Mfcttrf

I work in a mid-size startup (~150 people) in the US. I am a software engineer. My company is doing well so we're growing rapidly.

I'm in a ~15 member an engineering team, writing software for the company. This team includes a senior engineer, let's call her Alice (Alice is not the only senior engineer in this team, there are 3 more). We all, including Alice, report to my manager.

Today, my manager explained to me that while the company is growing we're making some structural changes. So, they're creating a new, small group, which will be led by Alice. So if I accept this, I'll be reporting to Alice along with newly hired engineers. For the most part, nothing regarding my work will change other than the person I'm reporting to. They explained that Alice wanted to get some management experience and since we're growing fast, they decided to make a new group led by Alice, with focus X, and since I'm interested in X, they decided to move me to Alice's team.

My relationship with both Alice and my manager are very good. I'm very happy with my company, it has chill working ours, interesting work, good compensation, stellar benefits, etc... All good so far.

I'm very inexperienced in this industry (this is my first year working) so I don't know what to make of this. I cannot decide whether this is me getting demoted, or just Alice getting promoted, or both at the same. If it's just Alice getting promoted, it's great, she's a good engineer and she'll be a good engineer manager.

Also, I was planning to ask for a raise soon, maybe even today. Is this a bad time to ask for this, or is it acceptable for me to ask this to my current manager (this week) or new manager (next week)?

Any suggestions? I don't want to find bad things when there is none, but I also want to be defensive about my career. I wanted to ask this to random people before talking to Alice and accepting this offer.

I cannot decide whether this is me getting demoted, or just Alice
getting promoted, or both at the same.

Unless your title is changed, this is just Alice getting promoted.

Congratulate Alice, enjoy the new focus of your work, and work hard together so that you both succeed and get rewarded.

Also I was planning to ask for a raise soon, maybe even today. Is this
a bad time to ask for this, or is it acceptable for me to ask this to
my current manager (this week) or new manager (next week)?

If the time is right for raises, then ask your current manager now.

New managers may have more difficulty getting raises approved, and it may look like a new manager trying to throw unearned rewards at their new team, rather than employees requesting earned raises.

15 people is a lot of people to report to one manager. It's entirely reasonable to split the team up. Alice got the chance to step into management. Congratulate her.

Having said that, it is reasonable to give the new manager a good bunch of people to work with. Take it as a vote of confidence that you are on her team for that reason.

As for the raise? This probably has little to do with it. If you have put in your time in the company and have provided value to deserve a raise, then ask for one.

Am I being demoted?

You are not. Your role is what you do. How many layers are above you is a function of the company's organization, not a reflection on you.

Most change is just change. You're still doing what you were doing. Even if there isn't growth, there are going to be many mergers, reorgs, others leaving and you moving on throughout your career. Even many changes that are touted as game-changers probably won't really be for you. It's good you care about your career but be careful not to read too much into everything.

I don't know what to make of this.

Does your manager have a history of being dishonest with you? If not, then it is what they told you it is.

I cannot decide whether this is me getting demoted, or just Alice
getting promoted, or both at the same.

This Alice being promoted. If your title didn't change to a lesser title, your salary wasn't reduced, and you did not have tasks and responsibilities taken away from you then this is not a demotion for you.

I don't know if this course of action is normal.

Companies make organizational changes all of the time. On the face of it, it looks perfectly normal to me.

You're not being demoted, Alice is being promoted. As all other answers already pointed out.

They explained that Alice wanted to get some management experience and since we're growing fast, they decided to make a new group led by Alice, with focus X, and since I'm interested in X, they decided to move me to Alice's team.

They seem to be attuned to employee's interests and aspirations and they seem to be helping employees such as Alice to grow in their career. They know this is smart, since that way she'll be able to deliver much more impact and will stay very motivated to grow in the company.

Also I was planning to ask for a raise soon, maybe even today. Is this a bad time to ask for this, or is it acceptable for me to ask this to my current manager (this week) or new manager (next week)?

Use the opportunity to talk to both your old boss and to Alice about your career and how you would like to grow in the near future.

Of course, asking a raise is part of this, so talk about compensation as well.

But taking the opportunity to have a meaningful discussion about your career is a smart move at this point.

• Do you see yourself taking a tech lead role in Alice's team? If not now, maybe in the future?


• Would you see yourself mentoring new hires in her team, since you'll be the engineer coming with the previous experience of the current team?


• How can you bring the most impact to the new team? How can you help Alice be successful (which is a great way to share credit for her team's accomplishments)?


• Do you consider going for a management position down the road? Or do you prefer a career in which you become a very senior technical contributor?

Of course, you might not have set ideas on many of those, but still having these discussions with your managers is very useful. Your managers are there to help you grow in your career (Alice's manager is clearly doing that), so use that in your favor!