r/amazonemployees

Perhaps I’m complacent. Yes, actually, I am complacent. But I have zero interest in the dog-and-pony show required to climb the ladder despite the fact that I am observably working at a lower level than I should be at. I’m old and know a lot, but I was a people manager elsewhere and just want to do a job I like. RTO is largely no issue as I was hired around Dec. 2024 and it’s been the norm. Weathered/weathering a huge re-org and jumped teams when it became to me that my old team’s days are numbered due to leadership’s thirst for AI, automation and vendors. I’m coasting at the moment, stuck between my old job and new one, but I know I do not want to climb any higher anytime soon. Is that even possible at Amazon?

Hello everyone,

I have an interview scheduled for tomorrow, but due to some personal issues, I won't be able to attend. I asked the HR to reschedule it, but she insisted that I take the interview tomorrow because the interview pipeline depends on interviewer availability.

After I explained my situation, she said she would look into rescheduling, but she wasn't sure if another slot would be available. She also mentioned that if I don't attend tomorrow, the interview might get delayed for quite some time. At the end, she said she would let me know.

It's been a few hours, and I haven't heard anything back yet.

What should I do? Should I reply to the scheduled interview email saying that I'm ready to attend the interview because I'm afraid of losing this opportunity, especially after getting this opportunity after so much struggle?

What would you guys suggest?

I've wanted to make an info post here for a while. Throw-away account, as the details of my time at Amazon are not public info. I was an L6 there for around two years, for reference. A lot of this info was on internal boards also (where I was active), before Amazon removed it (around the time the vocal people who were removed with the RTO push were removed/silenced).

As far as we could collectively tell (based on data gathered), at any time, around 40% of employees are on Focus. This is done to "prime the pump" for the required ~15% annual NRA targets: managers need to build a history for people to place on PIP, to meet the "stack ranking" style NRA targets. Important: You will almost certainly not be told if/when you are on Focus. I was on Focus for over a year, with no notification, no coaching, no extra/different communications from my manager, no extra targets or requirements, and no way to tell. I only discovered this when I was eventually moved onto a PIP. Many people will never know if they are on Focus.

Managers have ~15% annual PIP targets, via the stack ranking program. Being placed in PIP is primarily a necessary bookkeeping step to fire someone. Somewhere around 5% (WAG) of employees "survive" a PIP, but it's designed to fire you, so you will not get support from your manager (he/she has already decided to let you go at that point). You'll only survive if you have a higher-level manager override, and move you to another group.

Important: The goals for the PIP will almost always be absurd, vague, and unattainable. This is very different than the internal messaging, where they will try to gaslight you by saying they are objective and achievable; they will not be. This is something I explicitly asked my manager about, when my PIP plan was basically "do the equivalent to what the team has spent 6 months working on in 4 weeks, and we'll tell you if it's good enough". The process will not be fair, objective, or remotely possible, and is designed to ensure you will always fail. See the above point about the only way to "survive" is to have a higher level manager save and move you.

Also, for clarity: if you are placed on PIP, unless you are saved by another manager, you will never work at Amazon again. This is also by design: the org knows you will be disillusioned at that point. It's also not the end of the world: Amazon is one of the worst employers out there, aside from compensation, and given options you probably shouldn't want to work there more than once anyway.

Amazon, as an org, does not care about their employees or objective data (they claim they do, but they do not). This became transparently evident during the initial RTO push, when all the data in the world didn't move the needle for anything upper management was mandating. This may have been true under Bezos (I cannot comment, wasn't there), but it's not remotely true under Jassy. Currently, profits and stock price are prioritized over everything.

Anyway, I hope the above helps someone. Despite my experience, I think I got positive value from my time there; Amazon still looks okay on a resume, I have great references from elsewhere, I learned stuff and did some good work while I was there, and there's residual value in the compensation expectation. Amazon is the worst company I've ever worked for (in terms of how they treat employees), and I'm in a much better place now, but I wouldn't necessarily tell people not to take a job there, as long as you know exactly what you plan to use them for (as they will certainly be using you mercilessly and without any regard for your welfare).

