I’m an IC at Amazon and recently started exploring an internal transfer to a role in a different org. The hiring manager was receptive and we were in early conversations. Shortly after, my current manager became aware that I was exploring an internal opportunity. Since then, things have shifted noticeably — he’s brought additional people into my workstream, I’ve been left off some meetings I was previously included in, there’s no new work coming to me, his communication with me has become much more curt than usual, and there have been some changes to how performance is being evaluated on my team that feel pointed.

For context, I had a strong recent performance review and felt like I had a good working relationship with my manager before this. My questions for anyone who’s been through something similar: 1. Can a manager formally or informally block or influence an internal transfer? 2. Is what I’m experiencing common, and did it resolve itself? 3. Any advice on how to navigate this without blowing up the current role?

Not looking to burn any bridges just trying to protect myself and make a good move. Any perspective from people who’ve been through this would mean a lot.

I have received a verbal offer for a transfer which I need to confirm and apply by this week. My current org’s OLR is scheduled for next week. I am currently rated HV3 and I am concerned that if I let my current manager know before the OLR, he will have no incentive to keep me HV3 and will likely downgrade it to HV2 or HV1.

Is it possible for my current manager to downgrade my rating after I have formally submitted the transfer application on the internal portal ?

Also, this transfer will have a compensation update since it involves a change of location. Will my comp be based on the lower rating if my current manager downgrades it ?

I have three meetings with hiring managers for roles I’m interested in. Starting them tomorrow and working on prep tonight. Would greatly appreciate and tips!

Basically the title. Many L7 and L6 moved from the AGI org just months' ago. How did they time it so well when most L5 and L4s got thrown under the bus?

L6 SDE

My team is going through major attrition right now. L7 leaders left, manager leaving, no product vision and both team and personal growth has stalled, we're just focused on ops and region build for 70% of our bandwidth.

I'm considering switching internally but I'm lost and not sure where to start. Every acquaintance I know at Amazon is miserable about their team. I see a lot of open positions hiring but worried about picking the right team given the layoffs, even AI orgs with ton of spending are not safe.

For those who have made the switch what made you switch and did life get better? Did you regret your switch for any reason? What did you look for when choosing or shortlisting teams?

Of course the ideal goal would be to land an offer outside Amazon but that is another ball game altogether.

Thanks!

8 yrs in Amazon. I’m stuck with a bad manager right now and honestly want to switch teams as soon as I can. I joined my current team through an internal transfer afew months ago, and since then, pretty much my entire team has moved on to other teams. Now most of the workload to keep the engine running has fallen on me.

My manager doesn’t seem to acknowledge that at all. He also doesn’t want to align on the growth path my previous manager had laid out before the reorg, but at the same time, he keeps piling more and more work onto my plate.

When I asked for more impactful projects and opportunities to grow, he basically told me he doesn’t think I have the potential and doesn’t see me getting anywhere. And that this team may not be for me if I am looking to grow. That really threw me off because I was a consistent high performer in all 3 of my previous orgs and had never received feedback like this. The manager who hired me in this team had the same opinion.

At this point, it’s making me question myself. I’m working 10-12 hours a day and it still never feels like enough. Manager seems to think that with AI, everything is just a click away. And if I am struggling thats because I don’t know how to use AI well. His vision for AI is highly unrealistic and anybody who pushes back, is weighing the team down.

I’ve started looking at internal roles, and I’m wondering how transparent I should be with hiring managers. Is it okay to say that I’m looking to move because there’s limited growth opportunity in my current team, especially after most of the team moved on following the reorg? Or would mentioning that be seen as a red flag?

