How to approach titling for early engineering hires?

[thomasmost]

I'm wondering if folks have any advice about titles for early software engineering roles. It's probably a 'more art than science' situation, but we're too far along to consider "Founding Engineer", but still so small that we aren't really able to attract "Principal Engineers" with 5-10 years of experience.

In other words, if I'm keen to make an offer to someone who might be a "Senior Software Engineer" at another company, is it bad form to attach the title "Staff Software Engineer" if I feel that's the better fit for her responsibilities/role at our size?

[gms]

'Founding <whatever>' is silly title inflation. Ten years ago 'Founding Engineer' was just 'Software Engineer'.

More generally, I don't recommend fiddling with basic titles early. You don't know if your company will be alive in two years so there are more important things for everyone to focus on.

Just give everyone a title of 'Software Engineer'. Anyone who rejects you for that is likely someone who shouldn't join anyway.

[nikanj]

Founding <whatever> only makes sense if you're giving them a founder-sized slice of equity.

[thomasmost]

Good advice, thank you.

[quickthrower2]

I would just make the title as accurate as possible for your organisation. People who care too much about titles probably wont stick around too long! Salary and what the job entails are far more interesting.

That said if you find someone great and the title is the only sticking point maybe be flexible. It could be the reason they choose your company over a similar offer that is hard to choose.

[danwee]

No one cares about titles. Everyone cares about compensation. If your "staff role" is getting less than other's company "senior role", well, all things equal, you cannot compete.

I was a staff engineer in company A, and moved to company B in which I am "just" a senior engineer. My compensation is higher now. Everybody's happy.

[dyeje]

I’d probably avoid more titles than software engineer and senior software engineer until you have a proper leveling system with expectations for each title.

[nodemaker]

I think the only titles that make sense in a tech org are Software Engineer, Senior Software Engineer, Lead Software Engineer, Engineering Manager and CTO. Everything else is more noise than signal.

[iamflimflam1]

I assume you are still happy to call yourselves “CEO”, “CTO” etc…

[mr-pink]

you really shouldn't use engineer at all. engineers are licensed by states.

[logicalmonster]

Legally speaking, that's true.

But software developers do something that can be described as engineering, and I don't think that terminology is going away anytime soon.

So what now? Does anybody really want a push for "software engineering" to be licensed by the state? I can think of a world of problems stemming from this.