Startup versus amazon L5
Hi I have around 15+ years of experience in several MNC in storage and database and startup. Have two offers : Amazon L5 offer at 280k TC and another at series B machine learning startup much lower TC but big percentage of the company. Don’t feel like negotiating with the Amazon offer: am not interested in talking when some does so much of low leveling. The AI startup going big is a matter of luck but chances are there. Also don’t have to deal with hierarchy of managers in Amazon. What do people feel?
Can you please give me a breakdown of your compensation offer at Amazon; base ? sign on ? RSU total ? Is this for AWS?
Yeah. It was useless to talk when someone starts with such numbers. Btw I don’t think amazon brand does not matter for my experience level. I already have a few brands other than FAANG companies. The startup culture is also is also interesting and learning is better
Are you not happy with numbers or level or both? I’m pretty sure at L5 this is way above ceiling. You should tell recruiter to setup for L6 loop rather than L5. They should be able to re-interview if you rocked your L5 interviews. I’ve seen such case here.
280K is too high for L5...pretty much overlapping with start of L6. IMO, experience is one parameter for level but can’t be solely treated as directly proportional to level. L6 bar at Amazon is pretty good and I’ve seen folks ranging from 3-20yrs working as L5. You would probably rock here considering your experience and salary range offered...should be able to move to L6 in 1-2 years considering things goes well and you got good projects.
Move to L6 require a lot of proof and projects that you have delivered. Hard to do in two years coming from outside . First you have to build enough trust to get assigned projects with a large enough scope and impact.
What's a good comp offer for Amazon L6 QA in SF Bay Area?
I was making better than that from the place I am moving out . The work factor was the issue. So they ha for match . Base is 185, 78k+68k and then 200 RSU
Good one! You certainly are an exception to general L5 who are hired! Certainly you can get an L6 (which will be awesome) within an year!
I have also heard that in the name of scalability the work is mostly bug fixing in AWS. And the Palo alto versus Seattle work assignments is another angle. Managers over commit and engineer have to meet the unrealistic schedules. Machine learning at lower pay was adding a different angle to my resume.
Your mind seems made up at this point so why are you asking? Every comment you’ve made is just an attack on amazon.
L5 is too low for 15 years experience
Ok yes. Especially since I had built distributed storage systems for a startup and a mnc over 6-7 years. Ie relevant experience. I guess the HR folks simply have a generic rule to low level. Big company stuff.
HR doesn’t decide level here and pretty much at FANG. HM and bar raiser decides that based on loop feedback. Either you were wrongly setup for L5 loop by recruiter or you’re not considered at l6 level based on interview performance. I would highly advice talking to recruiter since they are hiring you on L6 salary, they would definitely address your concern with valid reasons if any. Best of luck!
So one guy in my team joined as a L5 after 15 years of industry experience as well. Certainly he is seen as a future L6 since Day 1 and he delivers on it as well
Startup, especially if you’ve got a good enough rain fund. Amazon seems extremely low for a engineer of your tenure.
When you say that, "good enough rain fund" , what number comes to mind??