- 5 years as a PM - CS fundamentals are solid - Have built various hackathon projects (both frontend and backend) - Can sketch out system architecture in my sleep (co-invented a software patent) - Regularly contribute to technical discussions and decision-making - BUT: Haven't shipped production code professionally
I'm particularly interested in full-stack development and AI integrations. I know the product side cold, I understand what makes for good UX, and I can bridge the business-technical gap. Now I want to be the one building, not just specifying. The job market isn't great right now, which makes this transition harder. I'm looking for environments that value Respect, Integrity, operate with a Sense of Urgency, and (crucially) have Funding.
For those who've made this transition successfully:
1. What's your recommended path? 2. How did you overcome the "no professional engineering experience" hurdle? 3. Any specific companies known for supporting this kind of transition? 4. Should I target smaller companies where I can wear multiple hats?
Thanks HN!
A) A job where your title is 'Senior Product Engineer'?
B) A job where your responsibilities and activities are that of a 'Senior Product Engineer'?
C) A job where you can hone your craft over time, so that one day an impartial observer would consider you a 'Senior Product Engineer'?
D) Something else?
From your description, my guess is:
A is achievable. Many companies have a low bar and/or are willing to take chances and/or are happy to grant big titles because they don't cost anything.
B is achievable, but you haven't built the skills or experience for it. So it's probably not the ideal learning environment and would probably cause a lot of stress.
C is what I would recommend if a friend came to me with this question.
(If you're a good PM, this will save time on some aspects of your new engineering job, so you'll be in a better position than a typical junior engineer.)
Like, you wouldn't expect someone who's an assistant manager at McDonald's to finish their law degree and start a new job as senior partner at the law firm.
You have to start over as a junior engineer. Because you are starting over
I think the metaphor's a little off (I have programming experience, and what'd be more apt is a McDonald's corporate ops manager moving into in-house legal after getting law degree + passing the bar), but I get what you meant!
If you were in a similar position, how would you build a portfolio that shows you have programming skills, and aren't just good at prompting?
There's so much more to programming that just being able to write code without relying on AI. Otherwise boot camps would have been more effective.
Until you have years under your belt of dedicated building, you're not a senior engineer
He might go direct to senior (as a word in a title at given company) based on impact if he can regurgitate the right algos and design question answers.
Yep, that is probably your best bet. Find a job where you are hired for your PM skills, but allowed to write code. Now you have coding experience. Do that for a couple years, then switch to full-time coding.