths, and will use my experience in combination with known research, publications and testimonials from industry professionals to present attendees an overview of them, and advice on navigating them through success.

1. Software
Engineering Career
Paths

3. Academia vs Industry

4. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

5. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

7. {Mgmt., Tech.} x {Product, R&D}

8. Engineering skills are traditionally gendered
“Technical” skills
 Programming ability
 Problem solving
 Analysis
“Social” skills
 Communication
 Relationship building
 Teamwork
Joyce K. Fletcher. Disappearing Acts: Gender, Power, and Relational Practice at Work. MIT Press, 2001.
M. Teresa Cardador and Brianna Caza. The Subtle Stressors Making Women Want to Leave Engineering. HBR.org, 2018

9. Priya Singh Pundhir. From Manager to an Individual Contributor – A Step Backward or Forward!. LinkedIn, 2015

10. Priya Singh Pundhir. From Manager to an Individual Contributor – A Step Backward or Forward!. LinkedIn, 2015

13. Product
 1st and 2nd horizons
 Make it better: maintenance
and versioning
R&D
 Long term
 Make it new

14. Startup, midsize, global

18. Intrapreneurship

19. Stephanie Barrie. Using MVPs to Validate Your Career Path. AlphaSights.com, 2017