Amazon

Software Quality Assurance Engineer Intern

May - August 2021 • Sunnyvale, CA

What I liked

I enjoyed the relocation and the amount I learned

What I wish was different

Nothing!

Advice

Just apply! The worst that happens is they say no.

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Warehouse associate

December 2020 • Sacramento, CA

What I liked

Learning new skills.

What I wish was different

I wish the time off policies and other department features were explained to me better upon beginning my job. I also wish the communication was better.

Advice

Communication is key to understanding your duties and ensuring your team is equipped to do their job safely and correctly.

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Warehouse Associate

May - July 2021 • Hagerstown, MD

What I liked

The pay

What I wish was different

How long the shifts were. Would have liked more time to sit down. More exciting tasks.

Advice

The harder you work, the quicker time goes by.

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Software Engineer Intern

May - August 2021 • Irvine, CA

What I liked

What I wish was different

Experience really depends on what team you are on, and no way to really influence team matching

Advice

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Picker packer

May 2020 - September 2021 • Houston, TX

What I liked

Very fast paced environment and every one is nice

What I wish was different

The random picking system

Advice

Try to beat your last round of picking

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Recruiting Intern

June - August 2021 • Nashville, TN

What I liked

I loved my team and how accommodating they were. They were all willing to help me be a successful intern.

What I wish was different

No one on my team was in the same city as me, nor were there any interns in the same role as me in Nashville. I wish I at least had in-person interaction with my team. I know covid played a part in this.

Advice

ASK QUESTIONS! Everyone was so nice and was willing to help. They want to see you succeed. Also, don't just limit yourself to your team, make connections outside of your team as well.

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Program Manager Intern

June - August 2021 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I really enjoyed the tools/skills that were provided for exploration and use during the internships. However, the biggest opportunity that was given was the intern project, an opportunity to spear head a true project that had the potential for impact.

What I wish was different

I wish my team had been more ready for an intern, I was their first and at times there was very little scope given on work, and at one point I had a random project created that pulled me down.

Advice

Become the master of time management, work with every individual on the team at least once and get to know their value in the team. Also, be open to learning and taking on bigger tasks beyond the ones that are prescribed, but always ensure that what has been prescribed is completed.

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Associate

May 2020 - July 2021 • Monee, IL

What I liked

Everyday there was something different

What I wish was different

Easier opportunities to learn more things.

Advice

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Amazon associate

May - July 2021 • Thornton, CO

What I liked

The pt

What I wish was different

The bureaucracy and labor tracking

Advice

Get sign on bonus

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Software Developer Engineer Intern

June - August 2021 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

My project was interesting and relevant to the team I was with. I was working within the AWS section of Amazon, and doing so requires you to learn a lot very quickly. My manager was super nice and supportive, as with the rest of the team. Working at Amazon widely depends on the team you are with, and mine happened to be great.

What I wish was different

The internship was virtual, so with that came a different experience in itself. All of my meetings were virtual, and I would have to use slack as a main form of communication. I do believe that if I was able to go to office and work in person, it would have been easier to ask for help / easier to bond with the rest of the team.

Advice

If your internship is virtual, definitely try to spend the summer in the area that your team is located in--it'll help you decide if you would like to work there full time or return back in future years. Take advantage of the perks provided and make good connections during your time there.

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Software Development Engineer Intern

June - September 2021 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I really liked my team and being able to work on a meaningful, impactful project.

What I wish was different

I wish my team had been a little more clear about aspects of my project from the start.

Advice

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UX Designer Intern

June - August 2021 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

Opportunity for ownership and big impact on intern projects.

What I wish was different

More mentorship and guidance for interns.

Advice

Ask a lot of questions and speak up when you are confused or have something to contribute!

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Area Manager Intern

May - July 2021 • New Castle, DE

What I liked

I enjoyed learning the ins and outs of operations at a delivery station. The other operations managers were great to work with and I learned a lot about the industry and future opportunities with Amazon. I was in charge of measuring productivity rates and learned how to effectively communicate with all levels of management. I created and developed a mentorship training program to improve overall productivity, quality, and safety while also increasing retention rates. Everyone was always willing to take time to talk about my project, college, and my future career in supply chain.

