Vishwa Karia

When you join a new org or switch teams in the same, it is quite an unsettling and borderline anxious experience. Here are a few things that I did to ramp up faster. 1. I consciously made an effort to remain unblocked 2. I read a ton of code and its history, sometimes even unrelated 3. I asked questions about the past, the present, and the future 4. I took up relatively mundane tasks - cross-team work, tests, and docs 5. I extended a helping hand in whatever capacity I could 6. I proactively met skip-level leaders and managers to understand the vision Some companies do have a culture of pairing up with someone existing in the team, but even if you do not get a mentor, it is important that you still navigate the situation and ramp up as quickly as you can. The above list is not exhaustive, by any means, and hence you can always add things that you find helpful in your context. but the lowest common denominator is to show extreme intent and interest to get output and drive outcomes. Hope this helps.

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🚀 Exciting News: I’ve switched teams within Amazon! 🚀 Many of you have reached out asking about the process of switching teams or organizations within Amazon, and I wanted to share some insights that might help those of you considering a switch. 🤔 Here's what I learned through my transition: 1️⃣ DSA Rounds: For those switching teams, be prepared for 2 rounds of Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) interviews. The process may vary depending on the organization and team you’re moving to, as well as your previous team discussions. 2️⃣ SDE-2 Level Switch: If you're switching at the SDE-2 level, you should also be prepared for a System Design Interview round. The focus will be on your ability to design scalable and efficient systems, so make sure to brush up on your design skills and experience. 3️⃣ Preparation Tips: Work Summary Doc: Prepare a detailed work summary document that outlines your key accomplishments, contributions, and challenges. It’s a great way to showcase your experience and impact. Design Docs: Be ready with any system design documents or deep-dive docs you’ve worked on, especially if you're making an SDE-2 level switch. The design round can be intense, so highlighting your ability to architect systems is key. 4️⃣ How to decide if switching teams is the right choice for you: Talk to Current Team Members: Reach out to your current team members to understand growth opportunities within your current team. Ask for their suggestions or perspectives on your career progression. Review Your Current Project Plan: Take a close look at your current year’s project plan and evaluate what you’ll be working on. Are the projects aligned with your interests and growth goals? Check Growth in Your Current Team: Assess the overall growth trajectory in your current team. Is there room for you to grow in the next few years, or do you feel you’ve hit a ceiling? 5️⃣ Other Key Considerations: Reach Out to New Team Members: Don’t hesitate to connect with people in the new team to understand their experiences and get a sense of the work culture. Check Code Activity: Look at the team’s code contributions to gauge the complexity and type of work that will challenge you. Review Promotions Tenure: Understanding how long it typically takes for people to get promoted can help you assess career growth opportunities. Discuss Upcoming Projects: Talk to the manager about the team’s roadmap and upcoming projects to ensure the work aligns with your career goals. Switching teams is an exciting opportunity to grow, learn, and take on new challenges. If you're contemplating the switch, make sure you’re well-prepared and do your due diligence to make an informed decision. Feel free to reach out if you want more details or have any questions about the process. 😊 #Amazon #CareerGrowth #TeamSwitch #TechCareers #DSA #SystemDesign #JobSwitch #Opportunities

