For PMs, it looks like the job title “Product Manager” includes 3+ levels at Google and Facebook. At Amazon you know which level you’re being interviewed for up front (e.g. Sr. vs. Principal). How do you know at Google and Facebook? And if you don’t, what are the criteria for deciding during the interview? Do they start with a level in mind upfront?
At Amazon you may also get put up or down a level on rare occasions if people ducked up the initial process
Target level is decided up front, often changed after a phone screen. Final level is recommended by hiring manager but really decided by committee. Interviewers are expected to make a level recommendation
A lot of HR people try to matchup levels themselves by looking at candidates old company, http://levels.fyi is definitely a pretty popular tool
The hiring manager decides level during post-interview discussion if it’s for a pre-allocated role. In bigger orgs for general SWE positions I’ve seen it decided by a director or senior manager.
Thanks. Are there criteria they use for it?
It’s generally just us matching to the existing level roles at Facebook (and how we calibrate and define them during performance reviews) and trying to make sure we don’t set someone up for a role they can’t meet expectations in.