Sign up for mock interviewing, resume editing, and/or cover letter editing using this link: agrant277.wixsite.com/practic... Instagram: @_grant1995 In today's video I go over 8 pros and cons of working as an Area Manager at Amazon. ---
Thank you so much for these videos! I start in April of 2021; I’m excited, but nervous. This video helped me to gain insight on what to expect. Now, I feel a little more excited than nervous. You are awesome! Keep up the good work!
Thanks to your videos I was able to get a grasp of the Area Manager interview process before hand! I was offered the position last week but I am still finishing up my senior year of college. Overall your videos are extremely helpful and insightful. It’s nice to see people in the comments going through the same process as I did too 😂
That’s great to hear! Thank you for sharing. There are definitely a ton of people going through the same thing, so it’s very cool to be able to talk with you guys from all around the world
Thank you for your videos! I joined Amazon in Poland as an AM two weeks ago, and I am terrified at this moment, but watching you, describing your experience in such a calm way, is really helpful
Well I am glad that it is helpful for you! I’m sure you’ll become less terrified as time goes on - I am overwhelmed as well and hope to continue becoming more competent in the role so I’m sure lots of people feel the same
I’m currently binge watching your videos haha. I start May 2021 as an area maintenance intern. I’m super excited/ nervous but your videos are extremely helpful.
Thank you so much for this information Grant! I will be starting as an L4 in April & your list of pros & cons helps me prepare for what is coming tremendously. Thanks for being so transparent about everything!!
Great insight. I interviewed for the L5 AM position in New York and received an offer the same day. I guess I’m a great interviewer lol. But your videos are great to prepare me for the role. Keep it up.
I got a job offer for a area manager position at Fort Worth! I was supposed to start Jan 11th 2021 but it got pushed back to April 5th. I have been excited and been watching your videos sense I have been in the interview process. I enjoy the insights you offer and the experiences you have to discuss. It sucks my start date got pushed back but I’m still super excited to get the ball rolling.
Hi @Tyler Pippin, my start date got pushed back too. Originally, I was supposed to start on Jan 4th at Coppell FC. I'm in a bad situation since I have just signed the lease agreement :( Anyways, nice meeting you, Tyler! Can't wait to be officially an Amazonian 😁
Hey Grant! I remember when I got hired and I was soooo excited and you made that even better for me, because of your encouragement! I was relocated to Cali and I start Jan 4!
@@theinans15 Tulsa will be a great place to start - I lived in Oklahoma City for a while and knew a couple people in Tulsa. They have a huge new park over there called the Gathering Place that's worth checking out.
@@Grant0669 thank you for letting me know! Your videos were some of the best during the whole interview process and now they make me look forward to the job. Thanks for the great insight.
Thank you so much, Grant. I'm preparing my application and interview for Area Manager Internship now. Your video is really motivating and brought me a clearer picture of the position. Much appreciate it. All the best~
@@TheVintageGlamm at the beginning my feet hurt a lot! Eventually you get used to all the walking, it gets better, but your feet will still hurt sometimes. I wish you the best!
Hey thank you for your insights! I have just accepted an offer for the area manager role in germany straight out of uni :) I am going to start next year
Yeah I work for a competitor but have the same things go on! I agree with the pros. My con that hits me is the fact you can be moved at random times to different shifts.
So I was originally hired for the DFW Airport location but wanted to relocate. I spoke to my recruiter and told him I wanted to relocate to GA. So now I’ll be going to ATL (Stone Mountain) and I’ll be starting April 5th, 2021
@@dannylaza1326 no I have a degree but I have worked with those without any degree nor any military background so you don’t need to have it to be in a leadership position with Amazon but you do need experience most of the time.
Hello Grant, Just wanted to let you know how much you encouraged me to work for Amazon, after thinking this over I applied! Did the interview and got hired into a area manager position to start on July 2021. I don’t know what to expect but you’re making this a lot easier for me. One question I did have was how easy it to get promoted and upon starting do the pay compensate for the hours worked? Thanks again best regards!
Devin that is so great to hear and it means a lot to me that you were able to feel encouraged through watching these videos. In terms of promotion, this seems to happen whenever you excel and master your role, and built rapport with leadership around you. It happens very quick for some people, and takes longer for others (a few months to even a couple years) It’s hard to put an exact time frame on it simply because it is different for everyone. With hours you are paid a salary and are not paid for any extra for the days/nights you work on top of your extra schedule, so just mentally prepare for having to work a little extra every now and then!
