A professional recently took to Reddit to share disappointment after turning down what was initially a dream opportunity at Amazon. The user, a recent graduate with a background in business and social sciences and some AI experience, revealed that the company’s final offer came with a drastic reduction in pay and position.
The Reddit post began with the candidate narrating how the process unfolded: “A recruiter reached out to me for an L4 role in AGI. I graduated in May, majored in business and social sciences, I do have AI experience but this was a massive deal for me—honestly a dream come true.”
From Dream Role to Disappointment
The user explained that they underwent a lengthy interview process, including two online assessments, a phone screening, and a five-hour loop interview. Initially, the experience seemed promising with a competitive salary, challenging responsibilities, and a supportive team environment.
However, while out of town, the candidate was informed there was “some great news and a little bit of bad news, but mostly great news.” Instead of the expected L4 position, the offer was downgraded to an L3 hourly role—$30,000 less than the original offer.
Concerns Over Role and Pay
The Redditor explained why the offer was not feasible: “If it was a 10k or maybe even 15k difference I could’ve taken it, but with a 30k difference, my life would be borderline unlivable. I would make enough to maybe survive but it would make me have to couch surf for months and move out of my apartment.”
Adding to the disappointment, reviews of the downgraded role suggested limited growth opportunities and “false promises.” The user admitted feeling stressed about accepting a job with no clear career trajectory.
Moving Forward with a New Opportunity
Despite the setback, the Redditor shared that they had accepted a role at a smaller software company. While unrelated to AI or tech, the position offered better stability and benefits. “At least the benefits are stellar there (a month PTO is one of them!),” they noted.
Reflecting on the experience, the user said they were still “grieving a little bit” after investing so much effort into the Amazon hiring process: “Never worked so hard in an interview process in my life and sad it had to be this way. But I need to make enough to live as I don’t have parental support.”