Amazon - Base Cap?
I was interviewed for L6 @ Amazon, Seattle (AWS). Recruiter is telling me that the max cap across the board for base salary is 160k. Is this true? Or is she just trying to low-ball me?
True
True, they will compensate with sign on and rsu
$160k is max in Seattle regardless of level even vps
You recruiter should have a document that explains amazons compensation philosophy, how our compensation and offers are structured and why we heavily leverage stock-based compensation as opposed to large base salaries. The document will usually accompany offers, but you can ask for a copy if not. And yes, it is true.
In fact, while companies would want to avoid overpaying where possible, I don’t think many big companies will lowball in general. There is a range for each level, they try to come in at where you are comfortable. If you have competing offers, that’s always the best way to negotiate. It’s a two way street, you have a target comp in mind, they have a band to work with. Lowballing may be offering 50% of the lower band for your level. I doubt most big companies do this as a matter of policy.
They do! I can confirm in Microsoft and it’s a bad recruiter basically thinking that is doing Microsoft a favor. Employee left the company after a year (of course it didn’t help that Microsoft HR policies suck once you are inside, you have to leave and come back for improvement)
"I don't think many big companies will lowball in general." Google lowballs both your TC offer AND your level without competing offers, best of both worlds.
It's true, but that doesn't mean that's all the cash you get in the first two years, sign on bonus is spread out so look at the TC rather than base salary as a total.
I’ve never understood why they do this.
The sign on bonus in each of the first two years can exceed your base though. So effectively your monthly pay could be huge for the first two years.
True. But you will get stocks.