Need advice on promo to L6 SDE

Amazon
g1re9a8t7

Go to company page Amazon

g1re9a8t7
Mar 13, 2021 17 Comments

I am a L5 SDE and have been in AWS for 3+ years. I always thought SDE3 was a level that needs extremely high tech bar and felt that I need to learn & improve a lot to feel confident enough to compete and perform well compared to other SDE3's. But now I feel that I was a fool who set unreasonably high bar of SDE3 for myself and never tried hard enough to get promoted. Now when I look at other people who are getting promoted to SDE3 I am not able to understand how are they making it happen and then able to survive because they are definitely are not performing at SDE3 level compared to the SDE3's I have worked with. Also saw a guy get promoted from SDE1 to 2 and then to 3 in a span of 4-5 years.

I don't know if I am under or overestimating the new SDE3's so genuinely want to understand what would it take to be a good senior engineer and be able to perform in any company not just AWS.

I have been a dev for more than 7 years and still feel if I get promoted to SDE3 here and if I join Netflix or Google or a good startup next (which I want to) I may not be able to compete or survive there as senior SDE.

Its not that I am a bad dev coz I have been top performer in my previous company every year which is one of the top companies in tech.

I have seen & worked with some senior sde's in the past whom I really admire for their knowledge and skills and would like to be like them but never like the once I see getting promoted these days here in Amazon.

I would also want to know how are SDE3 from Amazon performing in other companies ?

YOE 7
TC 220

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TOP 17 Comments
  • Google / Eng
    ABC-CEO

    Go to company page Google Eng

    ABC-CEO
    Anyone in your team promoted to sde3 recently? How are you compared to them? If nobody got promoted, then you're in the wrong team.
    Mar 13, 2021 4
  • Amazon
    fg_

    Go to company page Amazon

    fg_
    One year out of college, I interviewed for Amazon. When I received offer, I was told it is for SDE 2. I feared I wouldn't be able to perform at that level. To top it I was pregnant and had to monitor my stress levels. 3 years later and now an SDE 3 I still have self doubts.

    I guess some of us tend to over estimate and some underestimate. The key is constant caliberation.

    Some tips
    Gather informal feedback from team constantly. (Not just manager and can be a subtle question here and there).
    Postmortem an artifact you created 6 months ago, and see what you have done differently.
    Help others to be self-sufficient. I understood helping others improved my confidence.
    Mar 16, 2021 1
  • Google
    eitq23

    Go to company page Google

    eitq23
    Ex Amazon SDE3 here. Been at G and N, it's not too hard to survive. Ask me any specific questions.
    Mar 14, 2021 3
    • Google
      eitq23

      Go to company page Google

      eitq23
      If you are on high side of sde-2 then you shouldn't worry about moving to next level. You should strive to be average performer at next level than a good performer at current level. You will grow when you start putting yourself in hard positions. Move to next level ASAP.
      Mar 14, 2021
    • Amazon
      g1re9a8t7

      Go to company page Amazon

      g1re9a8t7
      OP
      thanks for the advice
      Mar 14, 2021
  • Amazon
    bezoedeld

    Go to company page Amazon

    bezoedeld
    Imposter syndrome detected. Believe in yourself, go for it aggressively. Then switch to L5 in G or equivalent levels elsewhere.
    Mar 14, 2021 1
  • Amazon
    cRIo41

    Go to company page Amazon

    cRIo41
    220k for 7yoe l5🀯 Are you in a low cost of living area? Is stock appreciation included? You are wayyy underpaid and should find a new job asap
    Mar 13, 2021 1