Q: “When choosing which company to join, how can I balance impact, career growth, and job security? Are there principles I can use to find companies and teams that tick all three?”
A useful comparison I find myself thinking of frequently is the concept of working at a profit center, versus working at a cost center. The implications of which one you’re in are wide-ranging; it frequently impacts compensation, career growth speed and job security. In this issue we dive deeper into this topic:
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Profit centers vs cost centers. The differences.
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Engineering as a cost center. Which companies treat it as such, how can you recognize if this is the case where you work and what you can do about it.
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Engineering as a profit center. Which places operate like this and what are the telling signs?
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When cost centers are called what they are. Investment banking, back offices, and what happens when people know which teams are cost centers.
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Traditional companies and the digital transformation struggle. Why do so many older companies struggle with transforming into tech companies, and will this ever change?
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The gray areas. Where do platform teams, SRE, R&D, or security engineering sit?
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Implications at large companies. What impact does working at a profit center or cost center have on promotions, performance reviews or internal transfers?
