Amazon

Software Development Engineering Intern

June - September 2019 • San Francisco, CA

What I liked

Amazon does a great job of integrating their interns as part of the company even for the short time that they are there! From Day 1, I felt like a true part of my team and an "Amazonian". The work I put in was valued among my team and organization. Amazon thrives off of feedback, and as an intern it can be hard to have the courage to point out things that you feel need improvement, but the environment at this company does not make it feel that way. It was enriching to work at a company that is having such a strong impact on the world today, with so many customer facing products that affect millions of people around the world. Not only were my technical skills challenged, but so were my business skills (communication, collaboration, etc.) Getting to improve both skill-sets while surrounded by some of the most intelligent individuals I have met made for a fully rounded internship experience here at Amazon.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Whole Foods Shopper

March 2019 • San Francisco, CA

What I liked

Extremely flexible hours (only need to work 1 shift per month), occasional pay surges, calm and relaxed atmosphere

What I wish was different

Make us more connected with the Whole Foods locations we work at. It seems like all the Whole Foods team members hate us for no valid reason.

Advice

Good luck getting shifts.

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SDE intern

May - August 2019 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

Relaxed office, flexible work schedule, great team.

What I wish was different

I found the offices kinda boring compared to some other tech company offices

Advice

Be proactive and ask questions (although not too many questions)

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Sortation Associate

July 2019 • Akron, OH

What I liked

I still work there. I like getting work done and getting paid for it.

What I wish was different

Nothing that I can come up with that won't have the possibility to be remedied on the future.

Advice

Having one jobs gives you the experience to know what you need to do in life and just about how to do it.

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Software Development Engineering Intern

May - August 2019 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

My team in particular was a group of witty, hard-working individuals who were very knowledgeable and busy, but still took time out of their day to help me when I needed them. We also went out for lunch every day. The team really makes the experience in my opinion. Also the pay was as high as a full-time so that's cool.

What I wish was different

I encountered a few issues with permissions at Amazon, but that was mostly team-specific due to a way that their pipeline was configured. Otherwise, I'd wish that I was on a different team, application-wise, not people-wise. By that I mean I wish I could've been on more new, up-and-coming technologies (even though I still loved my team).

Advice

Get to know your team and you will find your place at Amazon. And never think you are the smartest guy in the room. Also, remember that there is always room for improvement and to absorb people's advice and criticism.

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Software Engineering Intern

June - September 2018 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

Great team

What I wish was different

Wish it was more technically challenging

Advice

Impactful internship

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Software Engineering Intern

May - December 2018 • Boston, MA

What I liked

Just about everything about the job! In fact, my issues were with the Intern Program managers rather than anything in the software department. My hours were really flexible, I felt that my project was rewarding, I got a lot of help from my managers and mentors, and I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity.

What I wish was different

I guess I wish the Boston location were bigger. I think I chose Seattle, but I was relocated to Boston. I enjoyed the city very much! But I wish Boston had more affinity groups / held more events.

Advice

Don't be afraid because they teach a lot of things on the job! You don't have to come in as an experienced software engineer. I would say the most important skill I learned was how to read someone else's code. Second to that is Git and command line.

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Software Development Engineering Intern

June - August 2018 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

Fast-paced environment, you will learn a lot

What I wish was different

Team placement can be hit or miss, but I have heard that is the case with any software company.

Advice

Identify what you want out of your experience and work at it.

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Area Manager Intern

June - August 2018 • Sacramento, CA

What I liked

Great manager I was heavily involved with day to day operations No day was the same

What I wish was different

I wish it had been longer than 10 weeks but I had a great time and great support system

Advice

Say yes to everything, get your hands dirty, and be ready to work long hours.

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Software Development Engineering Intern

June - September 2018 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

Lots of cool projects to work on. My mentor was awesome and helpful. I never had any issues with asking him really noob questions. My manager and team made me feel like they wanted me to succeed. Also, I learn how to write good quality code. Most importantly, I learned how to take ownership of a product that matters. From design to implementation to upkeep, my project was a great experience and impacted the org.

What I wish was different

I wish that there were more people I could relate too. I felt that the interns I met came from the typical background of having parents in tech.

