The benefits and downsides of a major company - Software Engineer II Amazon Employee Review

4.0
24 Oct 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Get to work with big services and the scaling of those services - Get to work on services that are used by a wide range of customers - Fast paced work environment - Very hands on, get to take part in both designs of systems, operations of systems and development of systems - Very high bar pushes you to improve quickly

Cons

- Can feel pressure with deadlines and high bar - Senior management sometimes leaves org in the dark and guessing what comes next, even with big changes within the org - You hear about layoffs and big news about Amazon from external news sources before internal ones - Experience at Amazon can vary widely depending on your manager - Since its a large company with many orgs, working across teams can be confusing or frustrating - Because of deadlines and crunches, work-life balance can take a hit

Explore other reviews about Amazon

5.0
2 Jun 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
10 Jan 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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