In an example that has motivated students and job seekers everywhere, 23-year-old Manoj Tumu, an Indian-American engineer, explained why he left a high-paying job at Amazon to join Meta in a $400,000 (₹3.36 crore) role in AI. manoj tumu amazon salary
Now working in Meta’s advertising research team, Manoj penned an essay for Business Insider, sharing his journey and lessons in his career. His story illustrates how much has changed in AI and machine learning during the past few (or even few days) and how experience means more than big, fancy work.
Key Career Lessons from Manoj Tumu
Experience over projects
Manoj emphasizes to all students to lean into internships and real work as much as possible. While personal projects help, by the time you’re actually applying to top companies (whose qualifications are shifted), all that’s relevant are internships and real roles.
Strong résumé > referrals
He applied directly to these companies (Amazon and Meta) and was not reliant on referrals! A strong résumé focused on their values was better.
Interview preparation is crucial
Manoj believes one of the biggest mistakes people make is not preparing for behavioral interviews. He formed his own answers around Amazon’s Leadership Principles and Meta’s corporate values, which helped him distinguish himself.
Choosing passion over pay
In his first role, Manoj turned down a “real” software engineering role to take a lower paying role as a machine learning engineer – and he was much more interested in AI. He believes that this risk launched him to bigger opportunities.
The Meta Interview Process
For his current role at Meta, Manoj went through a six-week process that included –
- Screening calls
- 4-6 rounds of coding
- Machine learning challenges
- Behavioral interviews
His preparation and focus on experience helped him crack the competitive hiring journey.
Why Manoj’s Story Matters
Manoj’s journey is a reminder that in today’s AI-driven job market, skills, real experience, and interview preparation matter more than just big projects. His advice for students and job seekers is simple:
- Secure internships early
- Focus on building practical experience
- Tailor your résumé and interview answers to company values
Final Takeaway
At only 23, Manoj Tumu parlayed a university internship that never happened into a $400,000 AI opportunity at Meta. He demonstrates that if you are trying to establish a career in AI then strategy, preparation and passion are better than shortcuts or friend recommendations.
Team By – Flame Tadka / flametadka.com
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