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🍀 6 months at Google.... Today I have completed 6 months at Google after having joined back in January 27th, 2025. These 6 months have been a rollercoaster of learning, exploration, meeting some exceptionally skilled people, and growth. Summarizing my journey at Google, here's the top 6 learnings for me over the period of the last 6 months... 1️⃣. Imposter Syndrome is real - Working at a place like Google, the talent density is the real deal. With being surrounded by some the smartest folks in the industry and working alongside them, its easy to feel lost and out of place. 2 things kept me going here - a. The support from the team in my rampup. b. The confidence that I've done harder things in the past - this too shall pass. 2️⃣. Ownership matters - At a place like Google, with highly skilled people all around, its kinda obvious that people like to own their work and expect you to do the same. How to own your work end to end, and to deliver it with the highest quality is something I've greatly learnt in the past few months. 3️⃣. Communication >>> Code - At a place, where any code change you make affects billions, communication and alignment regarding the same becomes something of utmost nessecity. Skillful communication within the team, cross teams, and with multiple stakeholders to effectively deliver work is something I've seen matter more than ever here. 4️⃣. Asking for help is a strength - In companies like Google and Microsoft, asking for help is looked on as a strength, not a weakness. The culture fosters that. However, to get help, you've to ask for it. Getting over the thought of judgment, to reach out for help, is a key learning which helped me a lot in the journey. 5️⃣. Make meaningful connections - Walking in any journey, what makes it worthwhile are the friends you make along the way. Making intentional connections, and going out of the way to help others move ahead in their journey, is the way to move ahead in the journey. This is something I also try to incorporate in my Linkedin journey by trying to give back to the community. 6️⃣. You're never too good at something, Keep learning - Tech is a fast moving space. The thought of "I already know enough" becomes obsolete as fast as the tech of today. Its a journey of constant of learning and upskilling. Parallely, make your basics stronger, that's what allows you to keep up the learning pace, with the industry. The last 6 months have been really exciting, fun, full of learnings and challenges all along the way. As its said in Google, being a Noogler is like "trying to drink from a firehose". Really excited for what the next 6 months unfolds. Stay tuned for more such content!!✌🏻🚀

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✨ 1 Month at Amazon – Lessons from My 1 month “Amaversary” ✨ Today marks one month since I joined Amazon as a Software Development Engineer. It’s been intense, rewarding, and easily one of the steepest learning curves of my career. I probably learned more in this one month than I did in six months at any previous job. The people here are brilliant, hardworking, and incredibly helpful. It’s motivating to be surrounded by such driven minds. As I reflect on my journey, here are a few lessons that stand out: 1️⃣ Communication is everything. At Amazon (and in most tech companies), communication happens heavily through written documents. So, being able to read quickly, synthesize information, and write concisely is critical. It doesn’t stop there. Verbal communication, knowing how to collaborate with teammates, ask good questions, and explain your thoughts clearly, is equally vital. Communication isn’t just for interviews; it’s for every single day on the job. 2️⃣ Learn to work hard. I used to think tech jobs were all about coding 1~2 hours a day and enjoying free matcha lattes at the office. Reality check: the people here work hard. They push boundaries every day, and being around them is both humbling and inspiring. If you want to break into the tech industry, you need to learn how to work hard. Whatever effort I made to get into Amazon is like nothing compared to how hard people around me are working. 3️⃣ Being nice goes a long way. I didn’t get here because I was the best code writer. I got here because people supported me. A former colleague referred me not because I was the most technical, but because I was kind and brought a value more than 0s and 1s. A stranger I once talked at the subway and became friends with years ago became an ICPC participant who later helped me prepare for interviews. Even my final mock interview before Amazon came from someone I met randomly in a college dining hall. None of that would’ve happened if I wasn’t kind to people along the way. Skills matter, but being nice adds volume to those skills. A huge thank you to my team for welcoming me and helping me navigate my first month (and for patiently answering every “dumb” question I’ve had along the way). Excited to keep learning and growing with all of you. 💪 #Amazon #Amaversary #SoftwareEngineering #CareerGrowth #LearningJourney #TechCareers #Gratitude

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The secret to securing a referral? Make it simple for the referrer to act. Lately, I’ve been receiving a wave of referral requests — especially for roles at Google. I genuinely want to help, but what makes all the difference is how well-prepared the request is. Nobody has the time to dig through half-complete messages, guess job IDs, or fix broken resume links just to refer someone. And let’s be honest, after a few back-and-forths, the process becomes tiring, and many referrers may unintentionally ignore the request. To avoid that, I’ve created a simple format I now share with candidates. It covers everything a referrer needs to move things forward quickly: ✅ A viewable Google Drive link to your resume (or a PDF with the correct permissions) ✅ Exact job ID or posting link you’re applying for ✅ A short 3rd-person summary answering: “Why should we hire you?” 👉 This part is crucial — companies like Google require it when submitting a referral, and most people overlook this. ✅ Updated contact details, consistent across resume and message ✅ A quick eligibility check before reaching out When you come prepared, it shows you’re serious, respectful of the other person’s time, and more likely to get referred. Let’s make referrals smoother and more efficient for everyone 🙌 #referrals #jobsearchtips #careerclarity #techjobs #googlecareers #linkedincommunity #career #referralsmadeeasier #decodingreferrals

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