Amazon ex-VP reveals the hard rules employees must follow to get promoted
Former Amazon VP Ethan Evans has revealed what it takes for engineers to move from L5 to L6 and L7, saying promotions depend on much more than technical skills. But employee stories show that bigger salaries and career growth can also bring intense pressure.
Getting promoted at Amazon is not simply about being good at your job. According to former Amazon vice president Ethan Evans, engineers who want to move up the company's career ladder need to show that they can take ownership, solve problems without constant supervision and make life easier for the people around them. Evans, who spent 15 years at Amazon and oversaw promotions for more than 270 engineers, has shared his view of how engineers can move from L5 to L6 and eventually L7.
For an L5 engineer, the first requirement is consistency. Evans says employees need to demonstrate that they can independently deliver projects, deal with incomplete information and take on less glamorous work without becoming difficult to manage.
Once an engineer has established themselves as a strong L5 performer, the expectations change. To reach L6, employees need to go beyond executing assigned work. Evans says they should come up with useful ideas, take charge of major projects and spot problems that senior leadership may not have noticed.
Mentoring colleagues, influencing teammates and staying effective during crises can also strengthen an employee's case. Evans estimates that reaching L6 typically requires one to two years of consistent performance and relationship-building.
The jump from L6 to L7 is considerably harder. Staff and principal engineers are expected to tackle complex, unclear problems with little supervision while understanding how their technical decisions affect the wider business. They also need to influence teams outside their immediate group, work with senior leaders, communicate with non-technical colleagues and still "lead through code" by delivering complicated systems themselves.
Evans also points out that engineers can move into management at different stages. Some switch at L5, while others wait until L6 or L7. The later they move, the more technical expertise they bring, although senior engineers moving into management need to avoid micromanaging.
Bigger salaries, bigger pressures for Amazon employees
While Amazon's promotion ladder rewards performance and leadership, stories from employees show that a higher position and bigger salary do not necessarily make work or life easier.
One 26-year-old Amazon analyst recently wrote on Grapevine that tripling his salary had left him feeling "completely trapped". He said he works 12–15 hours a day while dealing with family responsibilities, medical concerns and pressure to buy a house, save for marriage and become the "responsible son."
Another Amazon employee in the US, senior product manager Eshaan Jain, told Business Insider that his total compensation is about $285,000, yet he does not feel financially secure. His take-home pay is around $12,000 a month, but a $5,000 mortgage, healthcare, utilities, childcare and other expenses consume a large part of it.
Meanwhile, an Amazon UX/UI designer in India recently went viral after complaining about the tax deducted from their April salary. The employee said the TDS alone exceeded their father's last salary before retirement, describing the experience as feeling like being "punished for earning well."
Getting promoted at Amazon is not simply about being good at your job. According to former Amazon vice president Ethan Evans, engineers who want to move up the company's career ladder need to show that they can take ownership, solve problems without constant supervision and make life easier for the people around them. Evans, who spent 15 years at Amazon and oversaw promotions for more than 270 engineers, has shared his view of how engineers can move from L5 to L6 and eventually L7.
For an L5 engineer, the first requirement is consistency. Evans says employees need to demonstrate that they can independently deliver projects, deal with incomplete information and take on less glamorous work without becoming difficult to manage.
Once an engineer has established themselves as a strong L5 performer, the expectations change. To reach L6, employees need to go beyond executing assigned work. Evans says they should come up with useful ideas, take charge of major projects and spot problems that senior leadership may not have noticed.
Mentoring colleagues, influencing teammates and staying effective during crises can also strengthen an employee's case. Evans estimates that reaching L6 typically requires one to two years of consistent performance and relationship-building.
The jump from L6 to L7 is considerably harder. Staff and principal engineers are expected to tackle complex, unclear problems with little supervision while understanding how their technical decisions affect the wider business. They also need to influence teams outside their immediate group, work with senior leaders, communicate with non-technical colleagues and still "lead through code" by delivering complicated systems themselves.
Evans also points out that engineers can move into management at different stages. Some switch at L5, while others wait until L6 or L7. The later they move, the more technical expertise they bring, although senior engineers moving into management need to avoid micromanaging.
Bigger salaries, bigger pressures for Amazon employees
While Amazon's promotion ladder rewards performance and leadership, stories from employees show that a higher position and bigger salary do not necessarily make work or life easier.
One 26-year-old Amazon analyst recently wrote on Grapevine that tripling his salary had left him feeling "completely trapped". He said he works 12–15 hours a day while dealing with family responsibilities, medical concerns and pressure to buy a house, save for marriage and become the "responsible son."
Another Amazon employee in the US, senior product manager Eshaan Jain, told Business Insider that his total compensation is about $285,000, yet he does not feel financially secure. His take-home pay is around $12,000 a month, but a $5,000 mortgage, healthcare, utilities, childcare and other expenses consume a large part of it.
Meanwhile, an Amazon UX/UI designer in India recently went viral after complaining about the tax deducted from their April salary. The employee said the TDS alone exceeded their father's last salary before retirement, describing the experience as feeling like being "punished for earning well."
Getting promoted at Amazon is not simply about being good at your job. According to former Amazon vice president Ethan Evans, engineers who want to move up the company's career ladder need to show that they can take ownership, solve problems without constant supervision and make life easier for the people around them. Evans, who spent 15 years at Amazon and oversaw promotions for more than 270 engineers, has shared his view of how engineers can move from L5 to L6 and eventually L7.
For an L5 engineer, the first requirement is consistency. Evans says employees need to demonstrate that they can independently deliver projects, deal with incomplete information and take on less glamorous work without becoming difficult to manage.
Once an engineer has established themselves as a strong L5 performer, the expectations change. To reach L6, employees need to go beyond executing assigned work. Evans says they should come up with useful ideas, take charge of major projects and spot problems that senior leadership may not have noticed.
Mentoring colleagues, influencing teammates and staying effective during crises can also strengthen an employee's case. Evans estimates that reaching L6 typically requires one to two years of consistent performance and relationship-building.
The jump from L6 to L7 is considerably harder. Staff and principal engineers are expected to tackle complex, unclear problems with little supervision while understanding how their technical decisions affect the wider business. They also need to influence teams outside their immediate group, work with senior leaders, communicate with non-technical colleagues and still "lead through code" by delivering complicated systems themselves.
Evans also points out that engineers can move into management at different stages. Some switch at L5, while others wait until L6 or L7. The later they move, the more technical expertise they bring, although senior engineers moving into management need to avoid micromanaging.
Bigger salaries, bigger pressures for Amazon employees
While Amazon's promotion ladder rewards performance and leadership, stories from employees show that a higher position and bigger salary do not necessarily make work or life easier.
One 26-year-old Amazon analyst recently wrote on Grapevine that tripling his salary had left him feeling "completely trapped". He said he works 12–15 hours a day while dealing with family responsibilities, medical concerns and pressure to buy a house, save for marriage and become the "responsible son."
Another Amazon employee in the US, senior product manager Eshaan Jain, told Business Insider that his total compensation is about $285,000, yet he does not feel financially secure. His take-home pay is around $12,000 a month, but a $5,000 mortgage, healthcare, utilities, childcare and other expenses consume a large part of it.
Meanwhile, an Amazon UX/UI designer in India recently went viral after complaining about the tax deducted from their April salary. The employee said the TDS alone exceeded their father's last salary before retirement, describing the experience as feeling like being "punished for earning well."