Advice

Personal projects aren’t the same as work experience! Work holds you to a higher standard and more advanced workflow.

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Area Manager

May - July 2017 • Chattanooga, TN

What I liked

They really rolled out the red carpet and were extremely accommodating taking care of all arrangements. The experience was invaluable and I made a few friends along the way.

What I wish was different

I wish the internship had been longer. I would have like more time to spend on my project.

Advice

Be willing to take the chance and get out of your comfort zone. It was intimidating at first but I am so glad I took the chance.

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Software Development Engineer

January 2018 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

Amazing place to work. I work at Amazon Web Services and the scale at which we operate is mind blowing.

What I wish was different

Probably more fun at work.

Advice

I would say, do what you love. Early in your career, compensation is not important. The work you do, how much you learn everyday sets your path for your life.

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Software Development Engineer

January 2018 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I like the transparency at various levels and across various departments. Amazon works on so many technologies and there is always something new to learn every single day. The company encourages its employees to pursue different career tracks.

What I wish was different

On-site benefits are below par compared to other tech giants.

Advice

Prepare well for the interview. Every company has its own style and looks for different things. One size does not fit all. Do your research on Glassdoor and learn more about the company's interview format. Talk to your recruiter if you have any doubt. They want to help you get hired. It makes their life easy if you ask for advice, follow it, and nail the job interview! Good luck!

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Software Development Engineering Intern

June - August 2018 • Palo Alto, CA

What I liked

The work was very interesting, and I was able to learn a lot by working on the codebase alongside other engineers, building applications and systems which are still being used. I learned a lot about product design, code architecture, and industry practices. The people were also really nice and helpful -- every engineer and manager was willing to lend a helping hand when I needed it.

What I wish was different

The location wasn't great, but I think that has more to do with personal preference because I did not have a car and I'm also used to being in a city where I can get around using the subway. Additionally I think the team was too recently created to have carved out defined projects or roles for interns. I think we all dealt with the ambiguity as well as we could have, but it would be better to intern on a slightly more established team.

Advice

Take charge! They were very big about interns setting up meetings and making their voice heard. I would set up meetings with managers, engineers, other interns to drive forward my project goals and dealing with the ambiguity head on instead of waiting for others to clear it up for me. I think that kind of initiative not only helped me get much more out of my internship, but came across to the members of my team in showing that I cared and wanted to make a meaningful impact.

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Software Development Engineer Intern

May - August 2018 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I had a great team and great project, there were lots of oppurtunities to develop my skills.

What I wish was different

Advice

I had a great expereince, but many other interns didn't. There were over 4000 interns in Seattle alone, your team placement has a huge impact on your expereince.

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Data Analyst Intern

June - August 2018 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I enjoyed being able to be at a company that is working in so many different industries. I was empowered by having my own project and continually challenges by my managers and co-workers. I felt like I was valuable to my team and gained real applicable work experience.

What I wish was different

Advice

Be prepared to work hard and continually advocate for youself. Amazon won't hold your hand, but that gives you the best insight into what it is like to be a full-time employee.

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Packaging Engineering Intern

May - December 2018 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

Amazing opportunity, you really learn a lot in a short time period. Because of the principles of amazon it is an amazing place for an intern to thrive and demonstrate their skills for future job offers.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Software Engineering Intern

May - August 2018 • Boston, MA

What I liked

The team and the internal culture. Everyone was super supportive and helpful.

What I wish was different

I wish the pacing had been better; I spent a lot of time in the beginning designing and not enough getting started writing code. That was a personal problem, though.

Advice

Be open and willing to take criticism to grow from. The most important thing Amazon looks for is the potential to grow.

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Campus Associate

May 2018 • Pittsburgh, PA

What I liked

The ability to interact face-to-face with Amazon customers, something that literally no other type of Amazon workers have the luxury to do. Understanding the business model they use for the pick-up points was also interesting.

What I wish was different

Pushing interactions that are not genuine between employees and customers is quite annoying and frustrating at times.

Advice

Take every opportunity to accept mistakes and build on them, as well as going above and beyond the normal clocking in, going through the motions and clocking out.

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