Ask HN: Sysadmin rejected for the second time at Amazon | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Sysadmin rejected for the second time at Amazon

3 pointswareotie8 comments

I've been lurking Hacker News for a while but never commented neither have Account. I always see this kind of post and I find them very helpful. So here I go.

A little background about myself: 5 years of experience, under 30, studying a CS degree while working full-time as DevOps for a Fortune 500 IT company. (I don't think this matters but it's quite funny for me because it's a crappy working place, sounds cool but nothing special).

Recently I visited Amazon Dublin for the second time, and I've been rejected again. I was trying to get a position as Data Center Technician. I think (even Amazon workers said it) that it is a basic role (More info here https://www.amazon.jobs/en/jobs/453660) but I find it very interesting for me for different reasons. My first job was something like it in a small data center few years ago but I moved away from this path because in my country there are no good jobs at data centers, mostly because there are in the big cool data centers around. So it was a dead path. But now that I'm OK with traveling to other countries It's something I want to reconsider

As the other time, they said that I am fully qualified for the position in IT terms. But I'm not the profile they are looking for and they can not say more. That's freak me out! I want to improve my skills, not for getting a job, but for feeling good and learning new things. I have some kind of auto-guilty mode and I'm always blaming myself for not being a better professional. And for the second time, five employees from a big tech company say there is something they do not like about me!

I'm feeling a little lost right now. Why this secrecy? If I'm qualified ... why can't I get the job? My current position does not offer me any kind of challenge and responsibilities neither future expectations. Any advice?

P.S: Sorry, I guess it's some kind of an open question.

EDIT: Fixing indentation

It does sound like you were not a "culture" fit for Amazon. But why tie your self-esteem to a company like Amazon? They have had been called out over the last couple of years for their hiring and work culture. I doubt that they've resolved all of that at this point in time. It's not you. Quite frankly, you could probably find a better company to do this type of work for.

Regarding secrecy - companies of Amazon's size are by the book and always concerned about any potential legal liabilities with regard to HR. The rule is usually "say as little as possible". This is pretty much the case everywhere today.

I was thinking about that recently. Why is so important for me the recognition of a big company? I dunno why.

The "culture" thing as you said is something weird for me. I don't see how they discover and evaluate if you fit or not. And what is necessary to fit. But I'm sure I don't want to fit if I don't fit by myself.

"Not the profile they are looking for" in this case sounds like "overqualified", possibly with the expectation that you'll want to much money or are going to try to get a higher-level job soon. To much experience on the software side.

"DevOps for a Fortune 500" doesn't sound like you spent much time fixing hardware, CS degree isn't all that relevant either. Note that "Basic knowledge of Linux and networking" is quoted as a "preferred qualification", vs "Intermediate knowledge of computer hardware systems" and "Able to lift/move up to 20kg equipment on a daily basis" being basic requirements.

Of course my current position is far from hardware problems, but I worked for 3 years in a position like the one at Amazon, so I'm not a hardware newbie

Is bad to have more preferred skills than basics skills? I never thought about it.

It's probably the fact you still haven't finished the degree. Requisitions tied to Univ level requirements etc. Even if they don't say anything, hr at companies of Amazon caliber will most likely discriminate you on that.

Finish that degree! Maybe work part time. Whatever it takes.

That's one of the reasons I was thinking. But why pay for my travel expenses for twice if they see that I'm undergraduate at first glance?

Why not. It's not like HR/given department pays for your trips out of their salaries. They just want to have the headcount for an interview.

Edit: From the people around me, and the companies I've been, big companies like that will discriminate you on age far less than not having a university diploma / other academic accomplishment. Finish that degree as fast as you can.

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