After being rejected by Facebook (despite nailing every interview – at least I thought), I accepted a job at Amazon. Today marks my 2 week anniversary, and here are some quick pros/cons about Amazon with some Microsoft/Google experiences thrown in for comparison.
+ The average age at Amazon is much younger than at Microsoft.
+ Amazon’s apps and services are much less brittle, much more fun to work with, and release 30x more frequently than most products at Microsoft.
+ Amazon has awesome office spaces in Downtown Seattle, which I prefer to the Redmond campus or the Google buildings in Freemont and Kirkland.
+/- Amazon pays better than Microsoft but not as well as Google (see GlassDoor).
+ There are many opportunities for travel at Amazon (on-site Kaizens with operational groups).
– Frugality is a company core principle (which is good), but it’s taken too far when it comes to monitors and assigned computers.
– Amazon has insignificant perks ($100 retail site discount) compared to many perks at Microsoft (company store, discount cards, free beverages, subsidized cafes, 100% health, gym).
What I care about most is opportunity for personal growth, and there’s plenty at Amazon. Management has proven that they can expand into new areas even better than Google, and Amazon is still in the early stages of exposing its many platforms and service verticals to the public through AWS, WebStore, FBA, and similar programs.