I start my internship for this role in a week. Prior to this I worked at McDonald’s so I am accustomed to the standing for 7-9 hours, but what gets me is the fact that I am standing and not walking. My feet hurt from the inactivity, and I get bored because the job is highly repetitive in the same small space. Obviously that is the nature of that job. I feel that the level of activity is similar to Amazon. I’ve never worked a job where I got to sit for any length of time, but I prefer walking. I am hoping that Amazon is a lot more exciting though, and that in a managerial role I get to engage a lot more with the work. Can you comment on the internship experience if you went through that?
You will definitely not be standing in one spot as an intern during this role, so hopefully this will help. I did not go through an internship with Amazon, however we have an intern who recently started in our department and they spend their time learning directly from various area managers and also have to complete a higher level project. Similar to the AM role, internship experience is going to widely vary depending on the type of facility you are placed and the managers you are around
If we want to be an AM, what books/materials would you recommend to read to improve our retail, management and operations knowledge for the job at Amazon? Did they give you anything to educate yourself? Thanks!
I believe it would benefit you to educate yourself on 5S methodology since Amazon is heavily into 5S. You would be provided with a wealth of materials to use at your discretion to learn if you were to be offered the role. If anything it would be great to find books or articles on supply chain in general so you can have a general understand of what it encompasses from a larger perspective
I start tomorrow. I have orientation and then the ascend process. I have about six months experience working as a manager at a distribution center. A lot of my old employees said that Amazon is much more high tech and the schedule is a lot better then the previous company I was working for. I was able to get in with my military background. I am super excited. Is it easy to move laterally? I was hoping to eventually move into a trainer role.
I hope the first couple days of the ascend process have been going well for you. After you work for a specified number of days you are able to apply to other roles, so this would be the earliest time you can apply for a lateral move. As far as "ease" of moving laterally, this depends on whether you possess the skills required for that role, if you are in good standing in general, and if you develop good connections with those involve with the role you would like to switch to.
This question is for Grant or anyone with AM experience. I was told that an L4 is a basic entry-level role that oversees associates, while an L5 will oversee other AMs. Can anyone shed some light on this, please? I am going in as an L5, but my recruiter told me that training for L5s lasts a few months. My significant other's brother is an L7 and said that L5s are mostly fast-tracked to an L6 position. Thanks in advance.
L4 and L5 are both Area Managers. The L6 role (if you are an Operations Manager) is when you would be overseeing other AMs. L4 and L5 are the ones who have Associates as their direct reports
Hey grant, thanks for your advice! You helped me land an area manager role at amazon! I had a question about salary, does the AM base salary increase each year, with the more experience you have working for amazon?
That's great to hear! I would imagine that just like most companies, Amazon would have a base increase in salary dependent on your performance over the year.
Hey Grant! I've been watching your videos over the past few days as I am interviewing for an Area Manager Internship position tomorrow. Any last minute tips you can give me to make sure I succeed?
My biggest tip is to make sure you have done your "homework" and practiced answering questions in the STAR format. It takes some practice to be able to do this without thinking on it too hard. I also suggest being casual, being yourself, and putting on a smile and doing your best to keep a good conversation going. Ask questions you truly want to know the answer to.
thanks for this resource Grant. a question i have is that can someone with a masters degree start as an area manager and then earn an MBA then switch over to the operations management pathway program within Amazon.
Do you know how vacation works? Are there certain dates where you’re not allowed to request off? I haven’t even gotten the offer yet lol but I know they said it’s really busy during the holiday seasons. My family was meant to go on vacation this Christmas but we pushed it back to next year. I’m wondering if I would be allowed to go if I got offered the AM position
Your first year as an AM you get two weeks of vacation and then six days of person time, all of these hours accrue each paycheck, so they aren’t earned all at one. Peak season (Black Friday through Christmas) is typically blacked out to where you cannot use vacation days. You can however use PTO days
I’ve been offered an am position but haven’t received a start date. The recruiter said it could take some time as there aren’t any AM roles coming through. It’s already been a month. Anyone else in the same position???
I have received a lot of messages from people in this situation, so you are not alone. I don’t know exactly why this is the case - maybe someone has heard directly from their recruiter on this. It’s okay to reach out to yours and ask. I always stress advocating for yourself
Does anyone know if the Area Manager positions are only for recent graduates? I usually see the postings advertise that the Master's degree would need to be conferred within the last two years. I didn't know if they offered entry level AM positions to those with a Master's degree but graduated earlier, 5-10 years or so?
This is a great question and I am glad to see that you are looking into the qualifications in your role posting, because there are a few different types of AM roles. There are requisitions geared specifically toward recent college (undergraduate) graduates. There are postings specifically for the graduate area manager role, which would require the master's degree, and then there is the Pathways program which is worth looking into if you know that you want a career within operations
So, I'd like to apply as an area manager but I have a disability and walking that much would be difficult. Does Amazon have accommodations or is working that position unrealistic?