AM incline after internship with one semester left?
I recently finished an Area Manager internship with Amazon and was wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation with an AM incline/transition before officially graduating.
My internship went really well. I presented my project to the senior leadership team, exceeded the baselines I set during the pilot, and the tool I created is supposed to be refined by Process Engineers and potentially rolled out across the network if everything goes well. Based on my feedback, my manager will also most likely recommend me for an incline as part of my intern evaluation.

I currently have three AM applications that have been Under Consideration for about three weeks, but I still have one semester of college left. I also have 2+ years of blue-badge experience and have spent most of my time taking on PA-type roles and responsibilities while remaining T1 because it worked better with my school schedule.
Ideally, I’d like to transition directly into an AM position instead of going back to another site as a T1. It’s not only about getting the management experience. Financially, staying T1 means I usually have to work around six days a week to cover school and my other expenses while still balancing classes. As an AM, even if I were working four 12s or occasionally five 12s, I’d have a much more consistent schedule and more actual days available for school.

Has anyone gone from T1 → AM after an AM internship with an incline, especially with one semester still remaining? Curious what your experience with the process and timeline was like.

I’ve accepted an alternative offer, but it was a great experience nevertheless.

All of the Amazonians I met throughout the process were fantastic, and I really appreciated everyone on here who took the time to share their insights.

In hindsight, I could have prepared differently, particularly by having a stronger Disagree and Commit example.

The example I gave to the hiring manager didn’t really demonstrate the principle, and I suspect that may ultimately have counted against me. I remember how a lot of the questions during that particular interview were focused on handling conflict and disagreement - unfortunately had very few examples prepared.

My impression is that the process leaves very little room for a weak interview. You can perform strongly across most of the loop, but one interview where you don’t demonstrate the required signals clearly enough can make a significant difference.

Unfortunately for me, that was my first interview with the hiring manager, while I was still getting used to the process and format. As the interviews progressed I did find that I was getting better at doing it.

Either way, it was a valuable experience, and I learned a lot from going through it.

Good experience nevertheless.

Thanks again all.

I do not work at Amazon, but interested in joining.

I think I’ve read everything on here, from sexual harassment cases, slave labour to people being put onto PIPs in their notice period.

I have never worked in any org where this happens.

Are HR reviewing posts on here?

I’m sure there are other perspective joiners looking at this sub and thinking wtf.

Disclaimer: I don’t have any particular opinion about Amazon, positive or negative. I’m just someone trying to learn more about what it’s like to work there.

Has anyone here reached out to their recruiter about potentially delaying their AWS start date because their EAD card may not arrive in time?

I’m starting as a Solutions Architect on September 14, but there’s a chance my physical EAD card won’t be delivered before then. I’m considering contacting my recruiter to explain the situation and ask whether the start date can be pushed back.

Has anyone been in a similar situation with AWS? How accommodating were they about moving the start date, and did it affect your offer in any way?

Hi all, Im currently an L5 in AWS, my team has gotten multiple changes across the year where we lost the team manager twice and we have no manager over 3 months (we are directly under the skip).
Skip is obviously super busy to manage us so we kept doing our stuff and was working well.
However, now (3 months after the last manager left) I'm starting to notice that my scope is being given away by the skip manager to another team, where in meetings he explicitely told the other team manager that she will take my only active projects. I've also noticed that I've been pulled off of projects or meetings where I'm a main stakeholder.
I've been praised by L6/L7 managers on my performance but those same managers are pulling me off from stuff that I was closely contributing. I'm already looking to move but is not that easy to find a new job,

Has anyone gone through this situation? I afraid I'm being pulled into the PIP show without doing anything wrong...

So I cleared all my interviews, including bar raiser round and was kept in team matching phases. I thought I secured a position and gave up on searching for jobs for months but during layoffs amazon sent me email saying their is no head count and we have to let you go, I was devastated.

