What happens if I go into the Facebook general SWE pipeline as a 20yoe experience architect?
That's all they are offering me. Assuming I pass all the coding where would I be placed? I'm concerned I would be placed as a midlevel and there isn't any way to be directly hired as a principal.
Have you received an offer? We could tell you what level they’re slotting you for. Generally even our rockstar engineers are still technically just an SWE
No offer. Just the opportunity to interview. If I do well could I get E8 or is that reserved for people who cured cancer or whatever.
Opportunity for interview does not mean you get the job. Is the position you applied (or were referred) E7?
You wouldnt even get an offer.. LeetCode man
If I ace every leetcode what will my TC be?
400k
I don't think you'll reach the right kind of people here through blind. At E8 level, personal network matters more. Try finding your connections in G/F who can help you introduce to the right people. If you have none even after working at an architect level at Apple, we can't help you.
They are all managers and want me to be a manager
On a side note, what level does a VP (tech) in a typical fortune 500 company (Eg Fidelity, Ford, UnitedHealth, PizzaHut) map to at FANG.
Statistically speaking you will get clobbered. At 20yoe you will be targeted at E6 unless you are coming from a very well known tech firm with high regard (seems you are not). You are then almost guaranteed to blow it in both coding and most importantly system design as expectations will be high to clear E6. You then may or may not be offered E5 if you still perform well enough, but they may or may not skip on giving you E5 even though its terminal level because of your yoe (toss of a coin). Frankly, if you even have to ask about this, you will probably not going to make it, but it is totally worth a shot - just make sure to prep the shit out of it and take it very seriously even if you think some “kids” are interviewing you.
I'm coming from Apple. Systems design is my strongest area, coding is the only thing I would worry about and that is something I can practice. My question is whether they would even let me get past E5 because the recruiter says nobody she talked to had anything over that.
Ok then I think you should get a decent shot at E6+. Good recruiter will show your resume to hiring managers setting up interview loops and will assign you a target level. Plenty of candidates interview for E6. Higher than that I don’t even know the process, must be special pipeline.
OP, I'm not sure whether you're naive or just not being serious. At Facebook or Google, 90%+ of level 6+ hires are made through personal connections. At that level, even the majority of team transfers are done through personal connections. If you are targeting an IC8 role, no company would pay potentially multi-million dollar TC to someone hired through an interview pipeline without that candidate being personally vouched for by someone at the VP level or above.
Yeah makes sense. I just wanted confirmation. They have job ads for VP roles though, are the much more open to non technical people at that high level?
Thats not true, for E6 you dont need any connections. For E7 and above perhaps, but you know if you fit that role by then
It would help if you disclose your TC, so people can help better
Something like 1mm after years of stock appreciation. A lot. 4000 RSU from 2014.
Generally stock appreciation is not a good indicator of TC in terms of mobility.
We’re usually pretty cautious with level setting and try to avoid setting up people for failure by over-leveling them. So, I would recommend to go in and KILL the E6 interview, then request for follow ups to be up-leveled to E7/8. As other people mentioned, coming in directly at any level above E6 requires special connections and a certain level of fame within the industry. But it is possible once we actually see your interview performance. Regarding interviews, we administrator the same ones regardless of level, but we expect deeper dives into the design and architecture interview, and a behavioral interview performance befitting of someone with your amount of experience.
That is helpful, thank you.
I think you can most shoot for E7. I don't think E8 is possible.
First give an interview as your best..
You need to tell more about "20 yoe". Without that it's hard to tell which level you might be brought in.
Past 10yoe leading large multi team projects as a architect at apple and others. Still good at coding but mostly a lead. I'm pretty sure I'm at the top of whatever pay grade they have, they just have no openings for that outside management.
What's your level at apple?