YOE: 0 (New grad) Microsoft L60, Azure Networking Location: Redmond Base: 118k Stock: 130k over 3.5 years Sign on: 25k first year, 25k second year Annual Bonus: 0-20% of base (target 10%) Annual Stock: 0-9k Relocation: 18.5k grossed up TC: ~190-200k first two years, ~166k after Amazon SDE1, Advertising, Return Intern Location: NYC Base: 123k Stock: 90k over 4 years split 5/15/40/40 Sign on: 38k first year, 24k second year Relocation: 6.8k TC: 172k first year, 160k after I already signed Amazon in November as it was a return offer. Is it worth reneging for Microsoft as the TC is higher and Washington has lower COL and no state income tax?
The MS money is better... also, it’ll go farther in Washington then the Amazon money will go in NYC. That said? Are you ok with the Pacific Northwest? It’s polarizing... I absolutely hated it there and was happy to be able to move elsewhere (I’m not unique in that as well).
Should’ve created a poll, OP. I would choose Amazon. You will learn a lot, and i’ve heard NYC is dope.
Thanks for the advice, I just added a poll.
I would go Amazon and learn as much as possible and leave after 1-2 years.
I think I would actually learn more at Microsoft since I would be on Azure Networking, which handles a lot of Azure infrastructure, while at Amazon my team worked on a web app for ad agencies and companies to pay to display ads on Amazon.
Is this from your personal experience? As Amazon SDE1, he most likely will spend over 50% of time doing useless stuff like creating/getting mcm reviewed, doing small tasks that sde 2/3 think isn’t worth their time. At least at MS, tooling is much better and he won’t waste as much of his time doing brain dead work
Out of college, you should really pick what interests you the most. Otherwise: Short term Money and WLB -> Microsoft Huge learning experience-> Amazon-> leave in 2/3 years -> make a lot more money.
Azure networking is shit team. You won’t grow software development skills , rather you will grow the network knowledge . Software problems in this team aren’t challenging. Microsoft offer is good, but I bet you won’t stay in Azure networking for more than a year
My interviewer said they work on distributed systems along with networking, so I think it'll be a bit challenging at least. At Amazon my team just worked on React and a Java backend, which didn't seem super challenging either.
Sounds like you already made up your mind. Why ask blind if you defend Microsoft so hard?
Is there any way you can accept the MS offer and put a start date 6 months-a year in the future?
Don't think so, I'll be graduating in May and I'll probably have to start in the fall. My start date for Amazon is November because I wanted a long break after graduating.
That’s a pretty huge difference when you figure in taxes and CoL. I’d go Microsoft unless you really want to live in NYC and love the Amazon role.