It looks like most people who start at fb and google out of college reach L4/E4 within ~2 years and reach L5/E5 within ~5 years. Is it possible for outsiders to get in to fb/google at level 4 with only 2 YOE or to get in at level 5 with only 5 YOE? Or will people like us always lag behind those who start their careers at fb/google?
Hard but not impossible. If you're on the edge you get downleveled so you won't get fired after 6 months.
Yes. But depends on what type of experience you bring in. 2 years at fb, coming to G, sure.
Linkedin and hot startups promo people rapidly, and can get equivalent level in Google. It's also common for facebookers get promoted to E5 within three years. Some of my classmates, I have to say, they won't get their level if start from google
Can you clarify the last part?
Three years? Possible but so unlikely
I’m concerned about this as well. How much has my salary trajectory been affected?
It’s not impossible. I joined from the outside with 4 years experience and I am a 5.
There’s selection bias you need to consider. The kids who get into these jobs straight from undergrad are usually already top tier and everyone else had been trying to catch up to them. I don’t see how two years at a random company will let someone catch up to kids with two years at FANG. These kids aren’t sitting on their asses during those two years; they are soaking up as much knowledge as possible hence the relatively early promotion. So even though you might be their same age or older, you end up taking the job they promoted from.
It’s not FANG, it’s specifically F and G in the post btw. I don’t know if any of this applies to Amazon.
Sure we can keep it to G/FB. I don’t see people leaving Amazon/Apple to G/FB at a downlevel but have seen it from Cisco/CreditKarma/PayPal. For people incoming, we downlevel pretty often. I’ve also seen straight from school people hit L6 by 26-27 fairly common.
You're better off starting at a lower level and getting great ratings. I've been promoted every cycle.
Now this breaks my heart wanting to enter as E5/L5 :(
it's worth keeping this discussion in context Facebook does try to match level of people coming in such that they have good chance of succeeding Imaging joining at too high of a level, not being able to meet expectations and having to leave the company, not a fun experience - after all, once you are in you can't be down leveled so the only way is out if the expectations are too high if, on the other hand, you join and start killing it - you can be promoted immediately - problem fixed I joined as IC4 with few years of experience, learned about levels after joining and felt really bad (under leveled, under appreciated), first cycle got promoted, not worried about it anymore
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I’ve observed this same exact thing here at LinkedIn.
So do outsiders have any chance of catching up?
I think the odds are against you. I see a lot of people with 5 years of experience straight out of college at the Staff level here and even more people with 10 years of experience downleveled to Senior when joining from outside.