Worth moving from Netflix to AWS?

Netflix
jefbsss

Go to company page Netflix

jefbsss
Apr 14 48 Comments

Working on internal tools at Netflix - it’s okay for the money I get paid and not super technically challenging. AWS team seems super interesting and have worked with the manager before and they’re offering similar/more comp (620k TC for L6) after the loop. Is it worth the move from Netflix to AWS? Been less than a year at Netflix. The recent changes made me interview outside 🙈

Current TC: 570k

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TOP 48 Comments
  • Netflix has oncall too. And with the shit going on inside Netflix, I am guessing a lot of Netflix engineering will be on the market over the next 6 months. Recruiters rejoice
    Apr 14 5
    • If you’re staff equivalent somewhere, then don’t apply. Wait out 6 months and try then. You’ll get a much better deal

      If you’re L4/L5 go for it. Lots of positions gonna open for you
      Apr 14
    • They’re probably splitting up levels and some people are not staff and will stay as senior
      Apr 14
  • Yelp
    Jereny

    Go to company page Yelp

    Jereny
    What recent changes are you referring to? I recently interviewed at Netflix and really like their culture. I have also interned at Amazon and would not recommend. Though the internship was years ago.
    Apr 14 2
  • Coinbase
    redpanda26

    Go to company page Coinbase

    redpanda26
    Do not join AWS if you like the culture at Netflix.
    Apr 14 2
  • Amazon
    AWbeSt

    Go to company page Amazon

    AWbeSt
    AWS does have super interesting work, but on most teams your oncall will be the highest of any company you have heard of. My team gets 50+ sev2's a week. That means the oncall's phone is going off 50 times and they HAVE to get on laptop and triage, even at 2am.

    From what I read, Netflix is all about autonomy, AWS is the opposite. Everything comes top down and deadlines and based around Re:Invent and we are supposed to "Work Backwards" from there (lol).

    Theres also super good sides of AWS as well. Any system design interview I do at other companies is a free win since you get super good at system design and by attending the weekly AWS ops meetings where teams explain why their systems failed and how they are going to improve them.

    I'm also proud of the tech and solutions AWS has built and our future is never in doubt, we are always innovating.

    So I would say this:
    1. Ask the manager how many sev2's a week the team gets. If he dosent have a direct and super specific number, that could be a red flag. Or maybe its one of those rare AWS teams who are greenfield and don't have oncall yet.
    2. Ask to talk to the L7 SDE (Aka Principial Engineer) in the group. Their feedback on your performance is going to be really important over your career at amazon
    3. Ask to talk to another L6 SDE on the team.

    As far as comp, its definitely not worth it to switch just for that.
    Apr 14 2
    • Lime
      ateMeta

      Go to company page Lime

      ateMeta
      This ☝️☝️
      Great info. Thanks for sharing!
      Apr 14
    • Netflix
      kXaw17

      Go to company page Netflix

      kXaw17
      Former AWS here. +1 for asking about Sev 2s. My org had something like 8 people oncall at once doing follow the sun rotation. We would get between 10-40 Sev2s per PERSON per DAY.

      To echo what Amazon said, the work is interesting and you’ll learn a TON.
      Apr 14
  • Amazon
    TruthSlaya

    Go to company page Amazon

    TruthSlaya
    Yeah join AWS and ruin your life. Its a dumpster fire of an org. If you can really lean on the mgr for not pushing you hard as an L6.
    Also seems like it's chill for you in Netflix so take that in to account for TC calculation as AWS most likely will have oncall duties.
    Apr 14 1