I worked at AWS and Meta for considerable time and thought of sharing the difference in WLB at both the places. Both of these places are not for coasters - I worked between 45-50 hours in both the places and have seen people who worked 60 hours easily. Things where Meta is better - At Meta, I can choose my 50 hours as I have lot more flexibility. I don't miss my kids activities, I don't miss my vacations. There are no artificial deadlines created by PMs or EMs, I choose my own deadline. At AWS, I have to cancel many of my family activities and vacations, I got engaged even when I am not oncall. - At Meta, I have better options to choose what to work on. But the work comes with higher responsibility. - Meta Rewards are better for the crazy work. At Amazon, I have worked 60+ hours also and got 0 hike because I am at the top of my compensation level (WTF). Things where Amazon is better - At Amazon, I only care about delivery of the Software with an acceptable quality. If the project does not generate the desired revenue or other positive metrics, that's on the PM and EM. But at Meta, I have to continue iterating till I don't move a positive metric. It is more like an academic R&D and people sometimes can drive themselves crazy because all the work did not generated the desired result. - Since most of the projects are sponsored by Managers at Amazon, if my work require more people, my Manager will take care of that. At Meta, this mostly becomes my responsibility if I mis-estimated the amount of work or my dependencies f**ed up the delivery. Things where both are bad - Project Planning - At Meta, there will be no project level plan. At Amazon, the project plan will be badly created by clueless EMs/PMs who have underestimated everything. - Unplanned work - Amazon will keep you busy with operations and fire-fighting. Meta will keep you busy with cross-team meetings that you are responsible to drive (not your manager or TPMs). - 996ers - are worshipped at both the places specially by leadership. Also, it is impossible to slack, they will get a target on the back very easily. - Trust - At Meta, you can trust your peers (they are generally more competent), but your system/dependency wil be fragile. At AWS, you can trust the system (as it has gone through higher rigor and operations), but your peers will be mediocre. - Burnout - You will not realize it, but you will eventually get burned out or will go through periodic high stress time. - Credit stealing - At Amazon, your EM/Seniors will steal your work credit. At Meta, your cross-team will steal your credit. Things where both are good - You will learn a lot (in different dimensions). If you can survive here, you can survive in most of the places (except another sweatshop). - Things become better (or you adjust your lifestyle) after couple of years. Overall - I am equally stressed at both the places. But my family is happier at Meta in comparison to AWS (both in terms of family time and money). TC - 800K
Thanks for sharing this ๐
Trust is true. You missed that since bar lower at Amazon means it's easier to impress/high rating.
Can you explain what you mean by "your system/dependency will be fragile" in meta?
In AWS you can trust your dependencies because theyโre all getting chewed out for sub-100 availability too. Operational excellence is king I assume Meta is not quite up to that standard since no one is literally losing their life if Facebook goes down. I had people call into an AWS LSE and tell me their medical system was down
This isโฆ one of the most accurate AWS representations in a while. Kudos to you for surviving both OP ๐
Kudos. What level at both? If EM at Meta is not managing alignment with his peers in xfn and it is on the Sr/Lead to do so, what does the EM do? Is EM at Meta more a people manager than an Eng manager?
High SDE III at Amazon, E6 at Meta. EM at Meta and Google are similar, they are people managers.
Nice! This accurately decribes my experience at Amazon. Are you a Staff Engineer?
Yup
I come to Blind just because of posts like this. Thanks buddy!!
Thanks for sharing.
Nice perspective