If working at Amazon sucks so much, why do people say? (purchase, housing)

[RVD90277]

amazon's salary cap is $165k now? it was $150k that last time i checked. but in any case, as you move higher up, your total compensation is based mostly on RSU not base salary anyway.

RSU vesting period is set up such as very little vests after year 1, little vests after year 2, and then the majority of it vests in years 3 and 4. so you really need to stay for 4 years to get your initial stock vest. but they do have cash bonuses for years 1 and 2 to make up (or nobody senior level would go).

when people were leaving after 17 months, the stock price was relatively stagnant. for the past few months when the stock price has shot up, you have much less reason to leave since your compensation (golden handcuffs) are pretty strong.

and if the stock price ever falls a lot? you'll see a mass exodus.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by RVD90277

amazon's salary cap is $165k now? it was $150k that last time i checked. but in any case, as you move higher up, your total compensation is based mostly on RSU not base salary anyway.

RSU vesting period is set up such as very little vests after year 1, little vests after year 2, and then the majority of it vests in years 3 and 4. so you really need to stay for 4 years to get your initial stock vest. but they do have cash bonuses for years 1 and 2 to make up (or nobody senior level would go).

when people were leaving after 17 months, the stock price was relatively stagnant. for the past few months when the stock price has shot up, you have much less reason to leave since your compensation (golden handcuffs) are pretty strong.

and if the stock price ever falls a lot? you'll see a mass exodus.

Yep, it is capped at $165k (as of last month )

Here's an example:

Senior technical product manager

Base: $155k
1st year: $48 cash bonus spread over 12 months
2nd year:$36k cash bonus spread over 12 months
... then RSU really kicks in...

[RVD90277]

ah nice. bezos finally approved a base salary increase after these years.

[skidamarink]

For some people, being happy is not a priority. They are willing to subject themselves to a life that they dislike for varying reasons that may be hard to explain. Sometimes it's for the sake of their families and sometimes it's because they've simply grown into the company and don't have the energy to even think of looking for another job. After a while, the convenience of knowing your job well and being established in the company takes precedence over being happy at a new job.

[RVD90277]

That is all true.

I am generation X and one of the knocks against my generation when I was in my 20s was that we were a generation that valued our own happiness more than our careers and future. This is why so many of us worked at places like blockbuster video when we were in our 20s with no prospects of ever buying a home, getting married, having kids, etc...instead we worked a little bit, hung out with friends most evenings, went out on weekends, etc. Many of us really did have no ambition.

Now I wasn't like that but I knew many folks who were. The responsible thing is to think about your future and invest in you future even if it means doing things today that you'd rather not do today. Of course it's a lot easier and happier to hang out with friends and watch TV but if you want to invest in your future you go to college or take classes, get degrees, work your way up the ladder at various corporations, try to get internships and even work internships that don't pay, take jobs at companies with low pay and late hours, etc.

I do ok in my 40s and have a lot more fun and stability today even though it meant that in my 20s I was out working on nights and weekends while others were out having more fun. Those folks who had a lot of fun in their 20s aren't so well off. Likewise, I know other folks in their 40s having a lot more fun than I do today but I also save for retirement, etc. and I wouldn't be surprised if I'm having more fun in my 60s, etc.

Being happy is a priority but it's balanced with future goals as well. If all I cared about was being happy, I'd quit my job and instead just stay home all day, get some more sleep, tinker with my hobbies, and maybe make ends meet by doing stuff like yard work, build bikes, etc. But doing that today will screw me later...

As for Amazon, it's for people who think that it's a great opportunity long term because it is.

[Kayela]

While Amazon has earned its reputation as a tough environment, none of the many friends I have who have worked there have anything bad to say about it. They all say rather nice things. Although it's true that they eventually left, they didn't do so with bitterness.

Why did they stay working there as long as they did? Pay, experience, the chance to learn new things in an environment that exists very few other places, and a chance to see your work have an effect on the world around you.

[Sadie181]

Macklamore & Ryan Lewis are performing this year for Employees to mark 20 years! woot woot

[RVD90277]

Originally Posted by Sadie181

Macklamore & Ryan Lewis are performing this year for Employees to mark 20 years! woot woot

nice!

imagine dragons performed at the holiday party back in december 2012 and it was awesome.

[LongNote]

Like with a lot of jobs... People stay at jobs they hate because they want to be able to provide for themselves and their family if they have one, and they don't want to be out on the street.

[PNWGuy]

Originally Posted by LongNote

Like with a lot of jobs... People stay at jobs they hate because they want to be able to provide for themselves and their family if they have one, and they don't want to be out on the street.

That is true if you have a dead end job. Fact is, engineers are in demand in Seattle area, getting a new job is quite easy. Its the golden handcuffs that folks stay. Tenure pays over time, because after so many years, you are vesting five lots of whatever every year, you have more vacation time, etc. If you leave, you have to start over - vesting periods, vacation, etc.