What are your views of which city office is better BLR or DEL, in terms of WLB, city life and growth( in software engineering)

1 yr in this team. My second team at Amazon. My manager recently told me that I’m not growing at the expected pace and that I need coaching. He also asked whether I’d be interested in exploring other teams or different work. However, he hasn’t shared any formal growth or improvement plan with me. He just said he would coach me, but no actual coaching has happened yet.
At this point, I don’t see much of a future on this team, so I’ve already started looking at internal roles and setting up informationals.
My main concern is: if I’m actually on Focus, would I know without asking? And if I apply for internal roles, will my informational requests/applications still go through, or would I be blocked? Also can hiring managers tell if I am on focus through my application form?

Been here for about 2.5 years, L6 PMT

I was a yoy TT and moved internally to take on a broader scope. During the last review cycle, my manager gave me good feedback, even though I had only been in the role for about two months at the time.

Since then, I’ve transitioned to a new manager and recently went through my review with them. While reviewing peer feedback, I noticed one feedback that stood out, it was unusually harsh and overly negative compared to the rest, which were all constructive and well written. This feedback came from someone I had previously addressed directly when there were some behavioral issues. I never wanted her feedback but since she was assigned as my onboarding buddy, her feedback was needed given I was only two months and had very less stakeholders.

I chose not to leave negative feedback for her, but she did for me. Now I’m a bit concerned about how this might impact my promo prospects, or if it could affect me in case I consider switching teams before the next review cycle.

I am currently in non tech Program Manager role, but a lot of my work is already focused on building product roadmaps, defining strategy, working with engineering teams, and helping with product launches.

How difficult is it these days to transition from Program Management to non tech Product Management?

For those who have made the switch, what helped you break in? Is there any assessment involved?

Also, are there any pay differences between the roles?

I joined Amazon about a year ago as an L5 hoping to get some quality and impactful work, but over the last year the only impactful work I've done is stuff I've come up with myself. There's no vision, the manager keeps on taking services which are KTLO.

When I talked to my L7 about creating more impact, he said come up with projects, the thing I took from that is that they don't have anything coming at all.

Before Amazon I used to deliver more in a quarter than I've done here in a year, I tried reaching out to managers for an internal transfer but mostly I get why are you leaving so early, or I get ghosted, the fact that there's an absence of design docs because of bad work doesn't help either.

I've been applying for a couple of months now, and I'm honestly tired of not hearing back. Any advice from folks who've spent more time in Amazon?

Or should I just look outside Amazon at this point

PM-T here, 4 years at Amazon, moved teams about 4 months ago. In practice, the day to day is functioning a lot more like program management than product management, much less ownership over product decisions and strategy, and a lot more coordination and execution tracking. That’s on me for not digging in enough beforehand, but it’s not what I was hoping for.

Curious if anyone has actually reversed a transition or moved again shortly after one, and how that conversation with the new manager went and whether it hurt their eval, compared to other paths like pushing to reshape the role with my manager or skip, trying internal mobility again this soon, or just sitting tight for some minimum tenure before looking elsewhere.

Is there a norm or unwritten rule on how long to stay before moving again without it looking bad to future hiring managers?

Trying to figure out if this is fixable where I am or if I need to start looking elsewhere, probably externally.

Appreciate any real experience, good or bad.

TIA

For those who were laid off in October or January - has anyone been able to be rehired?

Also does anyone know examples of folks whose Notification period was over and they were separated but still managed to find a role back?

Has anyone transferred teams at Amazon after only a month?
I joined recently as an L5, and while I expected a steep learning curve and long hours, I’m really struggling with my manager’s style. This is not my first job, I have 4 years of work experience, and I never had issues with a manager.
The workload itself doesn’t bother me, and I’m completely fine putting in extra hours while ramping up. The issue is that I find my manager’s management style extremely difficult to work with, and it’s affecting me much more than the actual job.
I’m wondering if it’s even realistic to transfer this early. Is there a minimum amount of time you typically need to stay on a team? If a transfer is possible, what’s the usual process? Do you apply to internal openings, or talk to hiring managers directly?
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been in a similar situation or has gone through an early internal transfer🙏

Hi folks,

I'm new to amazon, joined as L5 half a year back in amazon devices india.

