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Amazon's First Job Listing

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Re: Amazon's First Job Listing

#21

Post by constantcrying »

juujian wrote: post #11

I feel like I'm missing something. Why would you ever respond to that listing? No meaningful description of the company, no outstanding benefits, just the promise of being overworked?

>Why would you ever respond to that listing?

Good question. Of course in retrospect getting that job would make you one of the all time highest earners in the software industry.

I think it is also quite clever, the only people who would ever respond to this are exactly the people you would want. The core promise here is being able to work on something which might change the world.

Re: Amazon's First Job Listing

#24

Post by rjh29 »

DeathArrow wrote: post #2

>You must have experience designing and building large and complex (yet maintainable) systems, and you should be able to do so in about one-third the time that most competent people think possible. I wonder if working nights and weekends was a bonus? What's wrong with being competent and putting out a reasonable amount of work and not being overworked and under pressure?

The people replying to this ad are now multi-millionaires/billionaires. If you want to work a reasonable amount of work you can do it at a normal company, and get a reasonable amount of money in return.

Re: Amazon's First Job Listing

#25

Post by hardware2win »

Dwolb wrote: post #19
juujian wrote: post #11

I feel like I'm missing something. Why would you ever respond to that listing? No meaningful description of the company, no outstanding benefits, just the promise of being overworked?

Yup you’re missing something. In addition to attracting qualified candidates, good job listings repel those who don’t agree with them. No one wants to sift through hundreds of applications. Here’s the main mission filter: “to help pioneer commerce on the Internet.” technical filter: “you should be able to do so in about one-third the time” and culture filter: “Expect talented, motivated, intense, and interesting co-w…

Ehh, I think you are making this up and your theory is sound just because Amaz turned out big

I see stuff like this weekly

"blablabla need skilled engineers for my unique brilliant idea company blabla"

Nothing is exciting about this

Re: Amazon's First Job Listing

#26

Post by bhickey »

rjh29 wrote: post #24
DeathArrow wrote: post #2

>You must have experience designing and building large and complex (yet maintainable) systems, and you should be able to do so in about one-third the time that most competent people think possible. I wonder if working nights and weekends was a bonus? What's wrong with being competent and putting out a reasonable amount of work and not being overworked and under pressure?

The people replying to this ad are now multi-millionaires/billionaires. If you want to work a reasonable amount of work you can do it at a normal company, and get a reasonable amount of money in return.

This is just survivor bias.

Re: Amazon's First Job Listing

#28

Post by cafebabbe »

Dwolb wrote: post #19
juujian wrote: post #11

I feel like I'm missing something. Why would you ever respond to that listing? No meaningful description of the company, no outstanding benefits, just the promise of being overworked?

Yup you’re missing something. In addition to attracting qualified candidates, good job listings repel those who don’t agree with them. No one wants to sift through hundreds of applications. Here’s the main mission filter: “to help pioneer commerce on the Internet.” technical filter: “you should be able to do so in about one-third the time” and culture filter: “Expect talented, motivated, intense, and interesting co-w…

Now let's have look at similarly-worded ads for the 2000s dotcoms

Re: Amazon's First Job Listing

#29

Post by cafebabbe »

xyzelement wrote: post #18
juujian wrote: post #11

I feel like I'm missing something. Why would you ever respond to that listing? No meaningful description of the company, no outstanding benefits, just the promise of being overworked?

It's interesting to observe that the person who this language did resonate with is likely a billionaire now.

Survivorship bias is always interesting to observe.
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