There is a bad rap about Amazon but why? So you left and went where? Is everything better now? Do you regret leaving? I get it, it’s oncall but isn’t it what makes us better engineers? If you are working on a challenging project, it can’t possibly be a 9-5 job. I am almost certain all jobs at FANG-like companies are as demanding or no? 12yoe/sde3/300k
Ppl don’t quit companies. They quit their managers
Also a reason why a sizeable set of people quit Amazon. (Including me)
This guy spoke the truth. People quit their managers.
I am not SDE 3 like you yet. I joined and got promoted to L5. I only have 1/4 of your YOE but they offer me more than your total comp now. Many people leave because of money and benefits way better outside. Not necessarily that Amazon is a bad place.
What you were promoted to L5 with 3 YOE but your TC is 300+?
I agree but also would say that a number of people got pipped as well
Amazon is not a company. It is a shop.
It’s the compounding effect of all the decent people leaving, so the percentage of toxic people keeps growing. Toxic people tend to think everyone is as toxic as them so they don’t consider seeking greener pastures when surrounded by toxicity. Another larger factor in this is the overwhelming percentage of new grads that get hired at Amazon. Many of them just think that the culture there is normal for the software industry because they have nothing else to compare against, so they don’t call out the decaying personal standards and lack of empathy among their peers and superiors. The vesting schedule and the growth in the ticker price also contributes to the cultural problems. You have to stay for 3 years to get half of your RSU’s. Money grubbers stay for the 3/4 years to get their RSU’s despite all of the above. Golden handcuffs turn people into followers, so they suck it up and brown nose their superiors.
Have you worked at Amazon?
Could not agree with this more! I joined amazon very early out of college. All the managers are intense workaholics and the culture is one where anything goes and no one cares about you. After I left, I felt so depressed that that was what I had to look forward to the rest of my life—working like a dog for nothing. Months later when it clicked that the vast majority of companies are not like that, I cried. It’s a fucked up place.
At 4 yoe, I went to Apple with 340 TC. (Higher than your TC, with much less yoe) This is the main reason I left: not competitive TC (in comparison with other FANG) at all. Plus the toxic atmosphere with lots of horrible managers.
I had better years at Amazon in terms of TC. With stock taking a dip now my TC dropped so I am naturally unhappy about it.
You guys are going to make OP quit 😂 Also seriously OP, you are heavily lowballed for L6 and your YOE.
Becoming a PE/L7 at AWS is an uphill battle that very few succeed in. My mgr assures me I am on track but it may take years for it to actually happen. So I am thinking what to invest in - either LC or building L7 portfolio. Suggestions?
LC. Even if you like Amazon and want to go for L7, leave Amazon and go to some other company. Boomerang back to Amazon and come with much higher TC and again work on L7. IMO, you will easily find a great new job at FANG with high pay and good culture and you won't even boomerang back
I have 2 going on 3 YoE and am making more than you are. Not trying to show off. Have to support family back home right now. Amazon is an amazing place to work, you just won’t make market value for it under L7.
Even at L7, you won't make the value like in Facebook or Google. I moved to Google after about 10 years at Amazon.
Glad you’re happy with your job, op. That’s always nice.
Thank you. Yes I like what I do and happy to see the positive impact I made on the product and other engineers. It will be hard to walk away from this even for significantly higher TC.
Hi OP, you seem like a really nice guy. Could you be my mentor? I have recently joined Aws proserve team as a consultant but wants to move in some other team as a SDE in a few months. I think I could use some guidance. Plz let me know if I can pm you. Thanks
I quit because it is such a churn and burn culture by design. Amazon doesn’t value its people. Period. I worked so much and it never ended, no one noticed. It was affecting my health so much. I was sleeping poorly, had no appetite and began seeing a therapist to “manage my stress better” when I slowly realized I was in an impossible environment. I have been at two companies since, both with higher pay and doing about 60ish% of the work. In retrospect, the business principles I learned helped me get to where I am today but I’m not sure if the toll it took on my mental health was worth it.
Very insightful batwomann
Thank you for your comment. I can totally see this. My old management team was more realistic. The new leadership started burning people with unrealistic deadlines. I can absolutely see how we will go through what you have experienced. Glad you found a better place, batwomann!
Tech Industry
Yesterday
812
Conspiracy theory: Sundar wants to make India great again
India
Yesterday
1075
Modi is a legend, will be remembered for centuries to come
Working Parents
15h
1161
Closed now - thank you all
Tech Industry
Yesterday
2372
The end of Backdoor Roth?!
Tech Industry
4h
679
Women, help me understand why this is inspirational
For the same work and pay you can get much better culture and wlb at other FANG or other non FANG.
Plus what really convinced me is all the Amazon people of here bashing Amazon.
Did you work at Amazon or was choosing between Amazon and other companies at some point?