This is a great question - if this is not covered in the role posting you are looking through, I would suggest asking the recruiter who reaches out to you if you get to that point in the process
Is your title called and area operations manger? Or just area manager? I am looking to apply for an opening titled area operation manager? Is there quite a difference between the two? Salary difference?
Great info. Got hired as an L4 AM start date in September. Haven't been told yet about trainings. Is there any training before going in person? One of the interviewers mentioned online training but didn't go in depth.
This would be a great question to ask your recruiter - usually with training it will start your first week and you won't have to do anything substantial prior to that first week
Hey Grant! Thanks for the continuous content and updates on the Area Manager role. I passed my interview about 2 weeks ago, but haven’t been assigned to a facility yet or gotten the offer letter, should I be worried?
Don't be too alarmed as this is turning out to be normal. I was inclined back in mid-October and I am still waiting to be placed. My lead client recruiter keeps in regular contact with me letting me know what's going on. Basically, right now most of the AM openings have been put on hold through Amazon's peak season (holidays) so a lot of us potential new hires are probably being pushed to January/early next year to start. Their hiring will be wide open again at that time.
I also inquired about the compensation package and I was told with the way their process works, the offer can only come once you have been designated to a specific facility. I guess that makes sense as I assume our salaries come out of the local budget for accounting purposes. Anybody reading this, please share your experiences. I know the whole waiting can be very frustrating but at least we know we aren't alone in this.
This is the case for me. I passed the interview a month ago and was contacted by the recruiter(mid late October ). She said it could take a while before an official confirmation comes. I’ve been getting more stressed as time goes on hahahab. Are you in the USA or UK like me?
Hi, I have my first interview December 1, 2020 😲 I’m nervous ! I live in Virginia . It was so hard to choose what location in the surrounding area I prefer . It had VA but it was limited , PA , MD , Delaware, etc . I was really trying to categorize it by the best location . I know some locations are not good to live .
Having the freedom to choose is very nice, so I am sure you will end up being placed somewhere that you will like. I used to live in Philadelphia PA and a small town in MD and they were both beautiful areas
A fulfillment center does not deliver to customers. A fulfillment center is where all of the raw items are stored, such as books, ipads, and all sorts of products you see on Amazon’s website. When a customer placed an order, essentially that order is packaged into a box at a fulfillment center, and then sent to a delivery station were it is sorted and then delivered to the customer
Great video. I work IT and part time flex at Amazon, but I have been thinking of working Amazon full time. My goal is area manager but who do I approach for this path? HR?
What are the likelihoods of a person coming in as an L 4 or L5 going straight to am's? Can you make a request to mainly stay on days? Or you go were they tell you.
It depends on the experience you have and whether it is directly applicable or not. When it comes to requesting dayside, you could try making the request but I would not expect your request to have any weight
I’ve been told that I would be receiving an offer for the role of area manager in early 2021. What do you think I should be doing until then to better acclimatize myself to the company’s structure and values?
Very good question - I suggest reading through the emails they have been sending you and making sure that you familiarize yourself with the links they provided that go over the different services that Amazon offers. It is honestly best to just learn an overview of Amazon in general so that when you do your onboarding you are already familiar with the services. Learning the difference between the different types of hubs, (Fulfillment Centers, Distribution Centers, etc) will also help you to understand the supply chain at a deeper level. Also take time to relax and enjoy the time off!
Grant Anderson Thank you for the prompt response, and will do! If I may ask one more question - do you believe you are paid a fair amount for the work that you do? I’m been reading articles online, and it seems to vary from person to person.
@@poorandstupid I believe that based on my experience and my expectation/motivation to grow and contribute further in the future that I am paid fairly. I do know my worth so if I felt like I got to a point where I wasn't comfortable then I would start a conversation about that
That is very exciting, congratulations! I go through plenty of tips in my videos, so I just say watch a few of them and enjoy your free time between now and starting!
I am not sure what the complete scope is for an operations manager at FedEx - I would do a quick comparison of the job descriptions and see if they translate. I have spoken with a few other operations managers within FedEx and their roles do sown relatively similar to mine
I’ll be working for Amazon next year as Area Manager Intern for 10 weeks. I’m really excited! If you would want to keep going up within the company, as Area Manager how can you do to achieve it?
