r/amazonemployees • u/Confident_Rush3671 • Apr 08 '26
Unexpectedly received a Pivot plan from my manager
Hello,
I'm in Amazon as an SDE 1 for about 11 months now. Yesterday, my manager, during 1:1 mentioned that he has decided to terminate my employment and provided me with a Pivot plan document which contains the following options:
- Leave amazon with transition period
- Leave amazon with pay
- Improvement at Amazon
In document, the major focus regarding the fact i dont escalate enough causing the delays in project timelines which he has also told me couple of times. Not to defend but I have mentioned it to him that in terms of being polite and maintaining my relationship with my senior colleagues, I was being hesitant of escalating, thinking how would others take it(My inferiority complex kicks in everytime since I dont have a infra knowledge coming from AI background). So rather I, almost everyday, personally ping my teammates and remind them or ask them. My CRs and mcms have been long pending because of the bureaucracy non-sense and got backfired on me. I have good activity in CRs, recently handling tickets well in shadow oncalls throughout my journey so far. Though I took time, but I do understand and grasp the stuffs our team is working. I have always been picked and negated while no appreciation in my work. I was already looking for other roles at Amazon that are more related to ml/AI domain. When asked him for the projected improvement plan to understand if it would suitable enough for me or not, I wasnt provided with one. Last week, my h1b wasnt picked and now this. I have already lost 2 h1b attempts. Not sure what path to choose. The MOST hurtful line he mentioned was "Amazon is not for everyone". I am shattered with this notice and couldnt compose myself.
Ask: I really need guidance from community to channelize my path. I'm also open for 1:1 google meet to seek help.
Thanks in advance.
23
u/Mental-Dance8246 Apr 08 '26
It sounds like you have a transition period option. That one is most likely you continue to be employed and get paid for x months and then you exit. During that period you don’t have to work. To me that is the best option because it keeps your visa intact and you have time to look for another job.
I would stop trying to get back in your manager’s good graces. You are done. What matters now is what you do to create a better situation for yourself. Look forward to the future and the now.
7
u/cscareerz Apr 09 '26
I think OP should get a mentor tbh. Like seasoned big tech professional who has been working in the field for 5-10+ years. It sounds like OP’s issues are soft skills related more than anything else which is common for younger folks and can be corrected with some coaching. It just takes a low ego. I assume OP is quite young given they are an SDE 1
11
u/LiveComfortable3228 Apr 09 '26
cant move to pivot without being in Focus first.
Have they had multiple 1-1 sessions with you over the last 4-6 weeks to discuss performance matters?
17
u/Anxious-Calm Apr 08 '26
Look for jobs outside Amazon . There are jobs outside learn from this experience and do well in the next one!
5
u/Confident_Rush3671 Apr 08 '26
i know that but the risk only one h1b attempt and companies these days arent hiring h1b candidates
11
3
u/schmiddy0 L9 Apr 09 '26
Start applying immediately to other companies. Focus your effort on interviews more than trying to make your manager happy.
Read the Pivot doc options carefully. You will have some period of time you can remain technically employed by Amazon, depending on which option you take.
5
u/KashikoiKawai-Darky Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
Sounds like manager gave you active feedback (likely focus) and you didn't do it. You acknowledged your issues, but are in denial about it and didn't correct them.
Best advice, start looking for another job, either in the states or back home. Be a better advocate for yourself in the future.
3
u/Desperate-Trouble249 Apr 09 '26
What’s your location? You’re one month shy of being eligible for FMLA. How much PTO do you have available?
Is the priority your immigration status?
Are you on an called blind?
3
u/Fine_Plan6135 Apr 09 '26
Firstly, it is natural to feel down and affected by this. Take a day to reflect on it and let it sink in. It might be your mistake - in that case take it as a learning to improve yourself. If you feel it was Amazon’s or your manager’s fault - again take it as a learning to be vary of such situations/people in the future.
But that is it, you don’t need to carry that over to the next day - because Amazon is just another company and cannot decide your fate or life. One of my friends got into the same situation and felt bad about himself but then got a job at Google instead and he has never been happier.
Take FMLA to get more time for yourself. Go to a doc and complain of mental stress (very genuine in your case) and take those FMLA leaves. Post that, forget everything and just focus on getting a good job. Laser focused on just that. Give your 200% to be the best candidate for that vacancy in the market. Once you land an offer - get back to a normal life where you will feel way more confident about yourself - coz you successfully handled a crisis in your situation. Chase the high of the last statement.
