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Today is my 
year anniversary working at @AWSAmplify!While I celebrate (pandemic-style) with store-bought sushi and a bottle of red wine, I thought I'd reflect on this anniversary a bit...
The @AWSAmplify culture is *amazing*. No one thinks they're the "smartest person in the room". Everyone on the team is supportive and actively avoids "cowboy coding."
It rivals my positive experiences at ~150-person companies.
"It feels like a startup, but cash-positive."
It rivals my positive experiences at ~150-person companies.
"It feels like a startup, but cash-positive."
All my prior jobs had "Our Values" or "Our Culture" listed out, but weren't internalized. (Or beyond a few teams.)
https://www.amazon.jobs/en/principles are *foundational*. Conversations & documents reference them by name (and not tongue-in-cheek!).
https://www.amazon.jobs/en/principles are *foundational*. Conversations & documents reference them by name (and not tongue-in-cheek!).
Data drives decisions, but doesn't feel oppressive. Not everything is or can be measured, so "Are Right, a Lot" closes the gap when not all decisions can be objective.
Being open-source, data may be tweets, GitHub reactions, analytics, whatever.
It's visible yet not dogmatic.
Being open-source, data may be tweets, GitHub reactions, analytics, whatever.
It's visible yet not dogmatic.
Career growth & promotion is an *active* process thanks to the "Hire and Develop the Best" LP.
I hear that, if you don't have the projects or the manager to help you grow (with corresponding data), promotion may be tough.
That hasn't been my experience. Managers are
I hear that, if you don't have the projects or the manager to help you grow (with corresponding data), promotion may be tough.
That hasn't been my experience. Managers are
Everyone is aware, from top-to-bottom, that there's an abysmally-handled pandemic going on in the world.
Work/Life balance isn't just preached, it's practiced across all levels.
Hearing leaders say "I need a week to collect myself" sets a positive example across the org.
Work/Life balance isn't just preached, it's practiced across all levels.
Hearing leaders say "I need a week to collect myself" sets a positive example across the org.
As an open-source project, on-call is much healthier than what I experienced elsewhere. (Those experiences often involved 5 separate teams for what was a 1-team resolution)
When there _is_ a disruption, I'm glad that COEs ( https://wa.aws.amazon.com/wat.concept.coe.en.html) get created and *prioritized*.
When there _is_ a disruption, I'm glad that COEs ( https://wa.aws.amazon.com/wat.concept.coe.en.html) get created and *prioritized*.
Writing is *huge*. Amazon is famous for PRFAQs ( https://www.optimizeforoutcomes.com/the-prfaq/ ) and 6-pagers.
Even with those, I start everyday with a checklist of TODOs and bullet-points of learnings.
Action-items get moved to the next day, or left behind.
Those daily notes are *career impacting*.
Even with those, I start everyday with a checklist of TODOs and bullet-points of learnings.
Action-items get moved to the next day, or left behind.
Those daily notes are *career impacting*.
Let's talk pay.
There's a ~$160k cap on take-home pay. (I don't know many at that, TBH. I'm not.)
The rest of comp are RSUs. Sure, it's good that $AMZN historically does well.
But, the value is that I treat them like savings, not lifestyle-changing.
There's a ~$160k cap on take-home pay. (I don't know many at that, TBH. I'm not.)
The rest of comp are RSUs. Sure, it's good that $AMZN historically does well.
But, the value is that I treat them like savings, not lifestyle-changing.
I've really enjoyed the work. I get to work on JavaScript/TypeScript, React, and bringing SSR support to my favorite projects like Next.js & Gatsby ( https://github.com/aws-amplify/amplify-js/issues/5435).
IME, open-source hasn't been sustainable.
I'm blessed to be one of the few places where it is.
IME, open-source hasn't been sustainable.
I'm blessed to be one of the few places where it is.
A testament to how great this org is can be seen in amazing DAs, such as @dabit3, @swyx, and now @ASpittel.
You know how you get excited at a conference to talk shop with a Twitter buddy? Now imagine that energy all year.
You know how you get excited at a conference to talk shop with a Twitter buddy? Now imagine that energy all year.
This year has been understandably awful for many people.
TBH, there have been several rough patches for myself & my family that made me want to give up on most everything.
Instead, today, I wanted to reflect, be thankful, be *happy*, and be proud of myself for once.
TBH, there have been several rough patches for myself & my family that made me want to give up on most everything.
Instead, today, I wanted to reflect, be thankful, be *happy*, and be proud of myself for once.
