Google E5 SWE - enough impact?
I cleared HC and got a decent protential team match (haven't accepted team yet) in kirkland. After talking to couple of managers, it looks like scope of E5 is driving project in a small 3-4 subgroup within a team and act as a SME for that micro-service/component. That's like SDE2 role in Amazon in my mind (no offence to anyone). Is this correct understanding of the E5 role? I've couple of offers at Staff level in mid size company (~3000 engineering size) and wondering if i should take them and try Google again for E6 (was originally interviewed for E6 but HC approved E5) or keep my E5 offer(My recruiter said HC decision is valid for 12-18 months)? If i were to take other offers, Can I come back to google (in case i don't like other companies) w/o re-interview or i need to go for full loop again (within said 12-18 months)? Trying to see if it's worth taking a shot outside if there is no risk by keeping E5 offer somehow? Thanks a lot in advance for your insights and help. Tc: 340k Yoe: 12 Sde3 @Google #amazon #google
L6 Amazon maps to L5 Google. L5s are team leads guiding the team’s trajectory and planning and might work on multiple projects, participate in planning, leading complex system design and architecture and organizing work with other teams. L5 impact is not trivial. Don’t think that is any different from L6 scope at Amazon unless you are managing a big team and waiting for L7 promotion. Moreover, the bands at G/A are wide. There are newly promoted L5s who are leading the work in one area and there are experienced L5s who are leading multiple areas and having big impact on the product as a whole.
Thanks for the detailed reply. My current scope is closer to PE ( guide/work across 3 teams - total about 30 engineers). I mostly will be promoted in Q4 (have positive tech evaluation ) but comp is much lower than offers ( close to 500K + bonus)
That makes sense. You are essentially L7. Google L5 offer of $500k is unheard of. Maybe because you are under leveled. I had a similar experience where I got $300k+ in Seattle as L4.
HC is good for 1 year I heard... Did they increase it now to 18 months... Nice
i was on similar boat. had maxed out L5 google offer, however had staff rolw with 75k more annually in 2000 people company. I ended up choosing google because i felt team/project is impactful.
What was your offer?
L5 is actually quite wide band at Google (my wife worked there for 10y). I'm in the same team matching process and feel the recruiter is trying to sell uninteresting roles/teams first. That's why you feel the scope is small.
That sounds like an more junior L6 at Amazon to me.
I can’t count how many times Amazon employees tried to magnify their tech levels compared to the industry. What’s funny is that only them believe that. Please review levels.fyi for a more accurate picture.
Acc to levels.fyi, Google E5 has less span than Amazon L6. Google early E6 starts around 80% of Sde3(L6) bands. This seems to align with my assessment after talking to another folks.
Sirjee ;)
Google is such a big company now. Big impact pretty hard at L5 scope
did they tell you why downleveled? levels.fyi does seem to map L5 to SDE3
Coding was slow, googlyness and design rounds gave thumbs up for E6. I know Amazon SDE3 maps to google E5, but as an experienced SDE3, was aiming for bigger impact E6 role
how much is the pay bump? assuming u gave current TC and not offered TC