I expected much better - Systems Engineer Amazon Employee Review

2.0
Aug 10, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Where you land in the company matters to your experience of it. This review is for the AWS org and Identity in particular. * Very large company, with all the associated perks of working for it * Strong focus on learning opportunities and career growth * Excellent pay and investment opportunities * Excellent benefits, including some of the best healthcare insurance you can find

Cons

Where you land in the company matters to your experience of it. This review is for the AWS org and Identity in particular. * In my 2+ years there, I had 6 different managers on paper, two different skip-levels, and the entire org structure up to the VP was replaced * In my 2_ years there, I had exactly four meaningful conversations about career progression with a manager, and absolutely no tangible effort was made by any of my managers to give me a way to make it happen * Systems Engineers are treated as if they have no expertise within the org and are considered to be of lesser value than a similarly-leveled SDE * Managers are allowed to run roughshod over IC's and nobody in the leadership chain bats an eye over it * If you manager doesn't understand the work you do and why it is important, your career is absolutely screwed * Managers tend to have way too many reports (far above the traditional 2PT), so you are almost certain to get thrown under the bus when something goes wrong * The org operates under a culture of fear that the line managers hide from directors as much as they can by blaming as many problems as possible on IC's * Nobody within leadership has shown evidence of being interested in taking responsibility for the damage done to morale and the destruction done to careers

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Pros

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Cons

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5.0
Jan 10, 2016
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Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

Really smart people, a lot of opportunity for growth, always encouraged to be innovative, think big, and create something new. Competitive salary and benefits with other major tech companies. 100% self motivating work environment. No dress code and 4 legged friends are welcome.

Cons

You have to be self motivated. NO ONE will hold your hand and tell you that you're doing a great job. If you need constant affirmations from management, this company isn't for you.

3159
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