#RemoteWork #AmazonRecruiter #WorkLifeBalance
Hey everyone! 🌟
I wanted to share an experience I had with an Amazon recruiter who reached out to me recently about a software development position. While I was flattered, I was also a bit taken aback by their strict Return to Office (RTO) policy. Here are some details:
- Position: Software Developer
- Work Arrangement: Purely on-site, no flexibility
- Choices: A few office locations were provided
In a professional manner, I had to decline this opportunity. 🙅♂️ I made it clear that I’m looking for options that allow for hybrid or remote work.
Why This Matters:
The push for strict in-office work can have significant repercussions for professionals and the industry as a whole. Here are some pain points associated with this trend:
- Reduced Talent Pool: Many skilled developers, like me, are opting out of roles with rigid in-office mandates. This limits options for companies, sometimes forcing them to settle for less-qualified candidates. 💼❌
- Impact on Work-Life Balance: Commuting five days a week can disrupt personal lives, leading to burnout and decreased productivity.
- Domino Effect: If Amazon, a major player, enforces this policy, it could encourage other companies to follow suit, further diminishing the flexibility that many of us have come to value. ⚠️
What Can Be Done?
We all know that flexibility is key in today’s job market! Here’s a possible solution:
- Promote Hybrid Work Models: Companies should consider a blend of remote and in-office work, as it keeps talent happy while ensuring team collaboration.
I’m really curious to know how others feel about strict RTO policies. Have you faced similar situations with recruiters, or do you think hybrid models are the way forward? 🤔
Feel free to share your experiences, tips, or even your thoughts on how the landscape of remote work is changing. Let’s get the discussion going!
Nice job, hold the line. I’ll do the same.
Thanks for the help man. Appreciate it
Nah If I interviewed with Amazon and got selected I’d take the job. 100-200k TC is too good to pass up just because it’s not remote.
I had an on-site scheduled then as soon as that made that announcement I canceled it. May or may not have said why in a professional manner
Yeah full-time 5-days on-site is ridiculous. Hybrid is reasonable for most purposes imo. Teams can schedule and coordinate when and how often they want to meet in person as necessary (i.e. Mondays onsite for weekly team meetings and Thursdays onsite for team bonding, etc). You really don’t need all 5 days in office to be successful.
👏
Good, fuck Amazon.
IMO there’s no shot they change position. Companies have a ton of leverage due to the terrible market conditions for juniors and new grads. Amazon will easily find people willing to work 5 days in office for top tier pay. After all, the whole world worked that way 4 years ago.
I myself would not leave my hybrid job for full RTO, but if I were to get laid off, I’d definitely be considering full RTO
HOLD THE LINE
Nah, I prefer on site.
Honestly the only real value, IMO, of rejecting a reach out is so that people who actually do need jobs right now (got laid off) can apply themselves. The more qualified candidates to choose from, the less Amazon has to offer for the role.
I’m actually totally fine with full time in person, and I’d gladly return to it for the right offer. My only issue is when companies hire you for remote, and then change your status to hybrid or even on site while offering you your remote package. I’ll gladly come into the office, but it’s going to cost you.
300k+ is my number to go in everyday. Until then I’ll be remote. I can be bought. Not ashamed.
For every one of you there’s 100 that will take it
fuck amazon
I wish I had the financial freedom and job security to turn things down like that. Instead I’m looking at this RTO mandate as cutting down a lot of the competition as I try to get literally any job, remote or not.
Fuck on site and also fuck hybrid.
Hybrid still means you have to live in the expensive area, you may just save some time and money on commute. That’s not good enough.
Yeah, got one from Amazon too. I’ve got a whole God damned family. I’m not uprooting them to some new location so that Amazon can game the commercial real estate market, or whatever stupid reason the execs have to force everyone back. Because the data doesn’t back up the claim that developers are more productive in an office.
“I’m only considering fully remote opportunities at this time.”
Memorize this phrase.
Amazon interview requests are like herpes. Be prepared to get bombarded with more.
One reached out to me yesterday since i passed a tech interview a couple months ago then got ghosted. He said I can move straight to a final round if I’m still interested. I think they’re aware of incoming headcount loss lol.
I hope that enough people are adamant that full time RTO is ridiculous but unfortunately I think that won’t be the case. I was laid off a few weeks ago and I must say that with the lack of job opportunities I see myself qualified for, mixed with the number of applicants for these positions, I would take a 5 day in office position and would relocate for said position. Being able to reject a recruiter or position because it is full time in office is sadly not a luxury I currently have.
Which sites did the recruiter gave you?
Same. I politely turned them down. It felt good.
Beyond that I dont feel like the value proposition is as strong for big tech or Amazon specifically as it used to be.
Grinding leetcode so that you can get paid very well, while working at a place that values its employees and doesnt do layoffs makes sense.
Grinding leetcode so that you may get abused for a few years and may lose your job despite performing well isnt worth it to me. Im happy where I am and make fine money, why risk such negative outcomes.
If I really needed a job, I would not shun returning to the office 5 days a week. There are a whole other host of reasons I would be cautious about interviewing at Amazon though.
hahaha , also just emailed an amazon recruiter about how I’ll only interview in the position is remote
they can fuck right off the bat
I wouldn’t want to work for Amazon, heard too many horror stories.
But if a different company offered Amazon’s pay and good W/L balance, I wouldn’t mind doing that job from an office. See, I’m already in an office 5 days a week. So continuing to be in an office *while earning stupid good money* would be nothing but an improvement. And I think that there are a heck of a lot of people in a similar position. Sure I’d love to work from home, but I’m glad just to be able to work, and I’d be happier still if I could earn a ton of money while doing so, office or not.
But don’t worry, I’m Canadian living in butt-fuck nowhere, so I’ve literally never had a recruiter reach out. Your standards are safe.
They get hundred/thousands of submissions for a job at Amazon. You are going against the tide.
Ive been ignoring amazon recruiters recently
I’m taking the job if I get it, I hope more qualified candidates I’m competing with won’t take the job
There is no compromise. Hybrid is as bad as remote. Either keeps me from living where I want to live.
This also happened to me yesterday. Sad to decline AWS but I’m not willing to move for it.
Those balls of your can’t even be bought.
It’s simply priceless…
I heard good things about working at the Amazon games department.
I’ve told many recruiters (not from FAANG) that I’m looking for remote only. If we all hold firm we can get them to crack.
I always take the call, and I always tell them I’ll be interested when they fully embrace remote work. Not hybrid and certainly not RTO, fully remote. I think it’s useful to give them the data point, instead of not talking to them at all.
Hahah you think they won’t hire an h1b from India what is desperate to come to the USA !
Outside of the new RTO, everyone should turn down Amazon due to their treatment of employees over the last few years. They completely flipped multiple times, forced people to relocate to a different location after hiring them to a physical location, gave 0% increases recently, marked people that were laid off as unhireable to game the RIF quota numbers. Just all around toxic
You made the right choice.