Recruiters were like apply for 2026, it will be a smooth process. I applied 3 times with the same account I got into team matching phases (they broke the pipeline 2 times, so had to apply again). I applied within 2 hours after the portal opened, not sure if the pipeline is broken, didn't get a reject as well. (it's been like this for 6 - 7 months i guess)

I am seeing people getting interviews and offer, but my account has a whole interview process with notes and I can't get an offer till now.

Currently I am in time sensitive situation, it will be helpful if your team or any team you guys know who needs SDE I, could you please refer to them. I have seen people in my situation get offers if they find a team.

Please DM me if you guys know any team or your team needs SDE 1.

Really Appreciate it, Thanks :)

Amazon, BLR

I have applied for an internal role and got verbal confirmation from the hiring manager.

The thing is, I'm in my current team for ~7 months.

Work load is hell (swamped with work even on weekends) which I deliver but my current manager clearly doesn't like me (said I am at the bottom of the bell curve)

Now, I don't want to be in this team at any cost and have verbal confirmation from the HM (interview feedback in system is only pending)

Can my current manager block my movement?

If yes, in what should be my course of action?

Please advice. Already getting anxiety attacks 🫠

Background: I’ve spent the first 4 years of my career in a data science / ML engineering role. And in recent 2 years more focus on gen ai side.

The offer: Interviewed for a L5 SA role but got offered for L4 instead. The base salary did not increase much compared to my current, but with the first two years of bonus etc, would end up having a 16% increase.

I have always love to have a big tech company in my resume, but I thought L4 is more for post graduate? So I’m a bit disappointed at the level. Would have a call with the hr tomorrow. Is the level negotiable? Also would love to know if anyone share similar experiences? Thank you!

I really, really like my job. Let me preface with that. But I want to give Amazon a whirl, which I'm afraid I may like less and am not sure if I'll perform as well. At Walmart I am a door greeter, so I have the easiest job in the whole store. I have a chronic pain condition so I don't think an Amazon fulfillment center is for me, but I'm curious about trying an Amazon sort center. If i end up absolutely hating Amazon, huge possibility, will Walmart ever rehire me, or will it be like pulling teeth? Do I need to work somewhere else after leaving Walmart before Amazon will hire me?

So I was with Amazon for almost 4 years. I was an L4 when I left. Was injured outside of work and eventually had to leave. I’m healed now and want to come back.

BUT, they are trying to say I owe them just under $5k in payments that were paid to me while I was out injured and before I left. I’ve clearly not paid it yet, I’ve been out injured for 2 years now.

Will owing Amazon money keep me from being rehire eligible? It’s letting me apply for roles and not saying I’m not eligible for rehire.

Why is Amazon India RBS so toxic?

With each day it feels like working in a toxic Indian company. Amazon may sound global but it's managers are very very very toxic.
I admired the work culture here but lately their external hires for managers are just screwing the overall Amazon experience.
Is every org in India like this?

Tell me a positive story about Amazon in 2026.

I recently went through the loop for an L6 Sr AM Amazon Ads position. Can someone be real with me on what the culture is like over there? Not that I have an offer yet, but I’m weighing options and would love opinions from anyone who works at Amazon Ads/ the DSP. I know that this particular team is flexible with RTO and most of them go in 2-3x a week which seems awesome. The people in my loop were definitely a mix personality-wise and I vibed with a few of them, but there was one that I definitely didn’t click with and another one that I couldn’t read so who knows what will happen!

Hey guys,

I’ve received an offer from Amazon and currently work at a startup with a pretty decent work culture. Amazon is offering around a 45% hike, and my manager said he’ll try to match the compensation.

I’m conflicted because I’m worried about Amazon’s WLB/work culture, but I’m also not sure how well my current startup will scale, what its runway looks like, or how stable the opportunity is. At the same time, I’m hesitant to give up the brand value and career growth that Amazon could offer.

If compensation is matched, would you still choose Amazon, or is a good work culture and startup environment worth staying for?

Would love to hear from people who’ve been in a similar situation.