Just for argument's sake, think of it like a college application process. Google might be MIT and Amazon somewhere like RPI.

Why try so hard to into a school that everyone is applying to when you can instead much more easily get a position at a lower profile school?"

RPI is easier to get into and could still give you challenging and rewarding work, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth the extra effort to get into the more difficult and sought-after position.