Yahoo Finance The detail on Jeff Bezos' first job ad slammed as 'disgusting'
The first job advertisement ever listed for Amazon has resurfaced on the internet, and people are split about whether it’s “disgusting” or “awesome”.
The job ad from 22 August 1994 calls for “extremely talented” developers willing to work with “intense and interesting co-workers”.
And while eagle-eyed Twitter users have remarked on how valuable the offered “meaningful equity ownership” would be in 2019, others have caught on another feature.
On this day in 1994: Jeff Bezos posts the first job ad for Amazon pic.twitter.com/5ysOWB5OZ6
— Jon Erlichman (@JonErlichman) August 22, 2018
“You must have experience designing and building large and complex (yet maintainable) systems, and you should be able to do so in about one-third the time that most competent people think possible,” the advertisement reads.
It’s a requirement that one Twitter user described as “disgusting”.
“I would never apply for such a job opening. It's disgusting,” Twitter user Pietro Grandi said.
I would never apply for such a job opening. It's disgusting. pic.twitter.com/cPkwt3KisQ
— Pietro Grandi (@PietroGrandi3D) August 23, 2018
And while others claimed that those put off by the requirement were “scared of hard work”, Grandi said it was a matter of “unrealistic deadlines”.
Others still thought the job ad was fantastic, arguing that Amazon wouldn’t be the juggernaut it is without those requirements.
“This is awesome! Of course some won’t like the “able to do so in 1/3 the time most competent people” part”, Twitter user Monica Bowie said.
“That means this job wasn’t for you. Nobody changes the world with mediocre, typical industry standard limitations. This is why amazon is amazon. Breaking barriers!”
This is awesome! Of course some won’t like the “able to do so in 1/3 the time most competent people” part. That means this job wasn’t for you. Nobody changes the world with mediocre, typical industry standard limitations. This is why amazon is amazon. Breaking barriers! 🤯
— Monica Bowie (@bowiebusiness) August 23, 2018
The post, first published in 2018, caught fire again this week as Amazon turned 25.
In the time since the job post, Bezos has become the world’s richest person with a staggering US$131 billion (AU$187.5 billion) to his name.
In more recent times, however, both Bezos and Amazon have been beset with challenges.
An investigation last year claimed Amazon warehouse workers in the UK were forced to urinate into bottles as time away from the job was frowned upon.
Another investigation claimed Amazon workers are constantly monitored by cameras and their task-processing speed measured and recorded. Mirror journalist Alan Selby photographed exhausted workers asleep at their stations, and found some workers were taken away by ambulance after the exhaustion and pressure became too much.
“Everybody suffers here. I pulled my hamstring but I just had to carry on. My friend spent two days off after she damaged her knee ligaments,” one worker was quoted as saying.
Bezos’ personal life has also made headlines in recent months, following his announced split from wife MacKenzie.
The divorce led to the largest settlement in history, a whopping US$38 billion.
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