I just want to tell you that rejection happens for all of us.
Whether you're a Bootcamp graduate or a 10x developer.
I think if you know one thing about me its that I'm AWS Obsessed and you may ask why don't I work at AWS? I've been told an endless amount of times by AWS employees to apply.
So have I ever tried? and the answer is Yes, more than you can imagine.
I apply to AWS all the time and no matter:
- how many free AWS videos I produce
- how many AWS courses I create
- how much I evangelize on Dev.to, Startup School and in Toronto
- how many CloudFormation templates I publish
- how many AWS Tech talks
- how many AWS Workshops
- how many contributions to the open-source docs
- how many times I rewrite my cover letters or resume
- how many startups I covert over to AWS
I just face waves of rejections š. At this point, I simply hit apply to every AWS job posted in Toronto ritualistically. I have no reason to believe I will ever be considered.
the list goes on and on...
I talk about being able to hack the job interview. But this one company has alluded me. I am beyond the point of frustration a long time ago and just accept how things are.
So what do you do when you face rejection?
Whenever I am feeling down, I utter the famous words of Commander Peter Quincy Taggart. Never Give up, Never Surrender.
How has it been for you?
Have any of you faced such a crazy amount of rejection?
š Share in the comments below. š
Oldest comments (81)
This may be a dumb question Andrew, but what do you do for work then?
Contracts, contracts and contracts.
I am at a point in my career where I can get hired at many places but I really want to work for very specific companies in very specific roles.
So unless I build that company myself (ExamPro) or the right company approaches me, then I just make money with ExamPro and do contract work to supplement.
In honest I would love to be a non-profit just producing endless amounts of video content, though that is hefty undertaking to get sponsorship.
I hear you.
Your ExamPro rates are super reasonable, so please don't feel badly about monetizing the content at all!
I wish you the best in finding your perfect role! You're blessed to be in the position to hold out for it š
And for the record, I think AWS is simply terrified of you š
Let's hope so. š
Try Egghead.io they could use a nice bolster for their aws content and it's paid.
You don't necessarily need sponsorship, you could monetize a YouTube channel or have a class on Udemy. I wouldn't worry so much if Amazon gives you a job since you seem to be able to make a living off their product and there are endless opportunities without being tied down to their corporate structure.
Wow that surely sucks, im rooting for you to get this job. In my city there's a company named Instituto Atlantico wich is a research company, everything i wanted but got rejected about 5 times but still trying keep in my head this might be that im not ready YET.
Are flexible enough to relocate to Seattle?
Either way, keep at it Andrew. Your both an inspiration and leader.
Keep doing what you are now; the impact on the community is measurably positive.
I have to reside in Southern Ontario here in Canada.
It would be too much for the family to uproot.
In my younger days, I was willing to sleep on the floor in any city and live out of a suitcase.
TBH I've only applied to amazon once but have interviewed 5 times. I think it's about the recruiter you get there because he keeps in contact with me and keeps recommending me for different AWS teams.
Keep on keepin' on!
Same here... Applied for a few positions, got an offer over LinkedIn from them, but not what I was looking for.
Reject me once, shame on you; reject me 500 times, shame on me. That made me realize, I don't really want to work for them. Not now anyways, don't get me wrong I absolutely love working and building with AWS.
I just realized what I want, I might not get from them either, that belonging to a company with a family like culture where growth is mutual. A place I can be heard, make an impact and be encouraged and pushed to do what I love and that place at this moment is not AWS. There is a time and place for everything, now is just not that time.
If I worked at AWS, they probably wouldn't let me build a Pinball machine powered by IoT devices on company time.
Actually, you can. Provided you can justify it or have completed your share of work.
Now there's a truer, heartfelt bit than I've heard in quite awhile!
Thanks for sharing this Andrew--I really needed to read a perspective like yours today...it's been a rough one. <3
Send them feedback...
your are not satisfed customer..
Same here. Obsessed with Google, am unofficially one of their most successful brand ambassadors. Got my family and friends off of MS office and migrated them to Google docs and made everyone addicted to Google keep for note keeping. Still, no success at Google when though I've a bachelor's degree with specialization in cloud based applications :/
I had a google invention idea back in 2003, I was 17 year old and a BMX bike was my mode of transportation trying to get around town. Sidewalk were lacking on my 8mile ride to the mall and had to ride with and against traffic dodging oncoming traffic and pulling off the road into ditches and all I wanted was to know the safest route. I contacted google with my idea and never heard back.
7 Years later Google mapped bicycle routes. 10 more years into the future project sidewalk: mapping with interlaced images. 1 year later Google sidewalk labs mapped Toronto.
WTF right. You know how much money I would have had if I had the smarts to develop that idea in 2003. Google would be buying me out for 230million whateverās. SMH... oh well back to my desk job.
Damn man, my condolences. Great idea though šš»
It's not about the idea, that's the easy part.
It's executing it
It seems like you're already working for AWS in at least a part-time capacity -- they just aren't paying you for it. And why on earth should or would they, when they're already getting so much effort out of you for free? What more could they even pay you to do? In their position I'd be perfectly happy to let you keep on doing what you're doing, as long as you don't actively embarrass the brand somehow.
On top of that, I can't imagine seeing your name in their inbox for every single new job posting is endearing you to the hiring department any. It is highly inadvisable to do things likely to annoy the hiring department.
I second this.
I think you've been blacklisted @andrewbrown .
Why hire you when you're already doing the evangelizing for free (or at least free for them) ?
In addition, AWS is 71% of Amazon's income, it doesn't seem like they are struggling in selling their product.
Your "AWS mojo" is strong, why join the mother ship? I understand the need for security and all and I can't be in your own shoes. Would setting up a company that offers AWS based solutions in addition to what you're doing now on training be a possibility?
Everytime I think about "how to solve stuff with AWS" I think of Corey Quinn. I believe he focuses on cost savings on AWS with his company: lastweekinaws.com/services/
@Dian Fay I like to think there is one person who keeps having to deal with seeing my name š
@ryhmes It could very well be their algorithm no longer likes me. There is a freelance marketplace called AWS IQ but its not available in Canada. I could do consultancy though I have always simply said no. It's actually how I ended up having my own web-dev firm, I was just doing consultancy on the side and then it took over.
Do you think that spamming the person or people who decide which applications get more than five seconds of attention at the Toronto office makes you a more attractive candidate and more likely to be hired?
Do you think that it makes any kind of sense for Amazon or any company to pay for what you're happily giving them for free?
You'be been rejected and are whinging about pestering them and getting outright black-listed? Hmmm, imagine the recruiters side of the story? I hope this teaches you a business lesson.. I get it, you've done so much and think your in with a great chance. But you aren't the recruiter. This type of behaviour raised serious red flags. Either way they're not going to hire you after this blog so best just move on.
Exactly this. Its one thing to know how to build things with AWS, its another to actually build AWS. Same way being able to customize cars doesn't necessarily mean you have the skills to be an automotive engineer. From what I gather neither Amazon nor AWS really care what technologies you know. They only care that you exemplify their leadership principles, perform well on classical CS problems and raise their bar. Have you solved scalability and/or performance issues without AWS or other prepackaged solutions? Alternatively, look at Solutions Architect roles.
Actually, knowing AWS is very important and many AWS services are built on top of other AWS services.
What do you base this assertion on?