What qualifications/qualities are sought after for senior positions?
I know this is a very generalized question, as it depends on the company, product, position, etc. But in general, what sets someone apart as ready for a senior position over an intermediate or junior position? Experience I would think would be a big one, but say you have a candidate that shows problem solving abilities to solve code problems, but is newer to the tech field vs someone who's been in the field x years, does the first guy have a shot without really knowing the ins and outs of working as a software engineer, hoping to pick it up quick?
My experience is that every company makes it up as they go, and every year or two they "reorg" and redefine their annoyingly abstract role definitions. Not the answer you're asking for I'm sure, but clearly I'm just speaking from frustration.