I've been at Amazon for about 9 months and recently received an offer from a post-ipo company that I had spoken with in the past (not revealing company for fears of doxxing myself but its a recent ipo). The new offer is about a 100k tc bump per year for me. Once I hit years 3 & 4 at Amazon, this new comp would represent around a 50k bump in cash. On the one hand, I really want to take the offer. I am currently an L4 at Amazon (still bitter about this as they down leveled me post interview then dangled the L5 promo carrot when I asked about why I was getting L4) and this new offer would take me to the company's version of L6 (I get that comparing L6 at amazon to L6 elsewhere is a stupid comp, but I feel it helps with understanding where you are in the company's eng org- point is, I'm not longer an 8 YOE employee with a new grad title). I also really like the company and the role they're offering me. It aligns really well with my interests and career goals. I have worked at companies of many sizes and going to a smaller company is also really appealing to me. On the other hand, I really like my job and team at Amazon. I like the products I work on and I love being able to see my work in real life on our web site and mobile app. I am convinced I could get to L5 quickly, but who knows how quickly since promotions at Amazon are anything but guaranteed. I'm concerned that even if I got L5, the comp wouldn't be that close to this other offer though (seems like L6 would be where I'd see comp like this). It seems like the only way to get high comp from Amazon is to get it when you come to Amazon rather than by being up leveled in the engineering org. I've heard the joke on numerous occasions that the fastest way to get an Amazon promotion/pay raise is to boomerang. Anyone at Amazon (or who was at Amazon) have any thoughts here? Am I wrong in my assessment of how my comp would change going L4->L5? I don't want to be someone who job hops quickly, but it seems like it's less penalized now than it has been in the past and I'm really hoping if I make this switch that I wont be looking for anything new for a while. YOE: 8 TC: 200k #amazon
8 YOE and you got downleveled to L4? Oof bro. If year 4 at amazon still won't beat your new offer at a higher level, especially since we are bleeding tenured talent I wouldn't expect the stock to outperform the 15% YOY expectations (it's only done 7% this year). Leave. Really simple. Don't even think twice. My old fart score is 98%+. Trust me. Leave - I already have, for post IPO as well.
Yeah, this is how I lean too. Amazon would have to have some crazy stock performance to make my meager RSUs worth enough to compete. Like unless Amazon stock quadrupled in price or I got a bunch of refreshers (unlikely), I don’t think the comps will compare at all. Those 8 YOE factor in about 6 years where I did a combination of SDET/PM/SWE work, so I wasn’t asking for L6 but I was pretty stunned when they felt I wasn’t L5. Especially considering I was coming from a company where I was an L5 and was doing pure SWE work. They got me with the “oh we can get you to L5 in a year” recruitment line lol.
Honestly the thing that surprises me is they downleveled to L4 with 8 YOE. I'm a BR and I would have passed. I guess they discounted YOE because it wasn't full SDE. Either way, GTFO. The only way it's worth it to stay is if AMZN is 10k in the next 2 years. Possible but unlikely.
Nobody will judge you for leaving Amazon in 9 months. They did bad by down leveling you so don’t feel guilty. Don’t look for excuses to stay. The longer you stay more resentment will grow. Forgive yourself for taking a lower offer and make corrections as soon as possible.