Post lay-off coverage in The Seattle Times and the Seattle P-I targeted Amazon stockholders, hyping the financial wisdom of the cuts and lauding increased sales (a 169-percent jump from last year to $1.64 billion). The Stranger went looking for the ex-employee perspective. Jane, 25, had worked at Amazon since 1998 in a small division of operations. She says she made $12 an hour and will get a $3,000 severance package -- if she doesn't break her confidentiality agreement by talking to the media.
The Stranger: To prove to our readers that you really worked at Amazon.com, tell us something the public doesn't know about the company.
Jane: I would just say the facilities in which they house their employees aren't exactly the most desirable. They sort of cheaply put things together, you know; they sort of put you in this drab type of cubicle.
Did you get an exit interview?
Mmm hmm. I was asked, "Any questions?" I asked them mainly, "Why?" And they explained that the company is rebuilding itself.
The Seattle Times reported, "The Seattle-based retailer declined to say why it made the job cuts." Can you give us a hint?
I think it is to make their stockholders happy. The people who hold shares are paranoid. They think, "Okay, the company's been here since 1996 and hasn't made a profit yet, but it's taking in billions of dollars a year, and you know, what's going on?"
Did getting fired come as a shock?
Well, no, because they had warned everyone about a week before. Managers were saying, "Okay, this is what's going on. Basically, the company's making decisions; we're not quite sure what they are, but be prepared to deal with whatever consequences are gonna happen with whatever decision they make. And they could possibly have something to do with your position." But I was convinced it wouldn't have anything to do with me.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was also quoted in the Times article. Tell me what this Bezos statement means: "What was once an on-line bookstore can truly be thought of as a large and growing global portfolio of inter-related and mutually reinforcing businesses, all built on a shared platform."
That we are going to be the hugest Internet company in the world. Rah rah. And that is his plan. He is the Napoleon of the Internet! He's delusional.
Time magazine's "Person of the Year" is delusional?
Mmm hmmm. He seems like such a manic person that sometimes it seems like the business has gotten a little ahead of itself. His whole thing from the beginning was that he wanted to be the largest bookseller, the largest seller of anything.
How's that impacting the culture or morale at Amazon?
It makes it a lot less personable. When I started, I knew a huge amount of people in the company. And now, if someone says they work at Amazon, I'm like, "Really? Where do you work?" [Amazon staff has grown 257 percent since Jane started in 1998.]
What kind of things do they ask when you interview for a job at Amazon?
Loyalty questions. They're like... God, I'm trying to think of a good one, because some of them are so completely ridiculous. Oh, it was something about working overtime. And they ask if you have a family. Because I think they want to know... because it's not really a position for someone with a family.
Do they ask you anything about books?
No.
I've heard that the employment contract stipulates that any ideas you come up with on the job become Amazon's ideas. Is that true?
Mmmm hmmmm.
What does that mean?
I don't know. I honestly don't know.
So you signed that?
I'm assuming at some point I probably did. And I have heard about it, but I never discussed it with anyone, really.
I also heard that they posted "idea boards" in the elevators....
Yeah! Ha ha ha. They took them down because of derogatory comments. People were writing stupid stuff. High school stuff.
If you had to give advice to Amazon's competitors, what would it be?
Treat your employees better. You won't have to be so paranoid about people talking to The Stranger! Ha!
Why did you agree to meet with me and risk losing your $3,000 severance?
I'm not doing this because I have a vendetta or anything. I'm doing it because I think it's good that people know what's going on there. And if you're thinking about getting a job there, be forewarned that it's so big now that you're not going to be as useful.
If you or someone you know would like to do a Stranger Exit Interview concerning a recent, um, departure, e-mail josh@thestranger.com.
