Engineer or Manager? Choosing the Path That Fits You Best

Whenever I think about how my career started, I always remember that as a brand-new professional I really had no idea which way I should go.

Have you ever thought about being in the position of someone you admire? For me, that wasn’t so clear. Every “successful” person I saw was a CEO, an executive, or at least a manager.

In my head, achieving something big in my career was tied to the idea of becoming a manager, without really asking myself if that’s what I wanted. Maybe it was just a check mark on a list. I never stopped to consider that staying hands-on as an engineer could also be a version of success in my career.

When I started as a web developer, I used to feel that the work didn’t fulfill me. I liked the idea of building things, but when I discovered QA, I just fell in love with it. What attracted me most was having a broad understanding of business requirements and seeing the real value of the software I was testing. I enjoyed that phase a lot! For a couple of years I continued with manual testing, then automation came to the table. Since I had already coded before, doing it again but from the QA perspective was even more exciting, so I gave it a try. And it turned out to be better than I expected.

Beyond moving between manual and automation, I also started helping with regressions, sending execution reports, driving feature acceptance meetings with the PO, and training new interns. Suddenly, without realizing it, I was leading the team. What surprised me was how much I enjoyed investing time explaining something to a new team member and watching them achieve more than they thought possible. When they thanked me, it gave me a spark, not just the “thank you” itself, but seeing them grow and realize their potential with just a bit of support was what really made me feel good.

Of course, these feelings didn’t come alone. I was lucky to have two amazing leaders early in my QA career. They marked my career because they were so people-oriented. They gave me recognition, support, and the space to bring ideas and even make mistakes without judgment. They inspired me to want to be a leader , not from a “boss” perspective, but from the true leadership side.

A quote from Richard Branson always resonated with me: “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” Having those examples, I knew where I wanted to go.

At first, I was leading without the title. I didn’t realize it at the time, but being a leader isn’t about the title , it’s about helping people move forward together. After some time in that role, I officially became the lead of the team. What a great feeling! At that moment, I thought the title made me a leader, but looking back, I was wrong. The real value was in the experience and in enjoying leadership since day one. Titles are good for resumes, but the impact comes from the work you do and the people you help along the way.

After four years at that company (two as an engineer and two as a lead) I had the opportunity to become a manager. At that point, I wanted to spread the same kind of support and inspiration I had received from my first leaders.

Starting as a manager was more challenging than I expected. This time I didn’t have those mentors by my side; I felt alone. I read about different leadership styles and quickly identified with servant leadership. My peers were busy, so I realized I needed to shape my own way forward. Books like “Good to Great“ by Jim Collins, combined with my experiences, helped me form my leadership style.

Being a manager brings a lot of responsibilities: people’s growth, communication, strategy, balancing skills, managing expectations, and making sure the team performs without burning out, plus all the paperwork, reviews, hiring, budgets, and processes.

One thing I also learned very clearly is that even managers need support. After some years working with Keith, my manager at that moment, I discovered how important it is to have someone who pushes you to see more of your own potential and stands with you in complex decisions. He wasn’t just my manager, he was a true mentor for me. He helped me find strength when things were hard, and that made me realize that when leaders receive strong support, they can give even more back to their own teams.

There are many misconceptions about management roles. Early in my career, I thought being a manager was the only way to succeed. With more than 15 years of experience now, I know that’s not true. Management requires a very specific skill set, but it also requires staying technically involved. Even if you’re not writing test cases or coding daily, you need technical awareness to make the right decisions.

On the other hand, there’s also a misconception that great engineers can’t lead. That’s not true at all. A strong technical engineer can be an excellent leader if they enjoy sharing, delegating, prioritizing, and understanding that leadership is about giving credit when the team succeeds and taking responsibility when mistakes happen.

Leading teams is something I truly enjoy. What inspires me is seeing people grow, achieve, and excel. But I know not everyone feels the same. Over the years, many people have asked me whether they should become a manager after being a tech lead or a senior engineer.

For a long time, I believed that outstanding leads or seniors should naturally move into management. But I learned that’s not always the case. I once promoted a fantastic lead to manager, thinking it was his next step. He respected me and trusted my vision, so he accepted, even though he wasn’t sure. I saw him lose his spark in management. When he later had the chance to return to an engineering role, he didn’t hesitate. That taught me an important lesson: moving into management isn’t about promotion,  it’s about what fulfills you.

If you’re in that position, remember: it’s completely fine if you don’t enjoy supporting people, if you prefer being recognized for your own work, or if you love diving deep into technical problems. Being a tech lead or senior doesn’t mean you must become a manager. And if you are a tech lead and love staying hands-on, keep doing it, you can grow your impact without changing titles.

For me, becoming a manager wasn’t just a check mark. It became a lifestyle, a way of thinking, and a constant challenge. But the real message is this: choose the path that makes you feel fulfilled. Success isn’t about the title; it’s about finding where your skills and passions allow you to grow.

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