Frustrating but solid - PR Manager Amazon Employee Review

4.0
Dec 15, 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- policy of receiving a yes or no phone call within 5 days of your loop round interview, and they stick to it. - very solid company that isn't going anywhere - the people on my team are smart, engaged, and helpful

Cons

- I hated the experience of interviewing here. They say they have a very "peculiar" culture, and they do. They are so obsessed with making sure you fit that culture that the entire FIVE HOURS of interviewing in one day is focused on you coming up with anecdotes that embody their "Leadership Principles" and getting grilled on them. There is close to zero discussion of your actual skills or experience, or of the actual requirements of the job or how the team operates or anything that would help you make a decision. I barely got my questions answered. And I was practically incoherent by the end of the day. That said, if you do your homework and type out a detailed doc with all your examples - 2 for each of 10 principles, you can get the job. I thought I did terribly and I got an offer 3 days later. Was it meaningful to me? No. Did it feel incredibly contrived and frustrating? Yes. But I needed a job in a down economy and felt this company wasn't going anywhere. I will be honest that had I had two offers on the table at once, I would have gone with the other one purely based on how much I hated the interview process. Once inside, I am adjusting to working at the biggest company ever with a ton of bureaucracy and very specific processes for how to do everything. Onboarding and getting to a place where you can contribute takes forever, and makes you really bored. Also, they are so behind other tech companies in terms of workplace tools. My coworkers literally email Word docs around to each other!! Static Word doc attachments!!! Oh, the version control issues!! Where is the Google Suite and dynamic docs, even the microsoft version of that? Nowhere to be seen. They use Quip (so bad!) and other terrible inferior things. They have Slack, but it's like a social chat, they haven't fully adopted it as a tool of efficiency and to replace email. SO MUCH EMAIL. That said, it's clear that if I accept it for what it is and stop banging my head against the wall trying to make it be what it's not, then this could be a great place to work, and great for my career. I have already noticed how mobile people are here. Folks stay a long time and change roles often; it's expected. I am only 2 months in, so we shall see!

Explore other reviews about Amazon

5.0
Jul 9, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great benefits. Good health insurance, and PTO.

Cons

I was working overnights and had to be standing up for long hours.

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.

3159
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