Amazon SDE L5 to L6
What is the average time people take to advance to L6? If a recruiter offers me a high L5 and tells me within an year I can expect L6 position, should I take his word on it? What does high L5 mean for someone with Masters and 8 years of experience? I haven't yet received salary numbers but was asked to suggest tell him my target number which I didn't. Whats the target number I should be aiming if the position is in Bay Area?
Bay Area Amazon at L5 you be should asking for 145k, I think 150ish is the upper end of the L5 band -- L5 to L6 is a big deal at Amazon, you need to be on a team with good visibility working on a project that's going to have measurable impact (not a managers pet project).
There is no upper limit for L5. L5 in Bay Area can max out at 185k like anyone else above like L6, L7 etc..
L5 Amazon 200k+ base. Confirmed
Recruiter is lying
Recruiters always lie
Two of my friends: joined as SDE 1 after completion of Ph.D. In AWS. SDE 2 after two years. SDE 3 (L6) and manager after another three years. Both took exact same years for each.
That sounds reasonable! I am not sure how someone can be promoted just within an year. Half of the time would be gone trying to fit into the system!!
I got my 4 to 5 promo about 10 months after joining. Came in at a "high 4" and got my promo in about a year just like my manager said. Don't believe the recruiters, but if the HM is legit and you are legit you should get your promo in 2-3 years. (L6 is a harder transition than 4->5). It all depends on your manager and his manager though...
I see only 1 out 5 to 10 SDE-2 engineers gets promoted to SDE-3(L6) at Amazon. I don't believe you can expect L6 position within a year unless you already have strong technical connection with the team, with few SDE3 in the company and with a Principal SDE in the company. High L5 in Bay Area should mean a base >160k and TC > 220K in my opinion.
160k base 140k bonus (80k + 60k) 180 shares High L5?
If it's the salary you're worried about, lot of high L5 make same as L6. L5 is a very wide level, stretching from people with 3-4 years experience, all the way to prople with 10+ years experience. L5 to L6 is a big jump in Amazon, however it is possible to do it after a year or so if you work towards it from day one.
"Lot of high L5 make same as L6" Erm no that is not true unless the L6 has no RSUs. The bands between L5 and L6 don't touch. With good stock performance you might touch the bottom of L6 Top of band for L5 is around 250 start of band for L6 is 270-280. Yes there are L5s who were hired a few years ago now making 300k, but they won't stay true unless the stock keep outperforming 15% Also the same L6s hired a few years ago are clearing well over 400
Just transfer to Amazon Fresh and you will get SDE 3 promo no problem
Lol. There are a lot these types of orgs
l6 is not as great any more. people getting easily promoted. that said from outside a year is near impossible, I faced this issue just now
The promotion for SDE L5 to L6 changed recently, now it has a fixed structure in which you need at least 2 successful projects with L6 complexity, which is extremely unlikely to do in one year: first there are not too many projects like this, and are usually assigned to experienced L5 engineers, nobody will assign a project like this to a new hired because you need to demonstrate first that you are in this level or above. Expect at least 1 year to start a project with higher complexity, and maybe 1 year for each project. So in the best case, you can be promoted after 2.5 or 3 years.
Minimum 3 years
L6 is a high bar and most engineers there finish their career at L5, it's the steady state. You're not likely to make L6 unless you have a really good skip and low talent in your org where you raise the bar. If you have to compete with some real talent for a promotion, it's not going to happen.