A senior engineer with over 10 years of experience, allegedly laid off from Amazon, posted on Blind titled “Brutal Market for senior engineers,” highlighting a tough job hunt with companies ignoring applications or drowning in submissions.
Amazon reportedly executed 14,000 layoffs in a restructuring push, aiming for up to 30,000 corporate cuts this year, as stated by Beth Galetti, Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology, who called them difficult yet essential for aligning priorities.
The post triggered heated Blind reactions criticising Amazon’s culture as toxic, with some recruiters avoiding ex-Amazon hires, while the engineer admitted lacking recent LeetCode practice amid fierce coding demands.
Layoff Wave Hits Hard
Amazon’s recent cuts form part of a broad overhaul, slashing 14,000 roles overall and targeting up to 30,000 in corporate functions, per Reuters reports. These moves stem from a strategic pivot, with CEO Andy Jassy pushing a leaner, startup-like operation focused on high-growth areas like artificial intelligence.
Beth Galetti’s internal email to affected staff stressed the decisions followed deep reviews of organisational needs, stating roles were eliminated after a non-working notice period to streamline for future focus.
Engineer’s Raw Account
The anonymous poster, impacted by Amazon’s layoffs, questioned how others with 10-plus years cope in this market, sharing his poor response rate despite solid experience.
Companies either ghost applicants or face floods of resumes per opening, he noted, while unexpected rigorous coding tests like advanced LeetCode caught him unprepared. He confessed the lack of practice made interviews tough, but the prolonged silence from recruiters proved even more discouraging.
”How are the affected people who have 10+ years of experience finding the market. My personal experience has not been very good so far after the impact in Amazon layoffs. Most of the companies are not replying or they have too many number of candidates for the same position. TBH I was caught off guard not prepared/practised in exceptional leetcode skills recently so a uphill battle but the dry spell is way worse,” wrote the user on social platform team blind.
Blind Erupts in Debate
Reactions poured in swiftly, many slamming Amazon’s reputation. One user suggested firms dodge Amazon alumni due to perceived poor culture, advising resume tweaks.
Another shared removing Amazon boosted their interview calls, claiming global abandonment of ex-employees. Recruiters chimed in bluntly, with one stating they skip ex-Amazons as they were fired for cause, and others labelling them toxic hires to avoid.
Human Cost Exposed
Layoffs extend beyond numbers, as seen in related tales like an employee breaking down over poor benefit communication post-firing.
The Blind thread humanises the scramble, spotlighting unpreparedness for today’s hyper-competitive tech scene demanding constant upskilling. This engineer’s uphill battle underscores broader vulnerabilities for mid-career pros in volatile industries.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Such upheavals test resilience, yet kindness urges building support bridges through mentorship and shared resources rather than blame. Tech leaders owe transparent transitions and reskilling aid to honour talent’s role in progress, promoting empathy over division for collective advancement.
