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I got promoted to staff engineer twice

What does it take to get promoted from senior to staff at a tech company?

Senior is typically considered a “terminal level” in tech: once you hit it, nobody will think you’re weak for not seeking a further promotion to staff. Company leadership want a particular engineer to lead specific cross-org projects that will run smoother if they’ve got the staff role. Having more senior direct reports looks better for them, your success reflects positively on their leadership, and promoting you to staff empowers you to continue making them look good to their bosses.

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