Hey 👋 this is Luca! Welcome to a new 🔒 weekly edition 🔒 of Refactoring.

Every week I write advice on how to become a better engineering leader, backed by my own experience, research and case studies.

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This week we dive into one of my all-time most requested topics: career frameworks!

I spent a good chunk of the last month doing research, talking with guys in the community, and reflecting on my own personal experience.

It was a ton of work, because this topic is massive. Over time I received all kinds of questions about it: from founders who are in the process of creating such a framework for the first time, to engineers who want to use it for growth, to hiring managers who struggle to keep it up to date.

To make sure I am thorough about it, I will split this into two consecutive editions:

• 1️⃣ Part 1 — this one will cover definitions, why and when you should use a career framework, and some good examples.

• 2️⃣ Part 2 — the one coming up next week will cover how to create one that fits your team, and how to roll it out properly.

So, here is the agenda for today:

• 📌 What is a career framework — definitions first.

• 🗝 How to use it — what are the practical use cases where it brings value?

• 📆 When you need it — when is it the right time to create one?

• 📚 Styles and Examples — let’s cover some of the most famous frameworks out there.

Disclaimer: career frameworks do exist for all kinds of jobs, but I will focus here on engineering teams. Some of the general advice may apply to any department, but the details and examples will be centered on the tech space.

Let’s go! 👇