Purpose of this document Purpose of this document is to initiate discussion and come up with action items for accelerating my exit from Amazon with maximum severance and with minimum amount of drama. Glossary Forte - Internal Amazon tool for providing feedback to employees. URA - Un regretted attrition. Employees not eligible for rehire. Focus (aka devplan) - Plan for coaching underperforming employees. Manager does not have to inform employee if he is entered focus. Usually lasts between 1 and 3 months. During that time employee's performance is closely monitored. One can not change teams once in Focus. When leaving Amazon while in focus one is marked as URA. Pivot (aka pip) - upon failing Focus employee is presented with Pivot - a choice of a) severance and leaving Amazon b) improvent plan: set of goals with deadlines. If one beats the plan he can stay at Amazon. If fails - has to leave with lesser severance than offer at "a" Introduction SDE3 with 15yoe and less that 1y at Amazon recently received Needs Improvement rating in Forte. Manager mentioned that there is a plan that we can follow to help me improve. Manager mentioned tasks that I have to tackle next. I have no motivation to work and no desire ever come back to Amazon. Question How can I minimize: 1) time left at Amazon 2) amount of work I need to do at Amazon 3) drama/conflicts with colleagues 4) number of 1:1s with manager and maximize: 1) Severance payment Potential Risks - Immediate termination if not showing up for stand ups. I don't want to attend all. Can I skip some? - Manager trying to apply peer pressure by assigning tasks that would block teammates if not completed. Appendix 1. I don't need another job now. 2. UPDATE. Focous has been confirmed now but hasn't started yet. I hinted to manager to start it ASAP. Relevant Documents [Blind] Check out this post! Legendary Amazon PIP story 😈 (Software Engineering) https://us.teamblind.com/s/0bsObgjh
Response Why did you format your post like an investment memo? But actually, if you're unhappy at Amazon, IMO your goal should be to line up an opportunity outside Amazon. If you start putting your resume out there now, you could have an offer in 3-4 weeks.
Because of Amazon writing culture - you have to live it!
Oh lord hahahaha that makes sense
If you want to maximise severance, then just ensure you do not meet Focus requirements. Focus can be 1 - 3 months (mine was 2, and then extended to 3). Once you are entered into Pivot you can choose maximum severance. So, your worst case is: - 4 more weeks - 6 more 1:1 ( one for each week of Focus, one on entry to Pivot, one to confirm your choice) Note the severance is ~20% of your yearly base if you take th first number. ~13% If you try for Pivot PIP and %4 if you appeal and fail.
Thanks for detailed advice! Nit: 4 more weeks is best case. Worst would be 12.
If your appeal granted then how much?
Argue with your mgr in 1:1, make his life miserable and then suggest why don’t we make the focus more formal and move ahead..u could also make subtle suggestions of how u are going to give low connection scores everyday while u r there.. and can do that.. can’t fire over connection scores!
Please give us updates as you go. I've been on focus for month and a half with no definitive end date. I've hinted at moving to next steps and just gotten vague answers of "dont worry." I'd like to just get to Pivot so I have a firm PIP plan and can decide if I want to fight or leave. This stupid focus is vague with no clear objectives or time lines.
Are you working as hard as before? I guess, if you bring value they don't need to pivot you ASAP. That's why people suggest mentioning to the manager that you are leaving low connection scores etc. Also, they put on focus twice as many people as they need to fire. You have to be worse than the other guy to be offered pivot. I've talked to someone here on blind who was pivoted and he had 2 CRs in a year. I think you really need to slack off to get severance. For tenured folks even if we deliver at 25% capacity it's still valuable for the company.
Yeah, that makes sense. Initially, I thought manager was really trying to help growth so i was trying to adjua/ priorities. It wasn't until I got to blind and realized not being able to transfer was a sign of focus that I realized the process. At this point though, even if I get through, I dont want to stay. I'm like you and don't need a job right away and ready for a break. Unfortunately I'm not confrontational and a bit of an introvert which is what got me here. I tried too hard to be a team player and help others out since I had some blockers on my work which made it seem like I wasn't doing the right things. The blockers were known as well and there was no way around them other than waiting on other teams.
Update. I'm still here. Dunno when my focus ends. I think they have trouble hiring the replacement and I'm not that awful.
just tell your manager that you will take the severance. Its hard for managers to keep \updating focus entries, gte that approved etc.. so they are also usually happy that they dont have to go through the painful drama.
How about now? I'll on the same boat. Focus has been going on 4+ months. Should i Still waste my time here? How's your life op? Do you still deliver results?
I still don't deliver results (work less than 2h per day) but still no pivot. I was hoping to have a summer vacation, but looks like I'm gonna work a few more weeks. Why 4 months for you? Usually it's 1-3months,so it was extended, right?
Another update: original focus plan finished. According to the manager I improved in some areas, but still not meeting the bar. But I'm still around. I ASKED FOR PIVOT DIRECTLY A MONTH AGO. He came back saying that HR advised for the plan to finish. We'll, the plan has finished. Where is my pivot?!
Update: manager said that we'll be moving to a more formal process (e.g. Pivot). Finally!
Sorry Amazon now time for better future. L6 pivot I heard is rare. Is not true Amazon?
That took waaaaaaay too long wtf.
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It sounds like you need to start LCing now then sandbag yourself on your devplan. When they start talking severance, be interviewing.
Updated doc. Don't need another job. Just want to leave Amazon ASAP with severance in time for summer 🏖 🍹 👙
Ohh. Well, sounds like you might need advice from other Amazon folks. IDK how they dole out severance packages