I've accepted L5 offer at Amazon with 12 yoe. I did enquire about levels before the interview and the recruiter told me that L6 has a very high bar. This was before I knew much as much as I know now through blind otherwise I would have pushed for L6 loop. I'm happy with the TC Amazon offerdd, a bump of +50%, and also that I would be working for a higher tier company which means better things for my career. However I'm wondering if I've shot myself in the foot for not even interviewing for L6 and what would be 2-3 years impact of taking this offer on my career. Any advice? PS: Of course recruiter told me that I've a real shot at making L6 in a year. Amazon TC: 260k, Austin
Recruiters say that all the time to people who are under-levelled. Fact is, many engineers have a shot at hitting the next level within the next 12-18 months but very few of them will get the kind of projects and exposure needed to get to the next level. It depends on your team.
Agreed. It's also highly dependent on whether or not your manager "likes you" and how data is construed and how many times management changes. Also keep in mind that whatever team you join will likely have a "queue" of existing SDE 2s who are in line for promo, and you'll be at the end of the line, regardless of how you perform. I've seen people be promoted under one org to SDE 3, change teams, and then be fired (not managed out, fired). Also: I myself was told I had a real shot at SDE 3, then my team dissolved and to this day my new management does not discuss it with me.
Woah that TC is fuckload for austin. Probably like 350k seattle?
Ur outta ur mind! Amazon attracts ppl coz its faang and still pays better than all non faang. What other company beside fb/g would pay 260k for a 12 yoe eng. my non faang make less than 100k with 15+ yoe.
He didn't say he was under paid. He got a 50% pay increase even at a lower level
1 year is very unlikely unless you come in and just crush everything. 2 years is much more likely. Also, this will only help you long term. Working at Amazon opens a lot of doors.
Thanks for making the first comment related to my question. Others are talking about col, TC, loop. I don't intend to stay at Amazon for long. I actually had some non-fang offers of upto 330k in Bay area which I rejected because of Amazons name.
We'll 330 in the bay is nothing. You're better off taking 270 in Austin. If you're not planning on staying for 4 years you're not going to Max your earnings
I’ve interviewed someone as L5 and all interviewers agreed he raised the bar for L6. 2 additional rounds and he got an L6 offer. Just FYI.
Yeah. This is how it works.
I work with 20 years sde 2. If you are not there then you won’t get promoted . Years of experience has nothing to do with level . That’s hell lot of money for Austin . Take it
I already took it. I'm content with the TC.
I did not say all his career he was in Amazon 😁😁
Recruiter has no insight or say into the OLR and the leveling process once you are in. Their job is to get you in the door. When you ask them again, the manager and HR would say they need to set the right expectations with the recruiter
Ask for an SDE 3 upgrade process, which would be another on-site. You’ll likely never get it — you’d have to demonstrate that you’re already at the bar of the top half of SDE 3s at Amazon. Good luck with that. I had 20 yoe and was offered SDE 2. I tried very hard to plan for a quick path to SDE 3 as well, and it was a disaster. I had 4 different managers (2 L5 SDMs with very little engineering or management experience) and no momentum. I was managed out after 1.5 years. It was horrible — be very careful what you wish for! It is very difficult to get to SDE 3 internally, and all high SDE 2s have a target on their backs. At the 6-month mark you’ll know if you’re making the grade for SDE 3 material, or if you’re going to be submitted as an LE at your first review and then managed out over the course of the next 3-6 months.
Is job security better for medium performing SDE 2?
Jeez. Amazon seems to be much more reluctant to hire SDE3s. I managed to go from SDE2 to L5 at Google. Required 2 additional system design interviews but it was not crazy difficult with a lot of prep. Google doesn't expect you to be a CTO of a small company or leading a big team at a bigger company for L5
Since you've already accepted the L5 offer, why think about this at all? Move on, do your best.
To get an idea about what to focus on. I don't want to work hard to prove myself for sde3 when I could be LCing and getting a L5 at Google in a year (Google l5 ==amazon l6) which would come with a pay bump too
That makes a ton of sense. I would advise to interview at Google for L5 regardless.
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I’m sure with 12 yoe you were interviewed as L6. You just didn’t meet the bar. You always have an option of denying offer.
No, I was clearly told my interviews were for L5 and I asked why not for L6. I was referred by an ex-colleague for SDE2 position.
The loops are the same and if you raise the L5 bar highly. The interview board will discuss if you should be L6. This sounds like a good career growth for you. Take it. 6 months inside the company you might realize L6 is a higher bar than you thought. I had the same experience with Principal Engineer. I thought I was close and could try in a year after joining. Now inside I think 3 or even 4 is more realistic.