Mid-Career Dilemma: Is Moving into Management the Only Way to Progress? 🤷🏻‍♂️

[oncall-engineer]

Something I see happening to quite a few friends hitting mid to late career in Singapore—especially those in tech, finance, or corporate roles.

Once people reach a certain stage (think late 30s onwards), there seems to be this invisible push to go into management. The logic is: if you want better pay, job security, and to stay “relevant”, you have to start managing people, aligning stakeholders, attending more meetings, etc.

But what if someone doesn’t like all that? Some folks genuinely just prefer to focus on their craft and be strong individual contributors (ICs). They don’t enjoy managing others or dealing with office politics.

A few questions for discussion:

• Is management really the only viable path after mid-career?
• Can staying as an IC still offer career growth and stability in Singapore?
• In layoffs or restructures, who’s actually safer—ICs or managers?
• Anyone here stuck to the IC path and didn’t regret it?

Would love to hear from folks here who’ve walked either road. Curious what worked for you and what didn’t.

 

[Yuba84]

1. What about using the skills learned and do business? Tiagong half pass six skills also Jin Ho tan.
2. What about marry a foreign spouse to open road into spouse home country to flip properties? Tiagong a trusted foreign spouse can allow the spouse to make it rich thru this.

 

[standarture]

Why need to go management? Non-management role already can easily earn 10k. Not good enough? Use the free time to do other stuff if needed. Not gonna check emails at night or weekend man.

A lot of people feel insecure and behkan if they don't promote. Too bad for them lol.

 

[thisisnotme1212]

moi donts needs managers
nebers understands thes values ofs managers
the onlys values managers provides ishs pass messages

 

[Lchlch]

Something I see happening to quite a few friends hitting mid to late career in Singapore—especially those in tech, finance, or corporate roles.

Once people reach a certain stage (think late 30s onwards), there seems to be this invisible push to go into management. The logic is: if you want better pay, job security, and to stay “relevant”, you have to start managing people, aligning stakeholders, attending more meetings, etc.

But what if someone doesn’t like all that? Some folks genuinely just prefer to focus on their craft and be strong individual contributors (ICs). They don’t enjoy managing others or dealing with office politics.

A few questions for discussion:

• Is management really the only viable path after mid-career?
• Can staying as an IC still offer career growth and stability in Singapore?
• In layoffs or restructures, who’s actually safer—ICs or managers?
• Anyone here stuck to the IC path and didn’t regret it?

Would love to hear from folks here who’ve walked either road. Curious what worked for you and what didn’t.

I do hv colleagues that the mgt wanted this colleague to take the role of hod.
He flatly rejected n prefer to remain in his position.

 

[mgx-alander]

Dun move then forever stuck in the same rank

 

[anchoraz]

Mid level easy to axe if manager or directors when tough times come.

U mus at least practice ur skills always. Jus like surgeons. U still can move back frm mgmt

 

[GundamG]

if u are an impt asset to ur company, they wont retrench. first to go is those managers which can be easily replaced by cheaper better and faster. do what u happy is most impt, imagine spending hundreds and thousands to make yourself happy outside, but u dun enjoy your work.

 

[cet87]

You cannot be an engineer for life.

 

[Soracak]

You cannot be an engineer for life.

Yes u can. But there is a stigma to it ppl think u beh kan. There is also no viable progression beyond some chief or senior principal engineer titles. If u dun care about these things, it is actually ok.

 

[oncall-engineer]

You cannot be an engineer for life.

Wen wen jiak bee Hoon kind of life

 

[Medicated Oil]

I rem TS posting similar question before.
If you dun want to do it, just stay put in your technical position.
No point going up for money if you dun enjoy managing people.

 

[oncall-engineer]

Yes u can. But there is a stigma to it ppl think u beh kan. There is also no viable progression beyond some chief or senior principal engineer titles. If u dun care about these things, it is actually ok.

Senior principle engineers very eh kan, already. Smelly smelly >15k

 

[oncall-engineer]

I rem TS posting similar question before.
If you dun want to do it, just stay put in your technical position.
No point going up for money if you dun enjoy managing people.

I see you noticed me 🥹

 

[windwaver]

Something I see happening to quite a few friends hitting mid to late career in Singapore—especially those in tech, finance, or corporate roles.

Once people reach a certain stage (think late 30s onwards), there seems to be this invisible push to go into management. The logic is: if you want better pay, job security, and to stay “relevant”, you have to start managing people, aligning stakeholders, attending more meetings, etc.

But what if someone doesn’t like all that? Some folks genuinely just prefer to focus on their craft and be strong individual contributors (ICs). They don’t enjoy managing others or dealing with office politics.

A few questions for discussion:

• Is management really the only viable path after mid-career?
• Can staying as an IC still offer career growth and stability in Singapore?
• In layoffs or restructures, who’s actually safer—ICs or managers?
• Anyone here stuck to the IC path and didn’t regret it?

Would love to hear from folks here who’ve walked either road. Curious what worked for you and what didn’t.

That's the reason for so many useless people in senior management.

Many of them can't even manage themselves.

 

[Medicated Oil]

I see you noticed me 🥹

I just happened to see it.
Dunno how old you are, if other want to be a sheep, does not mean you have to be a sheep.
You should already know the answer deep inside.
Just find a way out of the race before they kick you out.
No one is indispensable in any company except the top boss.

 

[d3fc0n]

if u r in a company with proper structure, even tech engineering roles can go higher while being IC. staff/principal level can drive more strategic stuff without being a manager managing headcount

 

[euro2012]

heng i do grab delivery.. be own boss.. own time own target

 

[Soracak]

Senior principle engineers very eh kan, already. Smelly smelly >15k

Ya but thats the point ppl will still think u beh kan. And btw at that pay grade u will also be first on chopping board. U generally dun want to be earning >15k if yr job is easy, but if yr job is hard why not transition to mgmt? Because u passed up the chance, so what u do is, u reject the promotion.

 

[d3fc0n]

Ya but thats the point ppl will still think u beh kan. And btw at that pay grade u will also be first on chopping board. U generally dun want to be earning >15k if yr job is easy, but if yr job is hard why not transition to mgmt? Because u passed up the chance, so what u do is, u reject the promotion.

sorry hor, when u promote u go into middle manager role, and thats where most companies are chopping now