In the competitive tech job market, a phenomenon known as 'downleveling' has emerged, where candidates receive offers for lower-level positions than originally applied for. Stefan Mai, a former engineering manager and interview preparation cofounder, explained this practice commonly occurs due to employers' risk assessments regarding a candidate's fit for senior roles. This results in qualified applicants potentially facing a bait-and-switch situation where an expectation for a senior position morphs into an offer for a more junior role, affecting their career advancement and satisfaction.
"Hiring managers and companies that are kind of looking at candidates are usually making this risk determination. It's kind of like, 'Okay, we don't have all of the evidence this person can be successful at this level.'"
"Leveling for software engineers is basically where you have a numeric value that's defined mostly by seniority, and it comes with different responsibilities at each higher level."
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