I'm an L6 SWE at Google, should I leave to Amazon as a principal engineer?

Google / Eng
boston123

Go to company page Google Eng

PRE
Delphix, VMware
boston123
Oct 11, 2021 112 Comments

I have an offer from Amazon as a principal engineer at Alexa and the total comp is significantly higher. My current TC is 450, Amazon is offering around 700. I think I'm underpaid (for the market) at YouTube and it sounds like they won't try to compete with Amazon for salary.

I'm torn and worried about my work life balance at Amazon. Any advice?

Any ex-googlers at Amazon? Is leaving Google a good idea?

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TOP 112 Comments
  • Amazon
    falcon99

    Go to company page Amazon

    falcon99
    700k or work life balance. Choose one.
    Oct 11, 2021 0
  • Amazon
    Bello674

    Go to company page Amazon

    Bello674
    Leaving Google is not a bad idea per-se but joining Amazon / AWS is just the worst possible move for anyone with *any* other options in life. There are good reasons Google will not match the TC offer Amazon made…. and there are good reasons Amazon can make the offer - just check their back end loaded RSU vest schedule and personnel attrition rates. Not much of that TC will ever be seen hitting an employee bank account and you will be burdened by heavy therapy bills for the Amazon / AWS delivered PTSD.
    Oct 11, 2021 9
  • Amazon
    dontcome

    Go to company page Amazon

    dontcome
    PE at Amazon writes zero code and gives out directives to sub teams with their influence. It’s meetings all day every day and lots of document reading and writing.
    Oct 11, 2021 8
    • Google
      ac-robot

      Go to company page Google

      ac-robot
      Well at Google you can be L6 IC who got there for deep technical contributions and continue to do the same, they write code daily for 3-4 hrs or two days a week. I know several L6 in my Org who do that. Admittedly it's easier in case of research or research-y product areas like Applied ML
      Oct 11, 2021
    • New
      metaWPeace

      New

      PRE
      Amazon
      metaWPeace
      False, worked with PE who wrote tons of codee
      Nov 26, 2021
  • Google
    googirl

    Go to company page Google

    googirl
    you might as well interview at more places if you're thinking of leaving. You'll probably get similar TCs at others too.
    Oct 11, 2021 1
  • New
    Thrashher

    New

    Thrashher
    Take and and boomerang in a year or 2
    Oct 11, 2021 1