Monday Recruiting Tips
I'm here to provide tips and answer questions about the recruiting process at Amazon. I recruit for tech and nontech roles across numerous profiles and organizations. Tip #1 - do not apply to 50+ roles within a week. You come off as desperate and out of touch. This also applies to the titles you're applying for. Dont apply for an entry level role and a senior role. Tip #2 - read the job description. If the first sentence has explicit eligibility requirements and you dont meet them, dont apply. This is primarily targeted for roles which require citizenship, clearances, military service, college graduation date between a range of dates. Tip #3 - quit applying blindly. Get on LinkedIn and work your network for referrals. Rather than just ask for referrals ask for mentorship and guidance. Build professional relationships and then referrals will come. Tip #4 - use common sense. If a recruiter hasn't responded to dozens of emails on messages, take the hint rather than burn the bridge. Nothing wrong with following up every couple of months but balance your reachouts. If I tell you wait 12 months and you reach out to me 2 months later, I'll probably ignore you for at least a year because you can't/won't follow simple instructions. Tip #5 - recruiting is a numbers game. I first joined to help people and really thought I could make a difference. Truth is it's a meat grinder where I throw bodies at the problem till the role is filled. On occasion I have the privilege of helping people but most of the time it's like shepherding cattle to the slaughter. May be a bit dark for a monday morning and maybe it's because I havent had my coffee yet, but just wanted to get some stuff off my chest which other recruiters usually laugh at during happy hours. With that said feel free to AMA and I'll do my best to provide my 2 cents if you want. I've helped some people on this app and it makes me happy, but I look forward to getting out of the game. TC: 92k YoE: 2
I reached out to a recruiter in December about a role. My dumb luck that recruiter did support the team. The hiring manager liked my resume enough to be considered for another role. Eventually, I didn't get past the phone screen for the new one. 2 questions I wasn't given feedback but they encouraged me to apply to other roles on the team. How seriously should I take that feedback? Additionally, my resume is being held in the database for other opportunities. Does this mean there's a tag on my resume that differentiates for other opportunities? Or is it recruiter speak for good luck look somewhere else? Lastly, if the the hiring manager didn't consider me for the first role and it's still open i.e. Job postings are still online, does it mean that he/she just didn't think I could do the role? Thanks!
Question 1 - most of the time this is a basic recycle. Means there were no red flags which would prevent you from interviewing but for one reason or another you were not considered a team fit. This can be because lack of experience and depth or maybe just didnt raise the bar for the LPs you were asked about. The whole database thing..... it's being help for future consideration along half a million other applicants. Dont get too excited, BUT I would recommend applying for a role every 3-6 months. When I search for applicants I'm looking for the Boolean keywords and sort by recent applications. If you applied for a role within 48 hours I cant reach out to you. Best believe I will reach out at hour 49 if the other recruiter hasn't. It's called "coming in hot" but it means you're actively looking and meet my keywords so I may reach out. Last question - doesnt necessarily mean they didnt think you could do it, but may have been a team fit issue or maybe they're looking for someone who can ramp up and deliver faster i.e. internal. Keep your head up and as I mentioned network and get a few referrals. Also become friends with recruiters who may provide indirect feedback offline.
Thanks final question I originally applied to a 'head of' title but was funneled to 'principal'role. Which is higher in the chain and what do you think this means of hiring manager s perception of resume?
Question about looking for employment, but knowing my current employer tracks every employment board everywhere...I want to start looking, but I do not want my current employer to know. I already know they look at everything (including LinkedIn). How do I get my name out there, but without them knowing? I don’t want to be penalized for looking by my current employer. The new CEO said he’d get back to us regarding a revised pay plan that’s clearer and more appropriate (some of my biggest sales months were the smallest paychecks).
How does your employer KNOW you're applying elsewhere? Dont look at work. Use your desktop at home and focus on networking and messages. If you're afraid of being spotted via LinkedIn, e.g. you post your status as actively looking, then narrow down your companies and message a few people in your network. As for referrals and apply their job portals as opposed off of LinkedIn links. I still dont know why your company would try to track you like that. Honestly, that's a bit crazy.
I am in outside sales. No office and no one to look over my shoulder. They have people that go online and look for us, I think. Yes, I believe it is crazy, but we’ve had high turn-over.
Thanks for taking time to write this down.
Thank you for doing this! My question: Can I change teams after signing my contract? I am a program manager and happy to reinterview for the new team. I would like to change because I can’t relocate to where they need me anymore because of an unexpected illness of a parent.
Contract? I dont know about green badges (contractors). Most usually build networks internally and interview towards the end of their contract. If by contract you meant offer, then yes you are eligible to apply for an internal transfer Day 1. With that said, it is usually recommended you try to stick it out at least 6 months on a team, preferably a year. Most people bounce teams every year or two on the nontech side. I'm sure tech is similar. It sounds like you accepted an offer and need to renege. I would reach out to your recruiter and see if you can be remote or work in another office, BUT that will be up to management, not the recruiter. If the manager says no the team may rescind an offer. At that point the recruiter may assist you find a local role since it's an easy close. OR the recruiter could be salty and ghost you. My advice reach out to the recruiter and it's worth a shot. Family comes first in my eyes. Take care of your own. You raised the bar and a home can be found if the team wants you.
Thank you for your response! Yes I meant I accepted an offer and need to renege. Will contact my recruiter, fingers crossed!
I laughed out loud at your last paragraph - refreshingly honest! Thank you for posting this - and trust me recruiters Do make a difference in people’s lives, even if the person doesn’t get selected. My first recruiter was awesome - ultimately I did well in my onsite but it was very close and I did not get selected. She was really nice throughout and even gave me excellent feedback and encouraged me to try again. Ultimately another recruiter reached out after one year and she was awesome too! She spoke to me as though I already got selected in my very first call with her (as in “I will send the details of the teams and you can tell me what you are interested in “). I am thinking let’s get to onsite first.” On my first day, I dropped a note to my first recruiter - she did not have to be nice to me once I got rejected. But she was - and for that, she will always have a special place in my heart!
Can you please tell me how to stop Amazon recruiters from wasting my time? They literally can’t match my TC, but still contact me every 15 days.
Wow! What is your tc if I may ask... And how do I get there ?
Crying with a full stomach are we? Just ignore
What’s the best way to get your resume noticed for new grads. Have been trying but no success at all!
GPA, school prestige, internships and relevant experience, and a referral.
@paypal ask someone to refer. There should be literally half the people from your Master’s batch working at Amazon. Amazon’s new grad process isn’t selective at all. DM me. I’ll happily ask my friends at Amazon to refer you.
I have been contacted by multiple recruiters from different teams but they never got back to me after I shared my resume and followed up multiple times. Would you know why?
I mean I'd need your email address to look up your profile to be sure, but my assumptions would be the following. 1) a recruiter has claimed you so the other recruiters cant work you for a month 2) you interviewed before and your feedback was bar lowering 3) they initially reached out and shared your resume but the hiring managers weren't interested in your profile There may be other reasons as well but I can only guess at this point.
Thanks will dm you.
Hi, I joined Amazon around 5 months back and I am looking to change teams now as I am not liking the work at all in my current team. Can I get internal interviews without applying in the tool and by just talking to hiring managers showing my interest? I don't want my manager to know that I am looking for other teams before I pass the interview in some other team. Thanks.
Yes check out the internal transfer guidelines. I always encourage employees to schedule informational calls with managers before applying. Theyll let you know next steps. Some may just want informal informational and then have you apply. Others will want to loop you. Itll depend on the manager.
Thanks for the information.
Awesome, thanks for taking the time to put this at a great detail.