What I wish was different

Although I loved only having to work four, 10-hour days, I was working partially night shifts. My hours were 2:30 AM to 12:30 PM and it was difficult switching back and forth on the weekends. Although it was difficult waking up at 1 in the morning, I enjoyed seeing the operation from start to end and all of the steps in between.

Advice

One of Amazon's principles is "Learn and Be Curious". Don't be afraid to ask questions and get advice from all levels of employees. I learned the most from this internship just by putting myself out there and picking people's brains instead of standing back and being told what to do. I also learned the most from this internship than any business class I've taken. I was able to make connections and received an excellent review to get the full-time offer.

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Solution Architect Intern

June - September 2021 • Herndon, VA

What I liked

I liked the work culture and how everyone was very welcoming. They also emphasize their leadership principles and live and breath them

What I wish was different

I do not wish anything was different, I enjoyed my time and Amazon

Advice

1) Go in open minded. 2) Getting a FAANG (Big Tech) Internship itself is hard, but never quite applying and always try to improve yourself and better your brand

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Amazon Associate

September 2020 - August 2021 • Sterling Heights, MI

What I liked

Flexibility

What I wish was different

Work Environment

Advice

Try something different.

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Warehouse Checker

June - August 2021 • Boise, ID

What I liked

A decent amount of money.

What I wish was different

More employees since we were understaffed.

Advice

Good money but hard mental work.

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Sofware Engineer Development Intern

May - August 2021 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

Lots of help and resources. Learned a ton.

What I wish was different

I wish I had had more guidance at times.

Advice

Talk to as many people as you can during your internship, a great way to network and meet smart people.

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Area Manager Intern

June - August 2021 • Orlando, FL

What I liked

I enjoyed being able to receive an operations experience while meeting other interns and leaders in the industry.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more time to interact with the senior management.

Advice

Be ready to stand! Wear comfortable shoes.

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Amazon Associate

November 2020 - August 2021 • Tracy, CA

What I liked

The work schedule and hours.

What I wish was different

The managers.

Advice

Use your PTO wisely.

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Human Resources Assistant

June 2020 • New York City, NY

What I liked

With Amazon in general, I found that there was a lot of opportunities presented in terms of experiencing different functions of the department and it seemingly had plenty of promotion opportunities. The benefits were comprehensive and there were many resources to try my hand at trying to apply at different roles and departments with Amazon. It also looks great on your resume so it provides for good exit opportunities. Being remote was a huge plus. No need to waste time, money, and other resources on the commute. It takes off a huge burden. Office politics are mitigated due to the fact that you're remote. For how big Amazon is, it is very fast moving and very receptive to changing things. It is a big machine but if changes need to be made and you make a solid enough case with support backed up, higher ups will take a close look at it.

What I wish was different

There is a constant revolving door. With how big and fast-paced Amazon is, I constantly felt burned out. Workload was excessive to the point where it was denigrating to my mental health. Competition within Amazon is fierce, so though there is a plenty of opportunities, unless you are a top-performer, opportunities are not easy to come by. This is further exacerbated by the fact that your performance is rarely something that you can control and often influenced by external factors. Working at Amazon comes with many of the detriments that working at a big company comes with. Resources are plenty but rarely feels like they're approachable as you cannot speak with HR personnel directly but rather through automated systems. Burn out is super real. Every hour, every minute, down to every second is accounted for and your productivity is monitored and if it is not up to par, corrective action will be swift. The workload makes it seem like you are to perform like a robot rather than a human.

Advice

Be prepared for a cutthroat, fiercely competitive, and high workload with little break environment. Amazon is known for squeezing every ounce out of their employees and that notion doesn't come out of thin air. It is absolutely real. I spent many weekends paralyzed by the dread of the work week coming up. If you are able to hack through the high-octane environment though, it will look amazing on your resume and there are plenty of opportunities to be had and benefits to be gained if you just stick it through. Just be mentally prepared for what you sign up for.

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