Rejected from Amazon SDM. Follow up interview TPM vs PM-T
Applied for SDM, had my virtual onsite this week but didn't get it. They said they enjoyed chatting with me though and thought I may be a good fit for TPM or PM-T. I used to manage engineers in my last role, thought I was taking a step up with the hybrid TPM/PM-T role I'm currently in (product and program mgmt across several engineering teams) but sounds like it may have hurt me as I didn't get the SDM role. I'm guessing I did OK on LP questions and system design or they wouldn't have referred me to these other roles, and that it came down to recent people management experience? I really enjoyed managing engineers and would like to end up as an SDM eventually. Which role would be better, TPM or PM-T for upward mobility? I have to let the recruiter know which one I want to pursue and then there will be more interviews (but likely not an entire loop). Sounds like PM-Ts have the opportunity to have a larger impact on the company but TPMs are more valuable for execution and work closer with engineers. Would appreciate any insights here. TC: 🥜 at 2nd/3rd tier tech YOE: 10 #amazon #tpm #pmt
PM-T is a product management role and require you to have/develop business acumen. This is less technical role and you will write a lot of docs and analyze a lot of data. TPM - is a program management role which is just to track the programs and if teams are on track. Brings less value to the table compared to PM-T but can lead you to SDM role eventually if you are in the ‘right’ team. Lot of TPMs end up in SDM roles and their SDEs hate them as they can’t understand tech details. Based on your loop, looks like you did well in LPs but not well in System Design.
Thanks for the feedback. I was prepping for an hour long system design interview and it was only 20 minutes for my loop which did throw me off. I thought it still went well though, could it have been lack of recent engineering management?
20 mins of System Design? Something went really wrong then.
Easy to switch to SDM from TPM
TPM. This is the most widely used backdoor entry to SDM role at Amazon today. You can even fast track your promo to L7 TPM in 2-3 yrs and transition to L7 SDM. Or you can transition to L6 SDM in 6 months after joining.
What role did you end up taking ? I’m in a similar state right now .
Do you enjoy looking at sprint boards and occasionally contacting other teams to see if they have an API we can use?
I do that a lot in my current role. Not my favorite thing in the world, but would do it to get into Amazon if it provided better odds for SDM down the road.
Got it, you could go for the TPM role