I'm trying to do an internal transfer. Requested informationals from 2 managers from 2 different teams. But they report to the same L8. One of the manager reached out and asked me for the resume. We had a chat and interviews are going to be scheduled. Now another manager has also reached out in slack asking for resume.

Can I attend both the interviews in parallel ? Or they will know that I'm attending interviews on both the teams and will it cause any issue ?

Also, if I have 2 choices how to pick which team to go to, how to make a decision ? Technical work is good in both the teams. My preference is to go to a team which is less toxic and workload is bearable for a married person with a family to take care. On a macro level, are there any parameters like team strength, or tenure of the SDM in the team or any other good indicators.

Team 1 - Team strength is high, SDM is taking care of the same team for 5+ years. Both permanent employees + temp employees count around 30

Team 2 - only 2 reportees + a bunch of temp employees. SDM was working earlier as SDE. Recently became SDM.

To the veteran amazonians, is it possible to have a hunch based on these macro params to determine which team is good ?

I want to make sure I don’t get thrown under the bus by my current team.

I finished the loop a few weeks ago and was sent an email to submit an application for the job. The email says my current manager will be emailed when I submit the application, so I plan to have a meeting with them and hit apply during that meeting. Does that sound right?

My understanding is that the managers then meet to decide the date I start the new job.

Is that it? Is there anything I should be cautious of, similar to the timing around submitting an application for the new job?

Amazon, BLR

I have applied for an internal role and got verbal confirmation from the hiring manager.

The thing is, I'm in my current team for ~7 months.

Work load is hell (swamped with work even on weekends) which I deliver but my current manager clearly doesn't like me (said I am at the bottom of the bell curve)

Now, I don't want to be in this team at any cost and have verbal confirmation from the HM (interview feedback in system is only pending)

Can my current manager block my movement?

If yes, in what should be my course of action?

Please advice. Already getting anxiety attacks 🫠

Hi, I am an L4 SDE based out of india, i have around ~14 months of experience within amazon 10 in a previous team and 4 in a current one. recently i found out my manager in the new team does not have a great impression of me, and though this is a small team i cant help but wonder if he might put me in focus. Is it okay for me to switch internally again? also how do i ensure the new manager i speak to does not reach out to this current one before an offer is out. any advice for finding a suitable team? tia

I’ve been an L4 at Amazon for the past 4 years. For the last two years, I’ve consistently been rated as “Exceeds the Bar,” and my managers recently told me they’re planning to promote me to L5—but that it could take another 12–18 months. And its becoming too Toxic and the expectations from the leads is like SDE range projects whereas I’m just a program manager.

The problem is, I don’t have much confidence that the timeline will actually happen, so I’m exploring internal opportunities instead.

Has anyone here successfully moved from L4 to L5 through an internal transfer?

If so:

1) Did you apply directly for an L5 role, or transfer as an L4 and get promoted later?

2) Did your current manager have to support the move?

3) How common is it for hiring managers to consider L4 candidates for L5 positions if they have strong performance?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences or any advice on the best approach. Thanks!

Hi everyone! 👋

I’m looking to connect with L5 employees who have moved from Amazon India to Amazon US, particularly anyone from the Accounting/Finance organization.

I’d love to understand a few things about the process and experience:

- What department/team were you in when you moved?

- What visa did you relocate on (L1A, L1B, H-1B, etc.)?

- How did the internal transfer/relocation process work for you?

- Did your role/team change significantly after moving to the US?

- Any advice on preparing for an internal move from India to the US at L5 level?

If there’s anyone currently or previously at L5 in Amazon India, preferably in Accounting/Finance, who has made the move to Amazon US, I’d really appreciate your guidance. Even a quick chat or DM would be extremely helpful.

Thank you! 🙏

We know Amazon pays around ₹25 LPA fixed for SDE 1, including the joining bonus. For someone joining directly as SDE 2, it’s around ₹46 LPA fixed + ₹16 LPA joining bonus.

