[joshuamorton]

You'll almost always be quoted for a single, perhaps 2 levels.

No one is going to be considered for both an L6 and L4 role.

[philsnow]

Isn't that exactly what MTS ("Member of Technical Staff") and "slotting" were at google, at least up until around 2012? They hired people not knowing exactly where to level them, and after an introductory period, they were placed somewhere along L4 to L6.

[joshuamorton]

I had to look this up because I'd never heard of it.

Slotting and MTS existed, but indeed hasn't been done since 2011 or 2012, and hadn't applied to L3 or L4 candidates for much longer, which means it likely was a way to differentiate between borderline L5 and L6 candidates or borderline L6 and L7.

[bgirard]

Before an onsite? That's a reasonable range.

[chaosite]

At Google? L5 is a reasonable terminal level there, as in you can have a successful career and never go beyond L5, and no one will bat an eye.

L6 is a senior position, and not just in terms of title.

[vkou]

L4 is now a reasonable terminal level as well, if you, for whatever reason don't want to, or can't push to L5.

[joshuamorton]

Yes, before an on-site.

Your interviewers and and the type of questions asked depend on your potential level.

The expectations and responsibilities of an L4 and L6 differ so strongly that I'd be interested in a hypothetical candidate which could be both.