Amazon offer downleved from SDE 2 to SDE 1. Wait or join?
Anonymous User
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Career

YOE : 2.5 years as Software Developer in non FAANG, but big MNC
Applied for SDE-2 role at Amazon. Recruiter told me that system design round did not go well so they can only make SDE-1 offer.

So....

Should I wait for 6 months, sharpen my system design and apply again? Don't know how realistic is this plan since I am hardly doing any system design work at my present company, plan would be read grokkking system design and system design primer github repo again I think.

Or should I take the offer and hope for a quick promotion. Don't know how realistic this plan is since they would prefer to promote SDE-1 who is working there from start and more familiar with Amazon processes first.

Listing out some of the pros and cons which I could think of.

Pros

  • Increased salary. 20% raise + 8 units of stock + joining bonus (to be negotiated, but fixed component can't be increased as this is SDE-1 max salary at Amazon).
  • There is very little difference in fixed component being offered and SDE-2 starting fixed component.
  • Better work (as I have heard from people on internet).
  • Ease of switching teams (Not sure how easy it is, again just heard from internet).
  • Get hands on experience in scalability and system design (I know this is team dependent but considering above point of switching teams to be true).
  • Role is of android developer, prior experience with it in my present company might help be get a faster promotion.

Cons

  • Almost no salary increment next year since I am already at their SDE-1 salary cap.
  • Could potentially be SDE-1 till 3 years or more at amazon in worst case, making my overall industry experience as 5.5 years and still an SDE-1.

Two more points which have me slightly inclined towards joining

  • I am right now an android developer, but want to explore back-end as well. It is not so easy to switch teams in my current company and ease of switching teams at amazon is lucrative since early in my career, I want to experience breadth. Also, my main focus in on developing skills early on in career so that I can reap benefits later, 'good work' at amazon should help me here. So I am thiking work for the android team till SDE-2 promotion and then change teams.

  • Recruiter's feedback for not offering SDE-2 was system design but as per my experience, I had a good system design round. So I am kinda lost in what can I improve. Also, I know that interviews are luck based as well, and I might not get lucky the next time I apply, and with increasing years in industry, I think I might not even get downleved but straight away rejection in future.

Because of these two additional points, my initial gut feeling says that I should join. But am I missing something? Really really confused at this moment. Help needed!! Thanks in advance.

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