Got some replies to the thread but later deleted it for privacy reasons. Basically the choice I’m faced with is whether I should downlevel from SDE II at my current company to become SDE I at a different company. [I was unexpectedly promoted to SDE II at my current company recently.] The poll I put up recommended differently than the comments. Here is a summary:
New Company Pros:
Pays slightly more after taxes and location based expenses, ~10% more. Eventually pays significantly more at equal number of additional years in each company based on online compensation data at levels.fyi. However do read “staying” pros #1 for caveat.
Harder to get into
More company perks/benefits (it’s a big tech company that starts with a G)
Staying at current company pros:
Work-life balance does appear to be better here based on conversation with new company’s hiring manager
I have a good track record here and was promoted much faster than is normal (promoted at 1.5 YOE vs 2.5 YOE normally).
Good relationship with manager also.
I should add also that my current plan is to negotiate with the new company for higher compensation since currently the deals seem relatively equal to me
Cool. Take a moment to notice how lovely it is to have such choices. I have one general piece of advice, and a few things specific to SDE/SDM in FAANG-like companies.
First, and my wife needs to remind me of this EVERY time I consider a job change, it’s not a one-way door. As long as you’re not a jerk as you leave, your previous employer(s) would love to have you back if it doesn’t work out. You don’t even need a good reason for wanting to go back—just “personality conflict, I liked it much better before” and you’ll almost certainly be welcomed back. At least two big tech companies I know of have a “no interview required” re-hire policy in 6 months or 1 year.
For more big-tech-specific points:
Especially at lower levels (say, first 10 years of professional coding), changing jobs every few years gets you more exposure to different tech, and more importantly different product, operational, and management styles. This BOTH lets you be noticed by more people in terms of contacts and promotion, AND gives you a clearer view of options if/when you decide to specialize.
At any level, working with new people, on the same or different tech, gives you new perspectives on how to get things done.
There’s more variation between groups/teams in a big company than you might expect. Once your in, it’s usually pretty easy to try different SDE jobs without a full job search.
The work/life balance thing is real, but aspects of it apply regardless of where you work. You’re going to have a better life if you actively like your coworkers, and if you can actively support the mission of the team/product you’re on. I won’t go so far as Twain with ““Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”, but if you find that your job is only a paycheck and not an active positive element for you, do something else.
Keep options open—make sure you leave on good terms, and let the job offers you don’t accept know that it was for reasons that may not apply in the future.
Thanks for the helpful tips! I did end up negotiating with the new company over a couple rounds, and they ended up raising the compensation by about 10%, after which I accepted their offer. The labor market is very tight right now across the industry and in fact across the entire economy, so I had a feeling they would be willing to move up even with no competing offer in hand. Usually, the sentiment on teamblind is that G doesn’t like to negotiate offers without a competing one present.
Got some replies to the thread but later deleted it for privacy reasons. Basically the choice I’m faced with is whether I should downlevel from SDE II at my current company to become SDE I at a different company. [I was unexpectedly promoted to SDE II at my current company recently.] The poll I put up recommended differently than the comments. Here is a summary:
New Company Pros:
Pays slightly more after taxes and location based expenses, ~10% more. Eventually pays significantly more at equal number of additional years in each company based on online compensation data at levels.fyi. However do read “staying” pros #1 for caveat.
Harder to get into
More company perks/benefits (it’s a big tech company that starts with a G)
Staying at current company pros:
Work-life balance does appear to be better here based on conversation with new company’s hiring manager
I have a good track record here and was promoted much faster than is normal (promoted at 1.5 YOE vs 2.5 YOE normally).
Good relationship with manager also.
I should add also that my current plan is to negotiate with the new company for higher compensation since currently the deals seem relatively equal to me
Cool. Take a moment to notice how lovely it is to have such choices. I have one general piece of advice, and a few things specific to SDE/SDM in FAANG-like companies.
First, and my wife needs to remind me of this EVERY time I consider a job change, it’s not a one-way door. As long as you’re not a jerk as you leave, your previous employer(s) would love to have you back if it doesn’t work out. You don’t even need a good reason for wanting to go back—just “personality conflict, I liked it much better before” and you’ll almost certainly be welcomed back. At least two big tech companies I know of have a “no interview required” re-hire policy in 6 months or 1 year.
For more big-tech-specific points:
Especially at lower levels (say, first 10 years of professional coding), changing jobs every few years gets you more exposure to different tech, and more importantly different product, operational, and management styles. This BOTH lets you be noticed by more people in terms of contacts and promotion, AND gives you a clearer view of options if/when you decide to specialize.
At any level, working with new people, on the same or different tech, gives you new perspectives on how to get things done.
There’s more variation between groups/teams in a big company than you might expect. Once your in, it’s usually pretty easy to try different SDE jobs without a full job search.
The work/life balance thing is real, but aspects of it apply regardless of where you work. You’re going to have a better life if you actively like your coworkers, and if you can actively support the mission of the team/product you’re on. I won’t go so far as Twain with ““Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”, but if you find that your job is only a paycheck and not an active positive element for you, do something else.
Keep options open—make sure you leave on good terms, and let the job offers you don’t accept know that it was for reasons that may not apply in the future.
Thanks for the helpful tips! I did end up negotiating with the new company over a couple rounds, and they ended up raising the compensation by about 10%, after which I accepted their offer. The labor market is very tight right now across the industry and in fact across the entire economy, so I had a feeling they would be willing to move up even with no competing offer in hand. Usually, the sentiment on teamblind is that G doesn’t like to negotiate offers without a competing one present.