Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, the two terms that have stirred up the Tech Industry. Although these are the most in-demand skills that Big-Tech companies like Microsoft, Meta, Amazon and Google are looking for. Therefore, these are obviously the most handsomely paid job profiles in the industry. Following this rapidly changing atmosphere, a Gen-Z engineer left his more-than-well-paid job at Amazon.
In an essay for the Business Insider he shared these insights.
Manoj Tumu is a 23 year old Indian- American machine learning engineer at Meta who recently left his job at Amazon. His salary at Amazon was about Rs. 3.36 Crores or $400,000. Instead, he joined the social media giant Meta for a machine learning job that has a salary package exceeding of Rs. 3.36 Crores or $400,000. He has shared several practice advices for youngsters, aiming to go in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
Does Experience outweigh Projects?
When it comes to résumés, Tumu stressed the importance of professional experience over personal projects. He encouraged students to secure internships while in college, explaining that while projects are useful early on, they should eventually take a back seat. By the time he applied for roles at Amazon and Meta, he had removed projects entirely to highlight work experience. He also noted that he did not rely on referrals, instead applying directly through company websites and LinkedIn, with a strong résumé doing the heavy lifting.
Strategies to crack Interviews:
Tumu cautioned against going unprepared into behavioural interviews, calling it one of the biggest mistakes candidates make. He advised tailoring answers to company values, as he did when preparing for Amazon’s leadership principles and Meta’s corporate values. His Meta interview process included a screening call followed by four to six rounds of coding, machine learning, and behavioural questions over six weeks.
Tumu’s advice for youngsters based on his Career:
Analysing his early career, Tumu admitted he missed out on an internship during college but managed to secure a contract role after graduating. When choosing between machine learning and traditional software engineering, he opted for the lower-paying role in machine learning because it aligned with his interests. That decision, he said, eventually opened the door to better opportunities, including his current position at Meta.
Future of a rapidly changing industry:
Tumu said the field of machine learning has shifted rapidly in recent years, moving from classical techniques to deep learning powered by neural networks. The rise of tools like ChatGPT has further intensified competition while creating varied job titles such as machine learning engineer, applied scientist, or research scientist. His own position at Meta combines research and implementation, aimed at ensuring the company remains at the cutting edge of AI.