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Ask HN: Has anyone successfully renegotiated an AWS non-compete?

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Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully renegotiated an AWS non-compete?

#151
This why I turned down a job offer from AWS:

https://www.lastweekinaws.com/blog/why-i-turned-down-an-aws-...

They made me feel like a jackass when I did.

Less than a year later I was vindicated:

https://www.lastweekinaws.com/blog/aws-ruins-own-attempt-at-...

And your timing is apt! "Should I Accept an AWS Job Offer?" went up yesterday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCiUulzr9f8

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully renegotiated an AWS non-compete?

#152

I can’t answer your specific question, but I would really encourage you to think more about the AWS offer. Having spent a decade at Amazon, across several organizations, I don’t recommend it as a place to work. There was a NYTimes article about the company in 2015. Everything there still reflects the day to day culture of the company. For me Amazon took an unprecedented toll on my mental and physical health. I did ea…

I've hired several AWS engineers. Everyone of them, despite of having left AWS had nothing but good things to say. You'd think that since they left AWS, they'd have a boat load of things to unload. The only gripe I heard was occassional work/life balance during launch or critical times. Otherwise, AWS/Amazon is akin to working at Intel, GE, IBM, Oracle, etc. Bog standard corporate job. You are a cog in the machine, g…

Were you speaking to them about AWS before hiring or once they were hired? I could tell lots of justified shit about my previous employers but none during an interview.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully renegotiated an AWS non-compete?

#153
post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does 25% of your salary "sum up" 18 months pay for 18 months non-compete?

25-75% of your salary every month, until the clause expires. So if you were making $100k a year you are getting $25-75k a year until it expires.

It's something but honestly anything less than 100% is not great though. You can't easily go from living on 100k a year to 50k or less. It's still fulfilling the purpose of being an unfair deterrent from finding employment elsewhere.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully renegotiated an AWS non-compete?

#154

I can’t answer your specific question, but I would really encourage you to think more about the AWS offer. Having spent a decade at Amazon, across several organizations, I don’t recommend it as a place to work. There was a NYTimes article about the company in 2015. Everything there still reflects the day to day culture of the company. For me Amazon took an unprecedented toll on my mental and physical health. I did ea…

It's not just leadership, it trickles down to every aspect of work.

From the poor tooling to the most toxic "team" of co-workers I've ever been on.

I don't regret joining but every month I deeply regret staying. Props to Amazon for providing me with the motivation to find something better.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully renegotiated an AWS non-compete?

#155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've hired several AWS engineers. Everyone of them, despite of having left AWS had nothing but good things to say. You'd think that since they left AWS, they'd have a boat load of things to unload. The only gripe I heard was occassional work/life balance during launch or critical times. Otherwise, AWS/Amazon is akin to working at Intel, GE, IBM, Oracle, etc. Bog standard corporate job. You are a cog in the machine, g…

Were you speaking to them about AWS before hiring or once they were hired? I could tell lots of justified shit about my previous employers but none during an interview.

After onboarding and getting to know them better. Of course, speaking ill about your current job in an interview is unprofessional.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully renegotiated an AWS non-compete?

#156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I frequently get exceptions and changes to contracts. This has included me telling I flat out would not sign a particular document. Never actually had it be a blocker or a problem. I'm just an engineer. Lots of people will say it's a problem. They will claim it's going to be a big issue. It isn't. Just stick to your guns. Be polite and be patient. Make it clear you have plenty of time available. I had someone try to…

Out of curiosity, what was the size of the largest employer you were able to negotiate an employment agreement with, and what was the term at issue?

At an international corporation with 60k employees I was once able to leave an amendment to my contract unsigned. I told them straight that the amendment is impossible to fulfill and I won't sign it. Legal told me, oh then just put it into the paper shredder. The amendment granted me significant benefits. My line manager panicked and said you won't see the money. Howewer, the money appeared into my account as originally agreed even though I had not signed that part of the contract.

Yes, I was already an employee, which probably changed things. Still I was very surprised how easy it was. I would not count on that every time, especially if you are not an employee yet and like me not a really famous case that your employment would make headlines.

P.S. I did not shred it, but kept it for the case I would need it for any purpose. I never needed it, I was fully paid as agreed by email but never signed on paper.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully renegotiated an AWS non-compete?

#157
post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

25-75% of your salary every month, until the clause expires. So if you were making $100k a year you are getting $25-75k a year until it expires.

It's something but honestly anything less than 100% is not great though. You can't easily go from living on 100k a year to 50k or less. It's still fulfilling the purpose of being an unfair deterrent from finding employment elsewhere.

I had one of those clauses myself and I knew it was bull before I signed it. I have only seen it enforced once in the wild, to prevent a CEO from creating a competing company for a couple of years.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully renegotiated an AWS non-compete?

#158

I can’t answer your specific question, but I would really encourage you to think more about the AWS offer. Having spent a decade at Amazon, across several organizations, I don’t recommend it as a place to work. There was a NYTimes article about the company in 2015. Everything there still reflects the day to day culture of the company. For me Amazon took an unprecedented toll on my mental and physical health. I did ea…

I've hired several AWS engineers. Everyone of them, despite of having left AWS had nothing but good things to say. You'd think that since they left AWS, they'd have a boat load of things to unload. The only gripe I heard was occassional work/life balance during launch or critical times. Otherwise, AWS/Amazon is akin to working at Intel, GE, IBM, Oracle, etc. Bog standard corporate job. You are a cog in the machine, g…

Anyone who worked at Amazon is smart enough to not bad mouth their old employer.

Anonymous discussions are as far as most people will go.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully renegotiated an AWS non-compete?

#159
post #118
post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Amazons leadership fundamentally does not see their employees as human beings I'm there right now and this is very true. It isn't even a hidden truth about working there. In fact, the company has a set of principles [0] that are necessary to adopt and use to justify all decisions you make or feedback you give to others. And missing from this set of principles? Any mention of the humanity of those you are leading. T…

This isn't a meaningful criticism because -- well, watch what people do, not what they say. But it isn't even coherent because you're working with an out of date list: https://amazon.jobs/en/internal/principles

Paywall. Try again.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone successfully renegotiated an AWS non-compete?

#160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've hired several AWS engineers. Everyone of them, despite of having left AWS had nothing but good things to say. You'd think that since they left AWS, they'd have a boat load of things to unload. The only gripe I heard was occassional work/life balance during launch or critical times. Otherwise, AWS/Amazon is akin to working at Intel, GE, IBM, Oracle, etc. Bog standard corporate job. You are a cog in the machine, g…

To be fair, it's generally discouraged to speak ill about a previous workplace when interviewing/working at a new job as it may reflect more poorly on you as an individual than the company you are disparaging.

Yes, but the same people had no problem talking about their previous employer prior to AWS. One guy was ex-Siemens employee from their Swiss office in Zurich.
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