Pros: There is so much to learn while working at Amazon. Every day, I was presented with different challenges that made me think out-of-the-box to solve them differently. The community support is excellent for several types of challenges, and mentorship is the officially supported method to yield long-term benefits. I grew from SDE to SDM at Amazon. I have worked in two different countries myself and collaborated with teams around the globe. The vast variety of data poses several key challenges and keeps you on your toes always. The teams have great potential, people, work culture, and enormous problems to solve.

Cons: One could easily burn out if they do not balance their work-life or ask for help. There are several teams or managers who would expect far more than one could achieve. Finding the right balance is the key for success at Amazon.

Pros: You're surrounded by very smart people and work on projects that are technically challenging and interesting. Amazon seems like just a website to most, but the technology in place behind the scenes is very fascinating. Highly distributed systems built to scale at massive levels.

Cons: No real perks besides a bus pass, but that's made up with competitive compensation. You work a lot, and the pager duty can be a real pain sometimes. Then again, by working a lot, I'm learning a lot, so it's really how you perceive it. I wish the remote development offices had more interesting work (my opinion). Sometimes I could use a break from the Seattle weather.

Pros: Customer Obsession Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers. Ownership Leaders are owners. They think long term and don’t sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just their own team. They never say “that’s not my job”. Invent and Simplify Leaders expect and require innovation and invention from their teams and always find ways to simplify. They are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere, and are not limited by “not invented here”. As we do new things, we accept that we may be misunderstood for long periods of time. Are Right, A Lot Leaders are right a lot. They have strong business judgment and good instincts. Hire and Develop the Best Leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion. They recognize exceptional talent, and willingly move them throughout the organization. Leaders develop leaders and take seriously their role in coaching others. Insist on the Highest Standards Leaders have relentlessly high standards - many people may think these standards are unreasonably high. Leaders are continually raising the bar and drive their teams to deliver high quality products, services and processes. Leaders ensure that defects do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed so they stay fixed. Think Big Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They think differently and look around corners for ways to serve customers. Bias for Action Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. We value calculated risk taking. Frugality We try not to spend money on things that don’t matter to customers. Frugality breeds resourcefulness, self-sufficiency and invention. There are no extra points for headcount, budget size or fixed expense. Vocally Self Critical Leaders do not believe their or their team’s body odor smells of perfume. Leaders come forward with problems or information, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. Leaders benchmark themselves and their teams against the best. Earn Trust of Others Leaders are sincerely open-minded, genuinely listen, and are willing to examine their strongest convictions with humility. Dive Deep Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details and audit frequently. No task is beneath them. Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly. Deliver Results Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a timely fashion. Despite setbacks, they rise to the occasion and never settle.

Cons: A very hectic work environment. Maybe a bit too many meetings.