I have been working at corporate Amazon for less than a year, but a year at Amazon feels like forever. Most people last two to four years on average, I have been told. I think that is mostly in tech roles. I work on the Amazon Fashion Tech initiatives team in a non-tech role. I genuinely love my job and everyone I work with. Of course, there are those days that end in tears and wanting to give up, but at Amazon, you are never alone. There is a village of support around every corner which has made my experience so far worth wild.
I don’t want this post to be propaganda on why you should also work for Amazon. So instead, I want to share my thoughts and explain why I changed my mind about Amazon over the past year.
Before working for Amazon, I was not too fond of the company for everything it was. I had never even made a purchase before working there. Everyone knew don’t discuss Amazon with me because, generally, I was not too fond of it. It wasn’t so much they were taking from small businesses, but rather the fear of them taking over so many entities here in America.
In reality, they are not taking small businesses away that happened decades ago with Target and Walmart. If we want to say Amazon will put Walmart and Target out of business, I highly doubt it they are both billion-dollar companies that continue to grow; there is a need for online retail just as much as in-person shopping. I utilize both equally. That thought is still in my mind for my taking over reviews, but I’m not viewing it as a terrible thing. Amazon has more than a million employees with average incomes higher than similar roles elsewhere. They give great benefits and the best maternity leave I have ever seen in America (it truly is on par with Europe, incredible). They have offices globally and helping local and state economies to grow. They help small businesses flourish and continue to partner with small businesses to develop their platform.
In a year, this is what I have noticed and experienced. I genuinely do feel valuable at Amazon, and, at the moment, I’m planning on staying for a long while. Also, I have made over 100 purchases. It is like a drug that I don’t like, and they make it too easy!
For anyone curious about my hiring process:
1. Applied via LinkedIn, Late August 2020
2. Got an email from a recruiter; asking me to write a short answer essay, Late August 2020
3. First interview; with someone who had my job title I was applying for; you hear back within 24 hours if you get put through to the next round, early September 2020
4. I passed! Next was five interviews in one day, you hear back within five business days, mid-September 2020
5. I passed! However, the position was filled. Since I passed the loop interviews. I didn’t have to re-apply. The next open position that they felt I would succeed in, they would let me know, mid-September 2020
6. The recruiter did inform me this next set of open positions can take 2-3 rejections before you find a leader that matches well with you. She kept me updated weekly on the process on when she expects new positions to open
7. I waited about six weeks, finally got a call that a position was open, but she warned me that this is the first leader I’ll be interviewing with, and most people don’t get their first one. Late October 2020
8. I interviewed with this leader and the lead EA on the team. I got the offer that day or the next day; I don’t remember. So, in other words, I never did get rejected, which was a nice feeling. Early November 2020
9. November 30th was my first day
The Life of Sarah 
Very nice insight to Amazon.
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