My friend who is E5 at Meta just recently got an L3 offer from Google which I find ridiculous. He is a super productive engineer and was promoted ahead of schedule to E5 with 2 YoE and has been exceeding expectations even as E5. However because of his low YoE it seems like he was put into the L3/4 loop at Google and got downleveled because he needed a hint on a hard DP question. I always thought that the “downleveled at Google” posts on were just a meme on Blind.. Google is delusional if it thinks that its “prestige” justifies this kind of insulting offer. TC: 300k
The only reason why this title has a question mark in it is because it sounds like your friend will still take it? Lol I’d run
No there is no way he is taking a -2 downlevel. It’s just insulting
Good lmao sorry I had to make sure
Blinders here love Google and dislike meta, so you are asking the wrong crowd. Many blinders would take this down levelled position.
Google downlevel/lowball is a common theme on Blind these days
If they keep pulling this shit they're on their way out
Well, obviously Google doesn't need super productive engineers.
lol, could have been another lazy interviewing thinking: this guy will make me look bad, let me ding him on the ratings.
One hint isn’t a downlevel, consistent feedback from the interviews is a downlevel. Especially for L4. The rubric is pretty clear. They probably did poorly in multiple rounds and this is the way to cope “one hint on a single hard question!!!” - they showed a lack of independence when solving the problems, solved the sub optimally, had poor communication, or lack the experience of L4/L5. I’ve hired plenty for L4 with 2yoe and it’s usually obvious if they get downleveled, feedback is usually mixed at best
Did he get promoted every year since he started at Meat?That's ridiculous and I am jealous. Do new grad at meta start at E3?
Yeah it’s not common but it happens. Yeah starts at E3. If you’re good you can get promoted in one cycle which used to be 6 months.
Gotcha. Skills > YOE
Sounds like your friend needs to brush up on his interviewing skills—he may be e5 at meta but meta levels (especially in some orgs) are aggressive and with only 2 yoe that’s an e4 loop anywhere externally. G also tends to downlevel if it’s borderline rather than reject. Obviously shouldn’t take the offer but think this is mostly a sign that he needs to practice more
Google don’t care
Yeah he got down leveled You said it yourself he needed some kind of a hint in a DP interview What’s the problem? I don’t understand your issue
I mean it’s just fairly ridiculous that someone who’s succeeded at the senior level at a peer company is being given basically a new grad offer.
What’s this “fairly ridiculous”? Your friend at best missed solving a problem, a more plausible case is that he didnt tell you that he bombed a design round in addition to this slip I don’t know what you want here Do you want the interviewing company to surreptitiously find out he’s a rockstar engineer and give him L5? Then why bother with the interviews in the first place
Privacy infra
Would you rather a doctor with 3 years of exp, or 10 years? But that 22 year old made consultant in 3 years! Hot take, 2 yoe is not a senior at anything.
This. I used to think I was cool because at 3 years I got promo’d to principal at a tier 2/3 company which maps to senior at tier 1s and then I realized I was not even in ballpark of seniors. I am now though after 5 years :)
Skills > YOE tbh as SE. He already have proven track record of delivering and getting promoted? Getting promoted at any FANG requires skills and that dude has it. So I disagree.
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Wow. They want to put an experienced dev in the same pile as new grads lmao. Run away.
Sometimes what happens is that the Google interviewer is resentful at the Meta employees fast promos, and is a bit curt during the interview. They must’ve slogged 5+ years to get to L5, and to see this E5 who made it in under 2? No. So they up the difficulty.