Senior Developer — Not

Lately I’ve noticed the analog of grade inflation in the IT world. Senior Developers titles.

A senior Developer is a senior because they have amassed a knowledge born of experience over a long period of time. So that begs the question, how long does it take to be Senior Developer?

Is it time? Is it number of lines of code? What?

Or some other confluence of events that makes a developer a Senior Developer? If you were thinking that was rhetorical you would be correct.

Why am I asking this question? Well, because I have noticed a disturbance in the force (maybe the fact that today is May the 4th has tickled my medichlorians).

Suddenly (and without warning) 28 year olds are Senior Developers.

I have an explanation…and I’m not throwing shade on those truly awesome sauce, rock star, 28 year olds that have been programming since they were 10.

It’s corporate voodoo.

We need you, 28-year-old. We love you. Please stay! You’re awesome! Here’s a small bonus, some RSUs, and, of course, a title that has become increasingly meaningless. Because ultimately? We are cheap as shit, and we have a fiduciary responsibility to our shareholders.

Wait…what? You just devalued the title of the guy who has been there for 20…