Technical Growth or Management?

[Ingudam Manoranjan]

Just wandering which path to choose and which is a better career growth. What are the pros and cons, challenges in both the areas - Grow from Tech Lead to a Project Manager or go towards Architect.

[stephen gates]

Communication and interaction. That is what drives careers now. Learn as much technology as you can, but if you want your career to advance, learn to communicate with non IT people, with customers, with IT people, with "C" level executives.

Learn to speak in a non Tech way so people who aren't technical, who are usually the ones making the $$$ decisions, can comprehend what your doing and trying to do.

As far as career paths, that depends on what you want to do. Some people might like management, other people not so much. Some people might just like the tech side, other people a combo of business and tech. In the long run, figure out what you like best, aim for it and then keep your skills up to date as well as become comfortable speaking to upper management.