Amazon vs. Microsoft New Grad

Cisco / Eng
amberflame

Go to company page Cisco Eng

PRE
Intel Corporation, Uber
amberflame
Feb 18, 2020 42 Comments

Hi guys,
Need your help. I'm trying to choose between my two offers, here are the details:

Amazon.com
Base: 112k,
Stocks: 80k ( 5% first year, 15% second year, 20% every six months after)
Location: Seattle/Bellevue
Team: unknown, will find out 60 days before joining

Microsoft
Base: 104k
Stocks: 160k over 3.5 years
Location: Atlanta - new office opening up, will open in July, same time as I start so everyone will be ramping up together.
Team: Azure-compute

Sign on and relocation for both are similar.

At this point, I do not know what team I will be in at Amazon, vs. at Microsoft the teams seem interesting but most of my teammates would also be new hires ramping up together. Manager however, will be from the Redmond campus. Microsoft is paying much more in terms of stocks, but Amazon is at headquarters. Is it worth moving to Atlanta? Any insights would be helpful.

I am a new grad, soon to complete my masters with no prior work ex so I'm looking to learn a lot, really fast! I've heard learning at Amazon is a lot, but then there's the problem of unknown team and bad wlb.

Thanks.
#amazon #microsoft #newgrad #azurecompute #atlanta #atlantatech

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TOP 42 Comments
  • Hands down MSFT
    Feb 18, 2020 4
    • MITRE
      otaixg

      Go to company page MITRE

      otaixg
      Atlanta traffic is a bit worse--5 min more for average commute time according to Google. May be able to afford a closer place in Atlanta though with that salary
      Feb 18, 2020
    • Atlanta traffic is several times worse than Seattle. I've lived both places. Traffic is not comparable. Not sure where the new office is but you'll be able to afford to live right next to the office so traffic shouldn't be a factor.
      Mar 17, 2020
  • FYI — your Microsoft offer is higher than some google L4s after COL. That’s 300k in San Fran dollars
    Feb 18, 2020 0
  • Interloc Solutions
    🤯🌧️⚰️

    Interloc Solutions

    🤯🌧️⚰️
    Microsoft. The base is lower, but so is cost of living in Atlanta vs Seattle. The stock option seems much better. Probably most importantly, it sounds like a better opportunity to grow with your team, likely meaning a more enjoyable culture at work. For me, having a positive culture at my workplace has regularly helped me get through periods of crunch.

    All that said, despite cost of living being lower in Atlanta I'd probably pick Seattle every time. Likely biased since I live there. 😅

    If the base is the most important metric for you keep in mind that Washington does not have a State income tax (so point for Amazon).
    Feb 18, 2020 2
    • Cisco / Eng
      amberflame

      Go to company page Cisco Eng

      PRE
      Intel Corporation, Uber
      amberflame
      OP
      Thanks for the detailed response! Will surely consider these points!
      Feb 18, 2020
    • Interloc Solutions
      🤯🌧️⚰️

      Interloc Solutions

      🤯🌧️⚰️
      No problem. On the side, while I haven't worked there a good number of my co-workers put around a decade or more of their lives into Microsoft. While they all have had their reasons for leaving, they seem to look back on their experiences there as generally positive. None of them were on Azure to my knowledge, but several were on teams for Office and one of them was on projects like Xbox and Zune(going way back here).

      Anyways, best of luck. 😊
      Feb 18, 2020
  • Amazon
    kwdcu

    Go to company page Amazon

    kwdcu
    Microsoft’s offer is better. The only thing that I would think more about is working in a small remote location. Redmond is 100 times better (more opportunities to learn, change teams etc)
    Feb 18, 2020 2
  • Amazon / Eng
    10xngneer

    Go to company page Amazon Eng

    10xngneer
    You forgot about the first 2 years sign on bonus which basically acts as RSUs instead of real sign-on.
    Feb 18, 2020 3