Hire the best, use them for menial tasks - Software Development Engineer Amazon Employee Review

2.0
Jun 3, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Relatively good software development practices

Cons

Toronto office is a second-class citizen in Amazon world. The salary is lower than in Seattle and the work is less interesting. Working in a remote office means spending half of the day writing e-mails. You can get into a team in which you almost don't get to code and spend a lot of time with administration and maintenance. Amazon's frugality is sometimes ridiculous - you get the cheapest monitors, keyboards, etc, regardless of poor quality.

Explore other reviews about Amazon

5.0
Jun 2, 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
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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