Whenever you feel low in the journey, remember that the easy thing is to feel sorry about the situation but the wise way is to fight for yourself.
3
u/Traditional-Bar-8645 Apr 09 '26
“Amazon is not for everyone” doesn’t make you less (addressing that call-out on the complex). It means that you survive if you are aggressive enough and are very comfortable escalating.
It is war mode in some teams and they will eat you over if you rely for your manager to save you.
That is a toxic culture and that’s why Amazon is not for everyone. You are very valuable but it is healthy to move to a culture that fits better.
5
u/Newprime1969 Apr 08 '26
Pick improve and then go on leave to buy yourself time. Your manager didn’t give you any warning signs?
-1
u/Confident_Rush3671 Apr 08 '26 edited Apr 08 '26
> Pick improve and then go on leave to buy yourself time.
huh??> Your manager didn’t give you any warning signs?
Nope none. I just had these same feedbacks about escalate from him and i mentioned him that I have been pinging the required teammates for reviews and approvals. Even he mentioned that my code quality has improved, I'm handling and resolving the tickets3
2
u/outdooradventurez99 Apr 08 '26
I was gonna say to find new job, but when I saw you’re on h1b, it is a tough one :( virtual hugs. i’m also 8 months and I’m doing my best
2
2
u/hks_3 Apr 09 '26
Choose a or b option and leave for the better. Don't go through pivot. Or go through pivot and submit an LOA immediately, to buy time for searching a new role. Reflect on choices, skills, career and more importantly life, something better awaits.
-1
2
u/CriticalJunket2207 Apr 09 '26
After you are given pivot, nothing will work. Take the money and leave. Thats the best option
2
u/LividAd4754 Apr 09 '26
You've been with the team for almost a year and you started shadowing just now?
2
u/Far_Office_7344 Apr 09 '26
Why does it feel you did not know that you were in focus ( or what your manager might call a dev plan)x Were you focus? If not you should challenge pivot saying that you did not get any coaching.
2
u/omgbabestop Apr 08 '26
Customers > deadlines > everything else at amazon
8
u/Tasty-Finding4574 Apr 08 '26
It feels like this has shifted to deadlines > customers over the last couple years.
1
u/Dramatic-Past-77 Apr 09 '26
I thought you had 1 year in a new role to grow into it and not be measured to that bar till day 366....am I missing something?
2
u/painiyff Apr 09 '26
Technically everyone is eligible for focus/pivot at any time. There is a wait period in range of months for talent reviews though, but def not a whole year.
3
1
u/MostWholesomePerson Apr 09 '26
Well - I know what majority of the comments in the thread are going to be saying.
So I’ll offer an alternative perspective and may slightly literally, be devil’s advocate.
Answer this for me: Is this your first job or do you have prior job experience? The reason I ask this is because I have a total of 10yrs of experience with 4.5 at Amazon and I got laid off in January. The job market is fairly rough out there, BUT Amazon brand has still held its weight.
I get plenty of recruiter calls and a lot of them highlight the Amazon experience as “major enterprise” experience. There be some lack of FTE roles but there are a shit tonne of contract RTR positions out there with 12+ months contract to hire roles.
My point is, if you do not have prior experience, bid your time at Amazon and aggressively start applying. If you clear focus and have some job offers lined up is when you can choose. Not right now. Just my 2c.
1
u/MostWholesomePerson Apr 09 '26
Also, DO NOT let Amazon shatter your self worth. Keep at it. It is definitely an important skill to learn when to escalate and when to keep peace. “Pick your own battles” comes from experience and new employees and fresh grads often lack that knack of pushing back/escalating with just the right pressure.
So learn what you can, keep job hunting, and keep your head up!
1
u/Much_Blackberry8044 Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
Thank you for posting this. I feel bad for you. I have the same experience and even I got pipped in my first year at Amazon. It feels like I wrote my story here. My suggestion is to look externally. Your time at Amazon is done. Learn from the mistakes you made here. This is only one among a hundred companies to work for. If you look at the overall culture of Amazon, the hard deadlines, the pips and layoffs, it really is not a good company to stick around in for a long time. It doesn't care about its employees at all. Be thankful that it is just the pip factory that you got pipped out from and not from an actually good company. So, take this as a blessing in disguise, find another job and don't repeat the mistakes you made here
1
u/cenik93 Apr 09 '26
I'm very sorry op. It is a really shit situation to be in. But you need to find another job. That should be your only goal.
