Ask HN: Is Sr. Developer appropriate job title?

[pythonik]

I am a full stack programmer work with startups and maintain a few open source packages.

I am working for a startup which I joined three years back. I was the first tech guy to join. Tech team now has 10 developers where as startup head count has grown from 10 to 100. Overseen the product development, more than 50% of code is written by me.

I contributed in following ways

- Code

- Generally decide tech strategy

- Built tech team culture

- Established development and project management practices

- Help product design

I'm 35+, love coding and intend to continue doing all of above in coming years.

Company looks heading in right direction. There are investment rounds and also good revenue.

My title since we started is Sr Developer.

Questions: a. What should be the appropriate title? b. Should I push for equity? Found informed me couple of times that he is working on it.

Lastly, I feel there are chances that later some 'Director X', 'Product manager' might try to act like my boss.

[vlodiag]

In some startups person like you could be a CTO but that depends on a company. I think you should push for a promotion after 3 years. If after 5 years you will still be a Sr developer and people will be hired over you then that will not be a good sign for your next employer (and you will need one as a current one would seem not to value you that much). I would push this hard or would leave. For equity it depends what is your salary and what is your market salary, but yeah usually people in your position get some equity. But if they pay you well equity is not that important as it's rarely have much value for employees.

[pythonik]

Thanks. Makes lot of sense. Also thinking if there is any other good title between CTO (which I feel is somewhat vague and might take my peace away) and Sr Dev.