A manager explains what makes someone a senior engineer: the ability to independently understand a problem and figure out the right solution across technical, communication, and collaboration angles. Senior engineers don't need all the answers immediately. They gather information, make good decisions, and lead by example.
So what do I look for in a senior software engineer as a manager? There are so many different things that make a senior engineer. If I can sum all of them in one sentence, that would be: a senior software engineer should be able to independently understand the problem and find the right solution to it. And I'm not just talking about technical solutions here. I mean solutions across different areas, including communication, collaboration, mentoring, and helping others. And by no means do I mean that you need to have the right answers on the spot. A senior engineer is able to find and gather solutions from various different sources. Software development is too broad of a field to be an expert in everything or to know everything up front. As a manager, I wish to rely on a senior to make good decisions, do the right things, and inspire others to do the same.
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