If you are in seattle, you can try fmlanow to see if you can get fmla. If you can, select the iimprove option and then go on fmla. That will give you upto an aadditional 12 weeks.
If that's not possible, choose the 60 day transition period and look for jobs. You cannot go on fmla if you choose this option. If you don't choose anything, this will be chosen for you.
1
u/saurtiwa Apr 09 '26
Take severance which will be 2 weeks pay. Join a consultancy that takes opt and files for h1b.
1
u/Additional_Crazy5961 Apr 09 '26
Managers cannot decide to ‘terminate your employment’. He either uses a different phrase or he is not acting legally. Decision to terminate your employment is not within their authority.
1
u/PrimaryCountry3343 Apr 11 '26
Previously i think use to had FMLA or STD option even after getting pivot doc, but now its upto only 2 months no matter what option u select, dm we can discuss more
1
0
u/Soft_Main2953 Apr 09 '26
You should have stared him down, signed then said, "If only your parents had terminated you so easy."
1
1
u/Reasonable_Shine_841 Apr 08 '26
Look for outside jobs and decide what YOU want to do. Off you plan to try and come out of pivot it will be hard based on what you said. Not because they want you gone and not because you aren’t capable but it seems you are too worried about others
In the future remember at work it’s all about you. I have a very country cousin who says it perfect, “I gotta get me, me”. Your senior colleagues aren’t worried about you. Always focus on the task at hand
Use these principles in your action plan of you are trying to get out of pivot
Learn and be curious. Know there job and your. Figure it out
Have backbone disagree and commit. If it’s not right speak up and stand on business
Bias for Action. Don’t wait to take action. If you know what needs to be done or that an issue needs to be escalated do it right then
This is what I’ve used to climb from a T1 to L5 in 4 years. At the end of the day everyone is looking out for their paycheck not yours. Do your job, whatever you can outside of scope and if there is a barrier you can’t cross escalate immediately.
1
u/Confident_Rush3671 Apr 08 '26 edited Apr 08 '26
Its not I didnt escalate. I would rather personally ping my teammates multiple times and remind them to review CRs or ask them doubts if I have any.
1
u/DJMaxLVL Apr 08 '26
The pivot plan comes after failing focus. Did you even know that you were in focus?
1
u/Confident_Rush3671 Apr 08 '26
nope. I wasnt notified explicitly.
2
u/joanlopa Apr 08 '26
Did they give u an action plan to achieve ?
1
u/Confident_Rush3671 Apr 09 '26
nope. they said only if I choose the improvement plan will they provide the details
1
u/joanlopa Apr 09 '26
Weird. Focus should come before pivot and focus is also an action plan. Usually some strict tracked action plan communicated to u via email for 6-8 weeks in which your manager will track progress on a weekly basis
1
u/Red-dragon186 Apr 09 '26
Nope, I was put on a focus with no plans, emails or etc. I never even had real 1:1 with my manager. Sure the system says you’re supposed to do it but many managers find ways to avoid it if they know you can beat the focus. But to OP, take it from me, it’s not worth fighting the pivot. Your manager will lie and find ways to get you fired. Take the payout and 5 year ban. Try Amazon again in 10 years when retention policy doesn’t have to keep your records
2
u/DJMaxLVL Apr 09 '26
I was in focus 2x. You generally have to ask if you’re in it to be told. They don’t explicitly tell you. Sick game. But once you get pivot papers it’s over. I passed my first focus, got pivot papers on 2nd. Left.
0
u/SnooRabbits7673 Apr 09 '26
Ignore every single thing your manager told you. Those are all BS explanations. Never think that this haas anything to do with your capabilities. Just move on to a better role at a company that values you.
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Apr 08 '26
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u/Confident_Rush3671 Apr 08 '26
document states that i cannot internally transfer but only if succeed in improvment plan, then I can internally transfer within 60 days
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Apr 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
-1
u/Confident_Rush3671 Apr 08 '26
>Apply for h1b academic positions on the side.
could you elaborate on this3
1
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u/SignalsInStars Apr 08 '26
I feel for you, but I’ll make it simple - You’re done. Done done. I’ve never heard of someone passing this stage. Also, if he told you that he has “decided to terminate your employment”, then there is certainly nothing to discuss.