So You Want to Be a Senior Engineer...

Ah yes, the elusive title: Senior Software Engineer. Sounds fancy, doesn’t it? Makes your CV look impressive, probably gets you a bit more attention on LinkedIn, and maybe even lets you escape the odd stand up meeting unscathed. But let’s get one thing straight... being “senior” isn’t just about how many years you’ve been bashing keys or the number of PR's you approve.

No, it’s a whole different game.

The 10x Nonsense

You’ve heard the legend the “10x engineer” who does the work of ten mere mortals, drinks black coffee by the litre (me haha), and churns out production ready code faster than the rest of us can open our laptops. Sounds cool, right? Shame it’s mostly nonsense.

Being senior isn’t about typing faster or writing smarter one liners. It’s about thinking first. It’s about building things that make sense, not just things that work. Sometimes, it’s about knowing when not to build anything at all and when to push back.

Yes, really... Sometimes the most senior move is saying, “Let’s not do this.” And then defending that decision in a room full of people who very much want to do it differently... like your PO or architect.

Welcome to Your New Side Job: Therapist

Once you hit the senior label, you’re no longer just a dev, you’re unofficially promoted to part time team therapist.

Junior dev’s stuck on a problem and quietly spiralling? PO stressed because a deadline’s slipping? QA pinging you with a blocker five minutes before Friday drinks?

Yep. That’s your problem now.

Your job includes keeping the team afloat, not just technically, but emotionally. It’s about guiding without patronising. It’s code reviews with tact, not condescension. Being gentle but not too gentle. Basically, don’t be that person... you know the one.

Some Days You Architect, Some Days You Mop

People think senior engineers draw diagrams, pick frameworks, and make smart sounding decisions.

Which is true… on some days.

On other days? You’re untangling ancient code that breaks if you so much as sneeze near it. You’re fixing “temporary” solutions that somehow made it to production three years ago. You’re muttering things like:

• “Who approved this?”
• “Why is this still running?”
• “This makes absolutely no sense...”

It’s not all clean design and scalable microservices. Sometimes, it’s just holding things together with duct tape and prayers... until you figure out how to make it better, readable... understandable... manageable....

You're Now The Shit Barer

Now here’s the bit they really don’t tell you about: you’re the team’s umbrella.

You see, higher ups love a roadmap. They love a KPI. A slide deck. A good ol’ fashioned “Can we ship this in a sprint?” conversation.

Your job, as senior, is often to absorb the chaos raining down from above so your team doesn’t get drenched. You smile and nod in the meeting. You push back, gently. You translate nonsense into something your team can actually act on... or, in some heroic moments, make the nonsense disappear altogether.

You’re the reason your junior doesn’t have to hear, “We need this by Friday or the whole quarter’s ruined.”
You’re the reason the team isn’t stress chugging Red Bull at 9pm.

You take the hit. You shield the mood. You filter the madness.

And no, there’s no badge for this. Just another Slack DM at 6pm.

Senior DON'T Know Everything

Let’s clear this up: senior engineers get it wrong. All the time.

The difference is, when we mess up, we (hopefully) admit it, fix it, and help everyone learn something along the way. You’re not expected to be perfect — just honest, thoughtful, and reliable when it matters.

No one wants to work with the “senior” dev who never listens, never explains, and never helps. Do better, be better...

Final Thoughts (Before Another Calendar Invite Drops In)

If you’re aiming for the senior title for the pay rise or the shiny job title... fair enough. Just know what you’re walking into.

• Less code. More people. Less control. More responsibility.
• More impact. More teaching. More chances to shape something real.

With that said... still want to be a senior engineer?

Let me know... Or don’t. I’ll be in back to back meetings all day anyway.

Still no gin... but some wine,

Rus