Google/Amazon Upleveling

Dec 17, 2021 10 Comments

Hi All,

I interviewed for Google L4 and Amazon L5, but unfortunately got downleveled and only received offers for Google L3 and Amazon L4, both of which are currently in the team matching process. However, would I be able to leverage these two offers against each other to get upleveled back to the original position that I applied/interviewed for?

How might I have this conversation with my recruiters?

Thanks!

TC: 110K
YOE: 3

#Google #Amazon #Upleveling #Interviews #L3 #L4 #L5

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  • New
    donoa3

    New

    donoa3
    Think the other way. Proven rigorous interview processes in two FAANG companies down-leveled you to SDE1. So there must be something that both companies found in the interview process which they thought you wouldn't be able to pass the SDE2 bar.

    IF, for some reason, you can somehow fake and get up-leveled to SDE2 (extremely rare), and get into one of two companies, you will likely get crushed by the workload or expectations which you might not be able to handle. You might get a lot of comments in codereview or pull request that you (up-leveled SDE2), from other SDE1 engineers, because you don't have a lot of experience, which can create weird team dynamics.

    Getting into FAANG itself is a good start, and you are still young (YOE 3). Pick either of those two companies and start learn a lot. I personally believe that Amazon will give you more exposure to a lot of different stuff even at SDE1, but Google is probably better choice in terms of having its name in the resume.

    Also, in either of these two companies, you can get promoted to SDE2 in 1.5 years or even in 1 year if you really exceed the expectations.

    My proposal is to get promoted, and start interview process for bigger TC jump at SDE2.
    Dec 17, 2021 2
    • OP
      Honestly I didn’t think about this, thanks for the valuable though process. Will reconsider!
      Dec 17, 2021
    • New
      donoa3

      New

      donoa3
      No worries. Ignore all these posts on Blind taunting others with 300k TC in low year YOE, which might be pressuring you to target for SDE2.

      You set your own pace, and you are still young. There are decades worth of years of career path in front of you, and you should focus on growth, instead of getting stressed so much about leveling, which doesn't matter. (SDE1-SDE2 gap is like 1-2 years)

      Congrats on getting offers, and good luck on your journey. Make good friends in your new job (in few years, they can refer you to other companies) and I recommend you reading the following post.

      https://www.teamblind.com/post/Things-I-wish-someone-told-me-earlier-when-I-got-my-first-job-x2FtFB8x
      Dec 17, 2021
  • Intel
    ddcbjutsa

    Go to company page Intel

    ddcbjutsa
    Just tell Amazon you got an offer from G . Don’t disclose level . Tell them you ll join if L5 was offered . Be ready to walk away if they don’t though . Don’t think this strategy will work the other way around trying to up level at G with Amazon offer .
    Dec 17, 2021 0
  • Amazon
    plfbwhqiq

    Go to company page Amazon

    plfbwhqiq
    Very unlikely, just take google L3 or get offers on a higher level
    Dec 17, 2021 0
  • I'd focus more on the comp than the level. Leveling works against you if you fail to perform, easier to taper expectations and then overdeliver (or slack off). After all, the main goal is money.
    Unless you really just want increased responsibility in which case, if you're capable, I don't think manager would hesitate to give you extra work/responsibility (to an extent, while mitigating disaster).
    Dec 17, 2021 0
  • Unlikely, but do try and tell us how it goes. Maybe you discovered a new tactic.
    Dec 17, 2021 0