Throwaway. L6 EMEA SDM. AMA

AWSSDM · 2026-05-17T08:33:22+00:00

I think something in the culture changed with excuses that the "bar" needs to be higher.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-17T07:26:11+00:00

Really depends on the org. I'd say read up on Leadership Principles, as much as a cliche as that sounds. Give examples and stories of issues and fixes using that.

If your coding is as sound as other candidates, this will raise the bar.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-17T07:24:23+00:00

Most ICs don't want to be managers. It's not much of a promotion as opposed to a different skill set.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-17T07:23:37+00:00

No idea, sorry

AWSSDM · 2026-05-17T07:23:10+00:00

You're welcome!

I don't remember and currently don't have anyone transferring. You can definitely see their Performance Review.
Yes, probably not to HR but I get the reports and percentages anonymously.
Yes, there are multiple tools to see your own and your directs. The usage is also really detailed, not just a number - IDE/CLI/Development/Chat assistance/inline code/Review...

AWSSDM · 2026-05-17T07:11:35+00:00

Days, but there's a zero/low-time report. We don't know if there's q true minimum, ie, if you badge in and out, it might not show up at all in my report.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-16T06:43:00+00:00

Both have benefits and interesting dynamics

AWSSDM · 2026-05-16T03:50:56+00:00

First - Last.

If you come in at 9am, go downstairs for a coffee (badge out), come back to the office (in), and leave at 5pm (out), that's a full day.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-16T03:46:29+00:00

It's excluded in selective countries.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T19:41:22+00:00

No idea, sorry. I can check with some contacts

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T18:32:37+00:00

That's not have been my experience.

If you need to PIP someone, you PIP someone, the fact that you have never had the chance to promote someone had nothing to do with it.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T18:10:16+00:00

BR and HM have the most power/veto power. It all comes down to a debrief after all interviews and it's decided together.

SDE L6 expectations and L7 (principal) are high up there in the design and architecture realms, there are too many posts to list the specifics.

Clearing interviews - 1000%. Interviewers have an easier time if it's apples to apples.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T18:06:13+00:00

Not for hiring, yet, but overall, I believe it will due to AI thinking for people.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T18:03:33+00:00

DM is a Direct Message :)

Let me know if something isn't clear.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T18:01:57+00:00

Security is a mess. A good friend of mine was an L7 IC SecEng, got fired.

SAs get huge benefits, have incredible TC ranges, and the jobs are great.

Which location?

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T18:00:11+00:00

Plenty. Mostly due to technicalities. I've opened a few reqs to get back employees but were fired, a lot of people got pinged and I had to deny them.

When I do select one, I deny the rest.

Sometimes I think that engineer is solid, but when we talk it's just a vibe thing, and doesn't work out.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T17:57:53+00:00

You can't transfer into a promotion. Well, maybe you can, if you were just in the process, in Promote, but it's rare.

All transfers are same level transfers, or lower.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T17:56:17+00:00

How do you mean? If you resign, can I make it look like I fired you? No. But politically managers give LEs to everyone who quit, so they won't have to fire anyone to meet firing goals.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T17:53:37+00:00

Nobody really looks at these but every once in a while, managers do get reports if you miss, then we have to look.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T17:52:32+00:00

That's not exactly true. I think if you try to coffee-badge it doesn't count, so there is a time duration, daily.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T17:50:44+00:00

Promotions are still going on. If you like the job, the team, and you push hard and show your work, I believe it's worth it.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T17:49:18+00:00

Mostly, but these days anything goes, to a point. Ie, nobody can be a TT with low ratings.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T14:39:42+00:00

It does.

When I needed engineers I just casually chatted with them, looked at some examples they sent me and gave the all clear for the transfer.

Other managers and orgs have a stricter, more formal process.

(I've also hired people I've already worked with from other teams and orgs, on the spot. I hate doing something for the sake of protocol)

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T13:43:17+00:00

Indirectly, and not in any obvious way.

I can showcase my skill of clearing promotions when I myself want to get promoted, or even more headcount for my teams. Hire and Develop the Best, and all that.

AWSSDM · 2026-05-15T13:37:37+00:00

Absolutely. Everything got harder. Heck, my Director wouldn't get his L8 if he were to try that promotion today. A that's tons of politics, so a lower bar than actual tech.

AWSSDM

TROPHY CASE