I am an SDE2 at Amazon, currently in devices org. I have overall experience of 9 years and about 5 years in Amazon. I joined Amazon as an SDE2 and is SDE2 since last 4 years and 10 months. In last 4 years, 2 times I got rating as Exceeds expectation and 2 times as Meets Expectations. I am under my current manager since last 2 years and he has given me Meets expectation rating in last 2 years. As I am reaching the 5 year milestone, the stagnation has started bugging me. Whenever I try to discuss about moving to next level, my manager try to divert the conversation to some other topics. I asked him to get my work summary reviewed by some senior SDE so I can get clear goals to work upon, but I feels he don't want to do that. What should I do bring my career out of this stagnation. (i) Try looking for Senior SDE roles outside Amazon. (ii) Try to work harder in current team. Though I have no clarity on what shortcoming I am expected to overcome. (iii) Try to change team/org. But then I may have to restart from zero which I did 2 years back. PS: My manager is an L6 SDM and all my team mates are SDE2, with Tenure ranging from 7 years to 1 year.
If you let them, they’ll keep you at SDE2 for another 10 years, and maybe even kick you out before that for performance, and your annual raises getting you to be paid more than a younger SDE2 who’s working smarter. Get out of there if you can. Interview for senior positions outside.
1 or 3. 1 is faster and a more sure bet
Amazon really gatekeeps L6. The current market is not that great for moving up, but it's probably still worth looking outside, given that you have a lot of years of experience. Especially since you'd probably get like a 10% bump with an internal promotion at most.
Something doesn’t look right. 4 years on Amazon Last 2 years rating: Meets expectations Exceeds expectations: 2 times overall So you received exceeds expectations in your first 2 years and then meets expectations? No one is going to give exceeds expectations in your first year at Amazon. Even if they did, the drop from exceeds to meets is bad and you’ll be a target for PIP considering not getting promoted for 5 years. If you want to move internally, you don’t have to start from scratch. Your manager/skip/PE can vouch for your work summary and your new manager can continue where it was left off. Considering your overall experience, I would advice you to find roles outside of Amazon.
I did not include the first rating which was for few months of work. It was Meets only.
You can’t recover this situation at Amazon. Better to interview externally and get the senior title as well as a huge TC bump
Exceeds expectations for first year at Amazon is pretty unusual. And then after 2 years you were dropped to Meets? That's also kinda unusual, I get that you have a new SDM but that would normally get scrutinized. Doesn't seem like a good sign, sorry. If your SDM is diverting career conversations then that means you're not close, and your rating supports that. Even if you were EE, getting to L6 is pretty challenging at Amazon. You need to have large ownership, deliver well, typically be known by your skip which means having some political skills. L6 is the level at Amazon where you most often hear L6 SDEs say "They're good but not one of us" and therefore don't deserve a promo. Pragmatically I think you need to force the conversation with your SDM. You can say, I get that you don't think I'm close, and you demoted my rating from my previous SDM, but I want to know what you think someone in my position should be doing to eventually get to L6.
In every 1:1, I ask for clear goals and expectations to move to next level. But he avoids the communication and try to divert it to other topics. I drives and deliver whatever project is assigned to me. I also put effort in improving the team systems. Many other SDEs in the team rely on me to resolve their doubts and unblock themselves. I have excellent forte reviews. Should I discuss this with my skip or plan to leave?
Definitely discuss with your skip and get their perception of your performance. I disagree that this is unrecoverable. However, promo scope is hard to come by right now. Some teams just won't have much this year because the overall leadership message is austerity (aka reduce or stay flat). If your manager is avoiding the convo, then either there is a gap between your perception and theirs on performance (and they are uncomfortable telling you you so), or they don't have room for you to grow scope. Talk to your skip, talk to your managers peers, talk to your principle PE and get a clear picture of where you are. Don't be afraid to move to an internal team that is growing.
Thanks. Looks like a work able plan.
Do you think you lead your team? Changing teams will set you back atleast a year and more likey 2 years. Better to change companies and get a higher level if you think you are close to Sr.
With 12 or 13 yoe Amazon was hiring as L5 role so I am not sure what’s the Amazon point of view for L6 role…
What pay do they offer for l5 with that much experience ?