Hi all, I know these questions are might be repetitive, but I hoping to get some advice on my situation. I have two new grad offers from Amazon and Microsoft: 1. Amazon SDE-1 (AWS): Base: 116k Sign-on: 50k (27k first year, 23k second year) Stocks: 86k (5/15/40/40) 2. Microsoft L59 (Bing ads Team \ WebXT org) Base: 110k Sign-on: 25k Stocks: 95k (25% after 6 months and 25% every year) Performance bonus: 0-20% but heard people generally only get 10% Questions: 1. Can anyone from Microsoft give me their two cents on the WebXT org or the bing team concerning work-life balance? 2. I will be targeting promotions aggressively early on, if so which company is better? 3. I prefer to switch teams and org if possible to explore more early on in my career before I settle down. How easy is it to switch org or teams in both places? 4. I don't mind taking a small hit in TC for a better work-life balance or a better working environment. I heard Bing has bad wlb, similar to Amazon. 5. When it comes down to it, I don't mind working long hours early on as long as I can make more impact with my work while taking risks. Where will I be encouraged to do that? Any suggestions are welcome, thanks! #swe #microsoft #amazon #newgrad
I worked at both companies and optimize for learning over WLB. I know Amazon has a bad rep, but the processes are generally more structured and streamlined. You can take those learnings to whichever future company you’ll go. If you want to stay in a company for 30 years, go to Microsoft. The pace is slower, and you must push yourself if you want to learn.
Are you at Microsoft now because you prioritize wlb more now? Also, do you have any idea about the Bing team? like how is it regarded with in the company, tech stack or working environment?
If you're clear with your manger about your goals up front and their not terrible, you can get 6 month promo and then 1 year promo pretty realistically or faster if you're good At msft unless you're staying in your org it's basically the same as interviewing outside the company. Day of interviews with the team after informational with the manager. At that point you may as well interview outside the company for bump in TC instead of staying.
Thanks for your response . Does Msft do international transfers between orgs, asking cuz I will be on visa. Also, another question is that say I am switching orgs and interviewing, will my manager be notified? if so, when do they get notified? is it if I succeed or if I fail or both cases?
They're not supposed to be notified but it is possible that the hiring manager can reach out to your current manager. Standard procedure is you don't have to tell your current manager until you have a formal offer from the new team. I have no idea about international team transfers. I think it's possible but i have no experience with it.
If you want to work on a failed product, join Bing.
Elaborate please :)
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1.N/A. 2. Microsoft/Amazon don’t promote that quickly, the TC raise with reach promotion is also lackluster 3. You’ll need to re interview with other teams if they’re outside your org. Some do full loops, some do behavioral only. You’ll probably need to wait at least 6 months - a year before switching 4. I’ve heard Bing WLB isn’t the best either, but at least MSFT focuses on WLB as a core value. Don’t think I’ve ever heard Amazon execs talk about WLB 5.DUNNO
Thanks for your response, will keep this in mind. To your answer on question 3, do you a full interview loop in both Amazon and Microsoft? Also, do the majority prefer a full interview loop?
I can’t speak for Amazon, but for Microsoft it depends on the team. If you try to join one of the Xbox Games Studios and you don’t have prior game experience, it’ll probably be a full loop. Same would apply if you tried to move from ODSP->Mixed Reality. It’s easier/shorter the more similar the teams are in their work.