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My Amazon Burnout Experience

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Re: My Amazon Burnout Experience

#101

Post by nsfyn55 »

mildbow wrote: post #60
tsunamifury wrote: post #26

It seems obvious that this person is aware they don't work well with others, and actively refuses to try to do better -- while writing a self-aggrandizing story about how he is both the smartest person in the room and most everyone around him was an idiot. He seems to believe there was no one else smart at Amazon either, and all projects that 'got in his way' were created my simple minded peons. This type of retrospe…

Surely I'm not the only one who can see that section for what it was? That is: letting us know that pure competence wasn't the issue? FOllowing from that: if pure competence isn't what works in a meritocracy, then what does? Maybe your answer is: "team work", whatever that is? Since we are saying "this person isn't a great person to work with", let me say the same about you. If you can't read someone else's accomplis…

What if merit isn't defined by "technical competence" but the "ability to deliver results in a defined context" and by "results" we are talking about "what the company(e.g. managers) defines as results".

So often engineers and quants take it on themselves to define "results" but is that fair? As an engineer these are lessons hard won over my career. I am a component in larger system. What if the alternator in my car took it on itself to improve engine efficiency, fuel economy, or safety at the expense of the job I expect it to do?

One of the most important things an engineer can learn on the job is humility. Understanding that the don't have all the information and accepting the tasks they are given. The author admits this is not what they did and they deserve poor marks as a result. No promotion? ... color me surprised.

Re: My Amazon Burnout Experience

#102

Post by nsfyn55 »

fapjacks wrote: post #35

Amazon called me up one day trying to recruit. I haven't shuddered like that in a very long time.

Don't bother. At first you look at your inbox and think "Amazon? me really?" I responded only to find out this was a mass spam campaign. They found me via LinkedIn, said "Our senior management as indicated your experience is exactly what we are looking to hire", then proceeded to ask me what my experience was. Hashtag this company has become a joke.

Re: My Amazon Burnout Experience

#103

Post by mildbow »

nsfyn55 wrote: post #101
mildbow wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Surely I'm not the only one who can see that section for what it was? That is: letting us know that pure competence wasn't the issue? FOllowing from that: if pure competence isn't what works in a meritocracy, then what does? Maybe your answer is: "team work", whatever that is? Since we are saying "this person isn't a great person to work with", let me say the same about you. If you can't read someone else's accomplis…

What if merit isn't defined by "technical competence" but the "ability to deliver results in a defined context" and by "results" we are talking about "what the company(e.g. managers) defines as results". So often engineers and quants take it on themselves to define "results" but is that fair? As an engineer these are lessons hard won over my career. I am a component in larger system. What if the alternator in my car…

Why are you treating this as a binary answer?

Why are you ignoring everything else that has come up about amazon's culture?

Why are you advocating being a sheep? The dude did what he thought was his job description and what he was told was what would help the company at the macro not the micro level I guess his job description should have been: "do what your manager says" ?

Are you maybe going to say that's everyone's job description? Well maybe that would be ok if you are hired for a job that doesn't require initiative etcs. But. Since we are hired to use our brans, we do use our brains :(

Re: My Amazon Burnout Experience

#106

Post by studentrob »

dantillberg wrote: post #59
erickhill wrote: post #50

What a shame that someone flagged this article (who knows why?). I was finding the comments rather interesting enlightening. Then 'poof!'

Aye, this is the second time today a post that's interested me has gotten tanked. The silence with which moderation on HN is wielded has been frustrating me of late.

It only takes a few people flagging to kill it. Say, a few heads at Amazon. Quite annoying when there is lively discussion, I agree

Re: My Amazon Burnout Experience

#107

Post by LISACULLY »

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Re: My Amazon Burnout Experience

#108

Post by LISACULLY »

This is a testimony of how my life was transformed financially by Dr.Lawrence Super Spell world and also of how my ex got back to me but before i give you my story , i will like to say this little thing , “It is not important who you are, what you look like, or what you do.Please know that everyone has a right to a place in the society and this you can work out EASY, FAST and SWIFT when you have a good spiiritual doctor like Dr.Lawrence email him today Drlawrencespelltemple@hotmail. com You are in safe hands. he is always ready to help

Re: My Amazon Burnout Experience

#109

Post by nsfyn55 »

mildbow wrote: post #103
nsfyn55 wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if merit isn't defined by "technical competence" but the "ability to deliver results in a defined context" and by "results" we are talking about "what the company(e.g. managers) defines as results". So often engineers and quants take it on themselves to define "results" but is that fair? As an engineer these are lessons hard won over my career. I am a component in larger system. What if the alternator in my car…

Why are you treating this as a binary answer? Why are you ignoring everything else that has come up about amazon's culture? Why are you advocating being a sheep? The dude did what he thought was his job description and what he was told was what would help the company at the macro not the micro level I guess his job description should have been: "do what your manager says" ? Are you maybe going to say that's everyone'…

How exactly have I treated this as a binary answer?

>Why are you ignoring everything else that has come up about amazon's culture?

I've read the articles, but its important to remember that if you've had a bad experience you are 10 times more likely to be vocal about it(that shit is some straight science - http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/24/your-money/why-people-reme...).

> guess his job description should have been: "do what your manager says" ?

I'm not a scientist but I am pretty sure that is the definition of a job.

Having been both an engineer and a manager and an engineer again I can honestly say my smoothest projects were composed of folks that were great followers. They understood when they needed to take initiative and when they needed to follow instructions to the letter. When intentionally adding a leak to the abstraction was necessary to get something out the door and when their code needed to be bullet proof.

Alpha programmers are different animals. If they are truly an Alpha programmer then I use them like a flamethrower loosely directing them at tough, solo/small team problems. But I've encountered my share of C/D players that labored under the delusion they were an Alpha programmer. These folks lashed out, constantly questioned my judgement, and eroded the team's cohesion. Somehow they managed to do this while also not being capable or qualified to tackle my big picture problems. I afforded them every opportunity to be successful, but in several cases they were just too smart for me I guess so I had to set them free. This article sounds like a my many meetings with the latter.

As for advocating being a sheep. Some things are bigger than one person. Is the defensive end on a football team a sheep for following the play the QB/Offensive coordinator has chosen? He may not be put in the best place to make a tackle or a sack(very prestigious stats) because his role might be more subtle than that (containing the quarterback). This is what you do when you are part of a team. Why are you advocating going rogue?

Re: My Amazon Burnout Experience

#110

Post by fapjacks »

nsfyn55 wrote: post #102
fapjacks wrote: post #35

Amazon called me up one day trying to recruit. I haven't shuddered like that in a very long time.

Don't bother. At first you look at your inbox and think "Amazon? me really?" I responded only to find out this was a mass spam campaign. They found me via LinkedIn, said "Our senior management as indicated your experience is exactly what we are looking to hire", then proceeded to ask me what my experience was. Hashtag this company has become a joke.

Yeah, absolutely it's obvious. These days though it seems they send out "Your experience is exactly what we're looking for........... Come visit our hiring event in ". I don't even read them anymore. Just straight to the trash.
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