Work Life Balance? Don't even think about it - Area Manager Amazon Employee Review

1.0
Jul 6, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great stepping stone as they hire anyone they can right out of the university. Adopt leadership skills Experience high pressure environment Learn how bureaucracy works within Amazon

Cons

Let's be honest, the retention rate for Area Manager role is pathetically low and there is a reason behind it. Don't be fooled by the large amount of signing bonus, it is simply a way to trap you with money. The offer letter stated that working hours are 10 hours a day and 4 days a week, yep! 40 hours sounds pretty good eh? WRONG! You will never experience anything less than 60 hours a week. Be ready to work 14+ hours a day and 5~6 days straight when your facility calls you in for the mandatory overtime. Yeah, enjoy working additional 14~30+ hours of UNPAID mandatory overtime with nothing in return. This will happen throughout the entire year! You will most likely not learn any technical knowledge, but to tell your Associates work "faster" and “faster”. This role is purely people management, it has nothing to do with real world operation or even supply chain management. All you would do is moving people from one path to another trying to balance the number. With that being said, it is hard to transition your role into something else in the future, because you simply won’t be able to build any relevant skill sets! Work life balance does not exist in Amazon. Imagine after working 12+ hours a day you go home eat, sleep and return to work, do that for 12 months. Amazon will give you endless tasks with lots of stress and bureaucracy. Upper Management team simply don't care about associates, all they see are workers tagged with number, rate, and %. You are the one to decide whether or not it is worth it sell your soul, family, friend, weekend, hobbies, and vacation time in exchange for such an underpay position with long work hours. The career opportunity for this role is strictly limited to Operation, the chance of internal transfer from FC to corporate is slim.

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5.0
Jan 23, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Working as a Data Center Engineering Operations (DCEO) technician at AWS has been an incredibly fulfilling experience. Every day, I know that my work directly supports the infrastructure that powers services used by millions of customers worldwide—from Netflix streaming to NASA processing Mars rover images. What makes this role special is the sense of ownership and responsibility. DCEO technicians are truly the heartbeat of the data center, maintaining the critical power, cooling, and life safety systems that keep AWS running at 99.999% uptime. The mission is clear: be stealthy in action and swift in recovery, solving problems before they impact customers. The technical challenges keep the work engaging. Whether I'm monitoring building management systems, responding to alarms, managing preventative maintenance programs, or coordinating with vendors, there's always something new to learn. The role demands both hands-on technical skills and critical thinking, which makes every shift dynamic and rewarding. AWS invests heavily in training and development. The comprehensive onboarding process, detailed standard operating procedures, and access to subject matter experts across Field Engineering and other support teams ensure you're never alone in solving complex problems. The emphasis on safety is genuine—leadership truly prioritizes that everyone goes home in the same condition they arrived. Working alongside dedicated teams like DCO, Infrastructure Delivery, and Logistics creates a collaborative environment where everyone understands how their role contributes to the bigger picture. The 24/7 nature of the work means building strong relationships with your shift team, and there's real camaraderie in knowing you're all working toward the same critical mission. For anyone who enjoys hands-on technical work, values operational excellence, and wants to be part of maintaining world-class infrastructure at global scale, DCEO at AWS offers a challenging and meaningful career path.

Cons

Time constraints, and demands can be overwhelming.

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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