Burn-out Mill - Software Development Engineer Amazon Employee Review

1.0
Aug 26, 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Salary. They pay you piles and piles of money and stock, although a good portion of the money is in the form of a bonus that you owe back (prorated) if you leave _for any reason_ during the first year, and a similar scheme for year two.

Cons

This is a place that has no respect for it's employees or any life they may have outside of work. Within 2 weeks of starting, I was informed by my manager that I the other members of the team all worked nights and weekends, and that the same was expected of me. Things went downhill from there, until I was working 80-90 hours each week and burnt out on anything else. Amazon fires a good percentage of its workforce each year, and only gives raises to the top 20%, which produces a culture of extreme fear and competition, with team members sabotaging each other, and plenty of inter- and intra-team politics.

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5.0
Jun 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Amazon offers an exceptional work environment with cutting-edge technology and world-class engineering challenges. The compensation package is highly competitive, including strong base salary, RSUs, and comprehensive benefits. Career growth opportunities are abundant — there are clear promotion paths and access to internal mobility across thousands of teams globally. The scale of impact is unmatched; you work on systems that serve hundreds of millions of customers worldwide. Colleagues are incredibly talented, driven, and collaborative, making every project both challenging and rewarding.

Cons

The pace can be fast and demanding at times, which requires strong time management skills. Work-life balance may vary depending on the team and project deadlines.

5.0
Jan 10, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Really smart people, a lot of opportunity for growth, always encouraged to be innovative, think big, and create something new. Competitive salary and benefits with other major tech companies. 100% self motivating work environment. No dress code and 4 legged friends are welcome.

Cons

You have to be self motivated. NO ONE will hold your hand and tell you that you're doing a great job. If you need constant affirmations from management, this company isn't for you.

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