A former distinguished Meta engineer says promotions eventually stopped feeling like wins, so he sought a demotion
Executive Take
A top performer chose less money and title to get work he actually enjoyed. Leaders should ask whether their promotion ladders are forcing people toward roles that burn them out rather than roles that fit them.
Executive Summary
Philip Su, a former distinguished engineer (IC9) at Meta and OpenAI, asked for a demotion to IC7 after finding higher levels brought exhaustion and constant scrutiny. IC9 engineers can earn about $4.3 million yearly versus $1.63 million for IC7, per Levels.fyi. Su now runs podcast app startup Superphonic.
Why It Matters
HR leaders should note that a Randstad survey found 42% of US workers would turn down a promotion, a sign that ladder-climbing incentives are losing their pull. This changes how companies should design career paths and retention strategies for senior talent.
Bizquad Perspective
Most companies still treat demotion as failure, but Su's move shows the real failure is a ladder with no exit ramp for people who no longer want the top job.