That is going to be a great experience, especially for an internship. Area manager is a great role to propel you to move up within the company if you stick through it, from what I have been told/see. Just like with any company (mostly) if you put in the work you’ll see the benefits and progress
@@capillcurima I recommend that you go in with a frame of mind that accepts you will not know much at all, and to also not panic when you realize this. Stick closely with your mentor, focus on learning specific things you want to learn, take notes of things that you hear and see that you don’t understand, and get to know as many people as you can. Build your network - this is very important
For my experience moving, Amazon paired me with Graebel and my relocation was handled through them. I got contacted by the relocation agent that oversaw my move, and then shortly after was contacted by the moving company and a location agent in the area I was moving to who helped me find a place to live. There are varying types of offers and relocation plans, so it is likely that other people had different relocation experiences to mine.
For anyone that is a current AM, how close to your home did Amazon place you? Did you have to move a couple states away? I’m waiting on my offer letter rn to see where they will place me.
I placed GA as my #1 location during the preinterview phase and after I got my preliminary offer I emailed the recruiter and let them know I’d be willing to start sooner to be placed in the Atl area. When I got my official offer letter I was placed in the Atl area.
Why do operation managers don't introduce themselves when they start working in a new department ? I got a write up from a manager that I have never seen before . It's totally disrespectful
I would hope that any new manager would introduce themselves to their team. If your first interaction with a new manager is them coming to you to give you a write-up then that definitely is not a positive first interaction
What are the exit opportunities that you’ve heard of so far? What can you do with this experience if you ever decide to leave? Do you have any recruiters messaging you for other big companies now? I’d really like to move up as quick as possible. I don’t want to be stuck working in a warehouse forever.
I don't have any profiles set to say I am seeking opportunities, so I am not actively searching. If your objective is to move up as quickly as possible, I would encourage you to shift your focus to excelling in your current role with the motivation and intention to move up, but only when you have mastered your role and are truly ready. In terms of where people are going, honestly those who leave Amazon go all over the place. I have only been at Amazon for a couple months and haven't closely known anyone who has left, but I have received personal messages from people who had left Amazon after anywhere from 3-12 months and some of the companies I had never heard of, and others were big names like Apple or Google. But Amazon is a big name and I am sure you would find your fit if warehouse life is not for you, which is totally understandable
@@Grant0669 I’ve been trying to get into analyst positions, but I haven’t had any luck. Area manager is the only position that I actually have an interview for, but I’m also “under consideration” at Bose as a business and financial analyst. I haven’t heard anything from them and it’s been like 2 1/2 weeks since I applied. It seems as though they’re offering this area manager role to everyone and anyone that has a bachelors degree, so it can’t be that respectful of a position. I have no problem taking up the role and grinding it out for a year and then moving onto a better role. It’s just the idea of working in a warehouse isn’t what I paid 40k to get an education for. Doesn’t seem like a role that you need a degree for. How difficult is the position in terms of brain power and actual difficult thinking? Seems as though it’s just another job that’s super long but simple.
Viktor Zguro these are great questions. The entry level area manager role is being offered to a lot of people because there has been a lot of growth. There’s an entire subset of people being offered the higher level role which requires experience - you won’t get it with just a college degree alone. In regards to not wanting to work in a warehouse, we work in fulfillment centers and if that’s not what you want then I’d suggest not pursuing the opportunity. A career in operations is naturally going to involve working in fulfillment centers, warehouses, machine shops, etc. For your question about the difficultly in relation to brain power and thought, when you manage 90+ people and constantly have to balance your workforce and strategize to hit demand, it does require a lot of brain power and also a significant amount of physical labor. There’s a lot of mentorship, growth and development, problem solving, and a ton of communication. The role opens the path for a lot of future positions too so if you decided a fulfillment center isn’t for you then you just wouldn’t pursue a role that would make you be in one, which is a plus
I currently have a job as a project manager at a construction company, but i am considering replying to the amazon recruiter emails if the pay is greater than 65k/yr. is that within the pay range for AM?
Bro !! I just got my offer and I’m in the same area !!! I choose it because a lot of my friends are already there and a lot of your cons if I work nights I can work around by inviting my family during certain holidays . And I defiantly wanna shift to a different role at some point , but a year of hard work with Amazon seems like it can open a lot of doors for you later
Congratulations on the offer! You are very right with the points you raise and that is so nice for you that family is close by, I'd love to live near mine again some day haha
If you are working at a site such as a fulfillment center, attire is very casual. On a regular basis I suggest (and you will learn) to wear clothing you are comfortable/flexible in. I wear shorts or joggers with a tshirt or long-sleeved shirt and steel-toed running-style shoes. Anything more than that you might regret since you will be moving around a lot
Hey Grant, your videos have been really helpful. I am curious, which department are you an area manager over? They offered me to be the area manager over the delivery drivers, do you have any thoughts on that part of operations?
