[brap]

For most FAANG companies, it's IC -> TL -> TLM -> EM, unless you explicitly insist on remaining IC/TL (and then you're on the chopping block, because promotion trajectory for ICs becomes very, very slow beyond a certain point).

[fingerlocks]

This isn’t true. I personally know gray hairs that retired as ICs in at least three of those letters in your outdated acronym.

It should be MAAAM by now- Microsoft is famous for the IC rest-and-vest to ‘55 lifestyle.

[fach]

This isn’t true in my experience across a few FAANGs. And promotion is very slow on both tracks once you get to terminal level + 1.

[pedrosorio]

> and then you're on the chopping block, because promotion trajectory for ICs becomes very, very slow beyond a certain point

The former does not follow from the latter.