What does it mean? If you are on panels at Amazon, I want to understand: 1. Why and when do you do this? 2. Why do you think people who want tech leadership careers will accept this role? Edited to add: Some of you are saying I did poorly on LPs, some of you are saying I did poorly on Tech. One thing seems to be very clear - it is about doing badly on one of these rather than a different personality type. Given I have engineering director offers at other companies (unicons, preIPO), it seems like it is a no brainer to decline Amazon. Would be interested to understand if you think that would be a bad choice.
Probably that they thought your technical skills were good enough for tpm but didn't do great on the LPs in regards to leading others. They didn't think you met the bar for sdm but did meet bar for tpm. I've known TPMs in Amazon who transitioned to SDMs though. So it's not that there's no hope for you eventually
I see. Which LPs are these? I was asked very simple tech questions - coding, systems design were are all done to the satisfaction of the interviewer - I confirmed and could tell.
Don’t believe what interviewers tell you
You may have done well on leadership principles but not so great with the tech parts during your loop. Candidates get recycled this way sometimes.
Probably were never considering You as SDM and was just bait for tpm
Happened to me and declined at Amazon...now sdm at G go figure
Interesting. Did you get to know why? I have engineering Director offers from a couple of other companies.
You failed the tech SDM bar but did well on LPs.
Very very unlikely I failed tech SDM bar. I know I did well on LPs.
Amazon has a tech bar for SDMs? Wow, that is news to me. SDMs seem less technical than TPMs (who still are not actually technical).
Your responses on people management was probably not upto bar. Technical expectations should be pretty close unless there were operations related questions and you didn’t do well on them.
Interesting. Are there LPs related to people management? Earns Trust - went very well. My operations and tech is generally strong and was strong in the interview too. What are LP super powers of SDMs that TPMs don't need ?
Hire and Develop the best is the LP. I am a BR and have seen this play out quite a few times.
Issue was likely on people management, which is a competency for SDM but not for TPM.
Some of you are saying I did poorly on LPs, some of you are saying I did poorly on Tech. One thing seems to be very clear - it is about doing badly on one of these rather than a different personality type. Given I have engineering director offers at other companies (unicons, preIPO), it seems like it is a no brainer to decline Amazon. Would be interested to understand if you think that would be a bad choice.
What is comp? If you mean like 500k+ director roles at companies primed for near term IPO, absolutely, take that shit. If you mean like 250k half paper money, still years from IPO, then I am not so sure.
Interesting. Let us keep TC aside for a bit. You think TPM makes for a better career story than Eng director? If you accept a TPM role now, what would you do 10 years from now?
It means that you have awesome story-telling abilities, but won't be able to whip the minions onto a curve.
Amazon is a special needs child. What works well for an Eng Mgr at most companies does not necessarily cut the muster at Amazon. SDMs at Amazon must be able to manage people as if they’re machine parts, none of this touchy-feely motivation BS. You probably didn’t demonstrate an ability to view humans in the abstract form of categorical workers, like drones in a beehive. Just remember that for next time.
Well, yes, you do need to understand those things I order to manipulate, er, motivate the sheeple.
Jeff wants to know if you'd still like to be his b!tch
Ha ha! "still" ?