I have two job offers coming in:
Geico - Senior Machine Learning Engineer, around 200K base (Remote work)
Amazon - Software Development Engineer 1, numbers are not confirmed yet, but I expect around 200K total comp (130K base, the rest in stocks and bonuses) (Seattle, in-office 5 days a week)
I also need sponsorship. Amazon will definitely handle this, but Geico might or might not try in March 2025.
What should I do?
I’ve worked for both but not at your level. Amazon seems to offer more opportunities for growth, while Geico tends to focus on cutting costs, even if that means layoffs. Hope that helps a bit.
Devin said:
I’ve worked for both but not at your level. Amazon seems to offer more opportunities for growth, while Geico tends to focus on cutting costs, even if that means layoffs. Hope that helps a bit.
It’s not so black and white. Amazon can be tough too.
@Florence
Yeah, Amazon isn’t perfect, but they offer decent pay and you can advance if you put in the work.
Devin said:
@Florence
Yeah, Amazon isn’t perfect, but they offer decent pay and you can advance if you put in the work.
This is for an ML engineer role. Both companies have their downsides.
@Florence
Why do you think it’s bad?
Devin said:
@Florence
Why do you think it’s bad?
There are well-documented issues if you look them up.
Geico doesn’t really offer long-term job stability.
Frost said:
Geico doesn’t really offer long-term job stability.
Worse than Amazon in terms of layoffs?
Frost said:
Geico doesn’t really offer long-term job stability.
Worse than Amazon in terms of layoffs?
Yeah, Geico has had a lot of layoffs.
Frost said:
Geico doesn’t really offer long-term job stability.
Worse than Amazon in terms of layoffs?
Geico has laid off around 20,000 people in the last year and a half. Think about that.
Amazon is a true tech company with better tools, infrastructure, and interesting projects. I worked at both, and Geico’s systems felt outdated. Insurance companies can be slow and bureaucratic. Amazon has its challenges, but the work and tools are more up-to-date.
@Peyton
I felt the same when I switched from tech to insurance. The quality of work and engineering culture was a step down.
Amazon is the better choice for growth, benefits, and overall career stability. It’s also great for your resume. Just negotiate your salary higher if possible.
Corey said:
Amazon is the better choice for growth, benefits, and overall career stability. It’s also great for your resume. Just negotiate your salary higher if possible.
I heard horror stories about 10-12 hour workdays there.
@Finnley
That’s pretty common everywhere these days.
Corey said:
@Finnley
That’s pretty common everywhere these days.
Not in my experience, thankfully.
Don’t bank on working remotely long-term. Many companies are bringing employees back to the office, and Geico is starting to do the same.
Pick Amazon. You’ll thank me later.
Amazon, for sure.