Product
Bugra Kaya
Grew his product management career
Senior and mid-level engineers: get help with scope, visibility, and evidence – not another self-review template you fill out the night before ratings.
Our mentors work at
Also see Staff Engineer mentors if you are aiming specifically at senior-to-staff IC scope. Book free intros and ask how they have navigated ladders like yours.
How it works
Talk to engineers and leads who have sat on both sides of promotion discussions – writing packets and reading them in calibration.
Fatima T.
Vikas M.
Rick H.
Fatima Taj
52 spots open
What you work on
Promotion is a product you ship. The scoreboard is a packet managers can defend in calibration – and a body of work that already looks like the level you want.
Scope that reads as next-level
A packet that survives calibration
Visibility without politics theater
Outcomes
Mentees who used coaching to grow scope, lead technically, and move levels – with evidence that survived real review processes.
Product
Bugra Kaya
Grew his product management career
Product leadership
Sophie
Engineering to product leadership
UX Design
Bassma Hefni
Landed 3 job offers in Germany
Full-Stack
Peyton Lucas
Built a clearer approach to interviews
Data Science
Mauro Bandera
Data Scientist at Printify
Software Engineering
Michele Verriello
Software Engineer at Tesla
Most engineers do not miss promotions because they lack talent. They miss them because their work does not read as the next level on paper, or nobody outside their team can defend it in calibration. A promotion coach helps you change both the work and the write-up – early enough that the packet describes reality, not wishful reframing of tickets.
The scoreboard is simple and harsh: a packet your manager can defend when another manager pushes back, and a body of work peers already treat as next-level. Templates help you format. Mentorship helps you decide what belongs in the document and what you still need to go create.
Mid-level to senior usually needs broader ownership, clearer communication, and proof you can deliver without heavy supervision. Senior to staff needs cross-team leverage, technical strategy, and influence that shows up when you are not in the room. Principal is rarer and more org-specific. Mentors help you map your company’s ladder to concrete projects instead of collecting buzzwords.
If you are stuck at the same level for years with “strong” ratings, the issue is often scope and visibility, not effort. Coaches who have sat in calibration have watched strong engineers lose because nobody outside the team could tell the story. That is fixable – months before the meeting, not the night before.
A short list of bets that match the level. A living brag document that captures impact while it is fresh. Stakeholder updates that create visibility without turning you into a full-time self-marketer. A packet with evidence managers can stand behind. Optional rehearsal of the live conversation with your manager or skip-level.
Cadence is usually weekly or biweekly plus async review of drafts. Mentors set price and open spots on their profile. Free intros let you ask how they have navigated ladders like yours before you pay.
If you want staff or principal IC specifically, also browse Staff Engineer mentors and the Staff Engineer career path. For general leveling across roles, start with Promotion coaches. Many engineers take intros on both and choose the person who asks the sharpest questions about their current scope.
If the real problem is leaving for a new company rather than leveling where you are, see career mentors for your next role.
It will not guarantee a yes in calibration. It will not replace a sponsor inside your company. It will not invent impact you did not create. It will stop you from spending another cycle polishing adjectives while the underlying scope stays the same.
One-off calls rarely move the needle. Our mentors work with you over weeks and months – helping you stay accountable, avoid mistakes, and build real confidence. Most mentees hit major milestones in just 3 months.
Mentee stories
“With his guidance and mentorship throughout the process, I was able to secure an offer from Google. He takes detailed notes and remembers everything we've talked about, which makes every meeting feel personalised.”
Moutasem
Software Engineer
“Ten months in, and I can say with full confidence that working with my mentor was one of the best investments I made in my development as a programmer. He never dumbed things down or made me comfortable in a way that kept me small.”
Nickolas
Software Engineer
“She helped me demystify what Staff-level impact looks like and turned our strategy sessions into a concrete action plan I've already begun executing with my manager.”
Dennis
Senior Machine Learning Engineer
“As a beginner trying to break into UX research, I sometimes struggle with impostor syndrome, and Emilia consistently approaches those moments with empathy and clarity. Her portfolio feedback has been especially impactful.”
Melissa
UX Researcher
Get started
Browse promotion coaches or get matched. Free intro call with every mentor.