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I Got Fired from Amazon as a Software Development Engineer

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Re: I Got Fired from Amazon as a Software Development Engineer

#11

Post by xwowsersx »

hackernews777 wrote: post #4

If you got fired over this it's highly likely you said something pretty bad. The only times I have seen anyone get instafired at Amazon is when they have done something that could be deemed as harassment. (eg. making sexual or racial advancements towards a direct report) Anybody else who gets fired for performance reasons knows they are thin ice for a long time.

what is a racial advancement?

Re: I Got Fired from Amazon as a Software Development Engineer

#12

Post by brailsafe »

I've been fired from a few positions for various reasons, though never explicitly for saying anything in particular. At least one for probably raising many obvious issues with my useless manager over a longer period. I think in retrospect, what I'd take away is that it can be a very difficult position to be in — especially if you have dependants — to try and stick with a job you know will try and ruin you. In my experience, every single time it was fruitless to try and do my best, or convince myself it would get better, and always a sign that I should quit, as risky as it might be. But I didn't, and I burnt out and got fired, when I could have just quit and had an easier time moving on. Don't bother trying, find a better place to try at.

Re: I Got Fired from Amazon as a Software Development Engineer

#13

Post by Sparkyte »

yummy_box wrote: post #3

I also work at Amazon, and I can tell you, your experience was pretty unique. Some teams are worst than others, of course, but no one expect you to pick up a project by yourself, fresh out of onboarding and own it end to end. After you clear your interview loops, you get the chance to match with several teams (not always) and that is your chance to figure out what the team does, whats the situation over there, etc...…

My experience is pretty much with you.

Re: I Got Fired from Amazon as a Software Development Engineer

#14

Post by poulsbohemian »

Sounds like the biggest mistake he made was lashing out at a likely in-over-their-head manager. We are only getting one side, but sounds like he was trying to do the right things to either overcome the challenges and/or create boundaries, but he may have been hired to be a sacrificial lamb. In my consulting times, I was brought into something a lot like this for the purpose of being fired so that the CTO could save their job. It can be very challenging to get a read on an employer / client who is intent on misleading you. It can also sometimes be a manager who needs to save their own job who may not be deliberately lying so much as simply in a fight / flight situation themselves.

Re: I Got Fired from Amazon as a Software Development Engineer

#15

Post by [deleted] »

xwowsersx wrote: post #11
hackernews777 wrote: post #4

If you got fired over this it's highly likely you said something pretty bad. The only times I have seen anyone get instafired at Amazon is when they have done something that could be deemed as harassment. (eg. making sexual or racial advancements towards a direct report) Anybody else who gets fired for performance reasons knows they are thin ice for a long time.

what is a racial advancement?

[deleted]

Re: I Got Fired from Amazon as a Software Development Engineer

#16

Post by Sparkyte »

hackernews777 wrote: post #4

If you got fired over this it's highly likely you said something pretty bad. The only times I have seen anyone get instafired at Amazon is when they have done something that could be deemed as harassment. (eg. making sexual or racial advancements towards a direct report) Anybody else who gets fired for performance reasons knows they are thin ice for a long time.

Sometimes you can get fired/hired over competitive hiring process. Like SWE who have worked there that fail to gain a level almost every other year tend to slant toward the let go phase so Amazon can pick up a shiney new employee in place. This was something Microsoft used to do long ago. I don't agree with this model unless there are traits to the employee that are making work life for everyone harder.
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