Smoke and Mirrors - Premium Support Engineer (DSE) Amazon Employee Review

2.0
Apr 6, 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Free coffee, smart people and a 10% Amazon discount across the board. Macbook Pros are nice too.

Cons

Working at AWS in their "Support" department was a real let down for me. I went from owning projects and creating new systems to answering phone calls and chats explaining to moronic customers that they are wrong, how to fix it and then wait for them to fix it while having a read-only view into their environment. My job could be done just as easily without a real computer, I only need some device to stream details out of our many databases. Indentured servitude. Seriously, soon as you join Amazon you're not allowed to leave for a year or you can owe them over $20,000 really quickly. Beware, only take this job if you want to answer chats and phone calls all day. For anyone who craves or needs hands on, this isn't for you. I'm leaving before I jump off the 27th floor of the building for having my soul sucked out of my chest, I'm eating the bill from Amazon and filing bankruptcy. Nothing else I can hope to do. My personal joy in life is worth more to me than the bragging rights of working at Amazon. Lunch and food on site is overpriced, management usually hides in their office cubes with no interaction and the emphasis on "numbers" is there even though they claim it's not.

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5.0
May 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Competitive hourly pay in many locations Benefits may include health insurance and tuition assistance Flexible scheduling options at some warehouses Opportunities for overtime and extra pay Entry-level job with minimal experience required

Cons

Physically demanding work with long hours standing or lifting Fast-paced environment with strict productivity targets Repetitive tasks can become tiring Work schedules may include nights, weekends, or holidays High stress during peak shopping seasons like holidays

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.

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