What are Career Ladders?

Career ladders are structured frameworks that define progression paths within your organization. They outline what's expected at each level, what skills are needed to advance, and how employees can grow their careers.

Why Career Ladders Matter

  • Clarity: Employees know what's expected at their level and what's next
  • Fairness: Consistent promotion criteria across the organization
  • Retention: Clear growth paths keep top performers engaged
  • Development: Helps focus learning and skill-building
  • Hiring: Easier to write job descriptions and level candidates

Types of Ladders

  • Individual Contributor (IC): Technical or specialist track (Engineer I → Staff Engineer)
  • Management: People leadership track (Team Lead → Director)
  • Dual Track: Option to advance as IC or manager at senior levels
  • Function-Specific: Custom tracks for Sales, Design, Product, etc.

Creating Career Ladders

Step 1: Define Your Tracks

  1. Go to Organization > Career Ladders
  2. Click "Create Ladder"
  3. Choose the track type (IC, Manager, or Custom)
  4. Name your ladder (e.g., "Software Engineering", "Product Management")
  5. Select which teams/departments use this ladder

Step 2: Add Levels

For each ladder, define levels from entry to senior:

  • Level 1: Junior/Entry (e.g., Software Engineer I)
  • Level 2: Mid-level (e.g., Software Engineer II)
  • Level 3: Senior (e.g., Senior Engineer)
  • Level 4: Staff/Principal (e.g., Staff Engineer)
  • Level 5: Distinguished/Fellow (e.g., Principal Engineer)

Step 3: Define Expectations

For each level, document:

  • Scope: What kind of problems do they solve?
  • Autonomy: How much guidance do they need?
  • Impact: Individual, team, or organization-wide?
  • Leadership: What leadership is expected?
  • Technical depth: Skill level required

Example: Software Engineering Ladder

Level Scope Impact
Engineer I Well-defined tasks Individual
Engineer II Features and projects Team
Senior Engineer Complex systems Multiple teams
Staff Engineer Org-wide initiatives Organization

Defining Competencies

Core Competencies

Define 4-6 core areas that matter for progression:

  • Technical Skills: Domain expertise and execution
  • Problem Solving: Complexity of challenges tackled
  • Communication: Clarity and influence
  • Collaboration: Teamwork and mentorship
  • Leadership: Initiative and vision
  • Business Impact: Results and outcomes

Competency Matrix

For each level, describe what "good" looks like in each competency:

  1. Go to your career ladder
  2. Select a level
  3. Click "Add Competency"
  4. Choose competency from list or create custom
  5. Write expectations for that level
  6. Add examples or indicators

Example: Communication Competency

  • Junior: Clearly documents their work and asks good questions
  • Mid: Presents ideas in team meetings and writes clear PRs
  • Senior: Leads technical design reviews and influences team decisions
  • Staff: Shapes technical strategy and communicates vision across org

Managing Progression

Assessing Readiness

Use performance reviews and 1:1s to evaluate:

  • Consistently performing: Operating at next level for 6+ months
  • Meeting all competencies: Demonstrating all required skills
  • Business need: Organization has room for next-level role
  • Potential: Showing capacity for continued growth

Promotion Process

  1. Self-assessment: Employee documents accomplishments against ladder
  2. Manager review: Manager evaluates and writes recommendation
  3. Calibration: Leadership team discusses all candidates
  4. Decision: Approved promotions announced
  5. Communication: Expectations for new level discussed

Development Plans

For those not yet ready:

  • Identify specific gaps in competencies
  • Create development plan with goals
  • Assign stretch projects to build skills
  • Revisit in next review cycle

Best Practices

📝 Writing Effective Ladders

  • Be specific: Vague criteria lead to inconsistent decisions
  • Use examples: Concrete scenarios help people understand
  • Avoid time-based: Focus on skills, not tenure ("2 years experience")
  • Keep it readable: Short, clear sentences
  • Review regularly: Update as your org evolves

🎯 Promotion Calibration

  • Consistency: Apply same standards across teams
  • Evidence-based: Require concrete examples of impact
  • Holistic view: Consider all competencies, not just technical
  • No quotas: Promote those who are ready, not to hit targets
  • Transparent criteria: Employees should understand the bar

💡 Pro Tips

  • Start simple: 3-4 levels to start, expand later
  • Involve employees: Get feedback on ladder clarity
  • Separate from comp: Ladders guide development, not just salary
  • Track progression: Monitor promotion rates and timeline
  • Share success stories: Highlight recent promotions

Common Challenges

"When will I get promoted?"

Use the career ladder to show: "When you're consistently performing at the next level in all competencies." Make it about readiness, not time.

"The ladder doesn't fit my role"

Create role-specific variations or custom tracks for unique positions (e.g., DevRel, Solutions Engineer).

"We promote too slowly/quickly"

Review your promotion data in Sizemotion. Are people stuck too long at one level? Or being promoted too fast? Adjust your calibration process.

"How do I compare to external market?"

Benchmark your levels against industry standards (e.g., levels.fyi, Radford surveys) to ensure competitive positioning.

Next Steps