Surviving Amazon

I’m a fan of the challenging problems I get to work on at Amazon but not a fan of the way employee performance is measured and implemented. The intention of this post is not to defend it either rather to face the reality and share what I’ve learned about surviving at Amazon. If I missed anything, I’d love to hear from other current/ex-Amazonians. If you don’t agree with what I’ve said, please share your opinion.

If you want to talk shit about Amazon and the pip process, just know that half of all Blind posts are about that and apart from needless negativity it doesn’t add any value. Let’s not continue to beat a dead horse.

1. Amazon doesn’t promise/guarantee no job security. Do not compare the relatively safer job security at other companies and expect the same at Amazon.

2. Do not expect a great wlb. But, you also don’t have to spend 80 hr weeks to be successful. Prioritize your work well and communicate clearly with your leadership so that expectations are set clearly.

3. Don’t be complacent. It’s okay to relax once in a while but don’t take the job for granted. Always be on high alert and seek opportunities to demonstrate to your manager that you’re growing and performing. (I know it sounds sad but that’s the reality in an ultra-competitive environment)

4. Build good relationships. Know your teammates well, help people when you find an opportunity to do so, find mentors and have allies who can vouch for you. Bonus points if your allies are at a level or two above you. Don’t be a dick. You never know how one bad feedback can turn things around.

5. Share and socialize your work. The more people see your contribution and impact, the more credibility you build.

6. Seek opportunities to demonstrate leadership principles. Leadership loves these principles and in my experience this is what either sets people up for success or spells doom.

7. Making mistakes is better than not doing anything. Do something, but do it quickly. Even it’s a mistake. Remember Fire phone?

8. Document document document. Keep a log of every conversation, every decision. CYA because everyone else is trying to cover theirs. Having good relationships can be a health-token if there’s ever a misunderstanding, but don’t take anything for granted. You will also need all evidence you can collect when promo time comes (It was a pain in the butt to go around collecting all the data during my promo).

I will update this if I can think of anything else.

TC 🥜