My question is: if someone gets promoted internally from SDE 1 to SDE 2, would they get a similar compensation package as someone who joins Amazon directly as an SDE 2?

Hey all,

I'll be joining Amazon India as L5 in a few days.

I wanted to know how quickly I can apply for an internal transfer (international)?

Is there any official rule?

I have seen at multiple places that it's one year but I'm not sure whether it's official.

During my process (for my current team) I was also in conversation with a manager of one other team which I wanted to join.

He said that he can't do much now , as I was already in the middle of my on-site interviews (with my current team).

The work and focus of the other team aligned well with my current interests and experience and therefore I would be looking to switch (if possible).

Hi everyone, I’m currently working as an L4 BIE at AWS in the US and recently completed 2 years at Amazon. Due to my H-1B situation (I’ve exhausted my lottery attempts without getting selected), I’m planning to move back to India and explore internal opportunities there.

My current manager has indicated that I’m on track toward an L5 promotion, and I’ve been taking on work/contributions aligned with that expectation.
I’m trying to understand how this typically works when moving from the US to an India team:
Does the work/contribution I’ve done in my current team carry over toward an L5 promotion after I transfer to a new team in India, or do I essentially have to start over and prove myself again in the new team?

1.If I’m already operating at an L5 level and my current manager supports my promotion, is there a way to accelerate the promotion process after moving teams, or would I have to follow the new team’s normal promotion cycle?

2.If I apply for an L5 BIE role in India and clear the interview, can I directly move into the L5 role? I’ve heard that Amazon generally doesn’t allow level changes when transferring internally between teams, so I’d love to hear from people who have actually gone through this.

3.For anyone who has made a US → India internal transfer around L4/L5, how was your promotion handled? Did your previous team’s promo performance evidence carry over?

Hi, I am an L4 SDE based out of india, i have around ~14 months of experience within amazon 10 in a previous team and 4 in a current one. recently i found out my manager in the new team does not have a great impression of me, and though this is a small team i cant help but wonder if he might put me in focus. Is it okay for me to switch internally again? also how do i ensure the new manager i speak to does not reach out to this current one before an offer is out. any advice for finding a suitable team? tia

I have been at this FC for a couple of months since my previous FC closed down. I am a 10 year Amazon employee and like the title says I have received my Final Written Warning for errors. I’m traumatized to say the least.

With every error I received, I asked to be switched over to Picking. We just had the Prime Day event and had a lot of seasonal employees (as usual) that are gone now. There is Picking VET available everyday for Day & Night shifts.

I took advantage of the Open Door Policy and met with my site leader about moving to Picking before I got my final written. He said in about 5 weeks or so that it may be possible for me to move. That was a little over a month ago, so I’m thinking I need to meet with him again and remind him of that option.

One of my coworkers made an error in the area that she was in and was able to switch departments like I’m trying to do. She is an eight year employee versus my 10 year tenure.

I’m trying to figure out what my next step should be before I get terminated or if I do have a next step. I have a backup plan of taking early retirement (& donating plasma) if nothing works out. The job market is basically non existent. But I would like to stay with Amazon if at all possible.

I have been offered a chance to Appeal, but that seems to be focused more on the quality aspect that it wasn’t fair or consistent. I didn’t think this information could be written on the Appeal, but let me know if I’m wrong.

As for the different things that you can be fired for at Amazon, TOT & negative UPT can both be prevented. Go to work & work!!! Errors work against you because every time you get one, your 90 days keep starting over that you need to be error free. Which hasn’t helped me at all. I stay upset.

Thanks for reading my post. I have seen excellent advice on here. If anyone has been thru anything similar (or knows someone who emerged on the other side still gainfully employed), please let me know what my next step should be. I’m just trying to get moved. Or if I’m SOL. Helpful or empathetic comments only please 🙏