Cool projects but toxic management
Pros
I was originally hired as an SDET on the Fire TV team. From my first impressions, Amazon Lab126 seemed like a great company to work for. Throughout your career, you'll get to collaborate with diverse teams on highly successful products. I've also met many interesting people during my time at Amazon. The company social events are amazing too. In addition to the annual post-holiday celebration and the family picnic, there are regular team-building events. Although Amazon doesn't often offer free lunches like other Bay Area tech companies, there are regular happy hours and weekly snacks provided by the on-site cafeteria. Pros in a nutshell: + Interesting projects + Diverse teams + Great social events
Cons
However, one thing I quickly noticed was the company's toxic management and culture. For example, my first boss loved to micromanage and actually once told me I was being unprofessional simply because I spent a few minutes talking to another new hire. After the most recent reorganization, I was assigned to a manager with a non-technical background. Despite his limited experience, he constantly criticized my work and was rarely responsive to my concerns. There are also few opportunities for career growth as Amazon prides itself as a very frugal company. I know many high performers, yet only a handful actually get promoted every year. Opportunities to attend training and conferences are few and far between. And even though we have happy hours, the food is often gone within minutes. Another downside is that Lab126 is very secretive and has strict confidentiality rules. During the new hire orientation, HR made it a point to tell us that two people were fired for disclosing their projects. I wasn't even allowed to tell my own family about my work until a few months before the product's release, and only after they signed an NDA. This actually caused a rift between me and my parents because they are very supportive of me but get frustrated when I can't say much. I ultimately decided to seek external opportunities and got a major raise after leaving to join a startup. From what my old co-workers told me, the team fell apart just one month after my departure. Cons in a nutshell: - Toxic and incompetent managers - Few opportunities for career growth - Company is very frugal - Too secretive