Hi, I am over the Amazon Fulfillment Engine (AFE). I don't know too much about the AMs over the deliver drivers - what type of site have they placed you at?
@@Grant0669 From talking time someone else that does the same thing, she said she likes working AMZL better than at a FC, I am happy with my assignment but, not with the salary. I will watch more of your videos and do more research on if this would be worth it, thank you for your help! Welcome to Dallas!!
I believe that most facilities will do their best to be accommodating when reasonable, so definitely explain your situation to your recruiter or HR team
It is always important to advocate for yourself. If you do not desire the location you have been placed and you feel this hinders your chances of accepting the job then make that known to your recruiter. If it were me, I would explain that I am excited and thankful for the opportunity but would like to discuss alternate locations if possible.
I was offered a different location at first, I talked to my recruiter about it and they worked with me to find one that suited my needs. It did delay my starting date a bit, but I was grateful that they were willing to help! I wish you the best!
Just went through the same thing but I simply asked my recruiter if I could be placed in my desired location and they sent over a cluster of locations in my desired location! So from my experience they’re willing to work with you on that.
I think it is a fantastic position that will teach a lot of skills, you just have to be open to learning. I suggest that anyone looking to go into this position does their research - watch videos and utilize LinkedIn to talk directly to people in the AM role so that you have light expectations you can set for what you are going to walk into.
A PG is a Process Guide. These individuals will assist the Process Assistants in a department (typically). A Process Assistant is the assistant of an Area Manager.
how many interview round supposed to face for Area Manager. One already been done successfully and for rest what kind of question and what kind of round they would be? please help me out..
Did you have a logistics degree in college? If not, what was your major? I worked at Amazon in 2018 and most of the managers were both clueless and incompetent with no people skills. So I'm wondering what education level or experience level they had. I'm guessing not much
@@Grant0669 if that was your degree, you are over qualified to work as a manager in a warehouse. Not surprised, because amazon never background checks their employees. They really don't put any effort into HR. Because they don't think of their workers as 'human'. I did a quick background check on my manager and found he was arrested and convicted for public intoxication and disorderly before he was hired at Amazon. .I probably knew more about him than amazon did.
@@frankpalancio8471 yep lol when i worked at Amazon i realized all the package handlers are slaves and the managers don’t do shit but okay around on their computer
@@frankpalancio8471 you act like your manager’s life should be ruined simply because he was arrested for public intoxication; it’s not like he’s a murderer. Please get off your high horse
@@lulundabirenge2311 my manager was garbage. He acted like garbage in college when he was arrested, and he acts like garbage at Amazon. Why were you triggered by my message? Did you get busted for being stupid too?
All of my trainings were online through KNET. Because of covid we did not get to go to the big leadership conference that is sounded like they used to do before
Is an area manager the same as an assistant manager ? I’m have an interview for an assistant manager position and would like to know what level it is and what it entails . Thank you
Hi Carmen - an area manager is not the same as an assistant manager. During your interview I would ask for direct clarification if the outlined responsibilities are not clear in the posting
Why does amazon care about associates scanning the wrong asin on an item. I am currently an associate and I can never understand why scanning 4 wrong barcodes on a box over the course of an entire shift is treated like some kind of sin
It’s very annoying when there are four different barcodes on a box. There’s ASINS, sp00s, etc so I think it’s more about being able to know which one you’re supposed to scan and when just so you can keep up the speed
Typically associates would go through the process of applying to be a process assistant, and then after some time doing that could become an area manager. Usually the rule is you have to be with Amazon for two years prior to becoming an area manager if you start as a tier one
I had my interviews today and I feel like I messed up the second half. (I did great talking to the ops manager) and it was with an area manager (I don't know why I interviewed with someone in the same position I applied for.)
Hi William - as a manager you do not have timed breaks, you determine when you need a break based upon personal preference and ability to step away from your area
Congratulations on getting an offer! Sit tight - nobody is going to forget about you and based on what others have said, a lot of people are hearing back just a little bit later than expected
@@Grant0669 thank your for responding, it’s been about 4 weeks since I received the email stating I got the job and still no offer yet. Once I get the offer, do you they give you two weeks to resign from your current employer or do they expect you to start working the next day?
I interviewed last week, and was told I’d be getting an offer sometime in early 2021. Apparently, there was some change in the company, so wherever they planned on sending me before, changed. Right now, I’m just waiting.
Did they email you or did you have to reach out to ask yourself? I’m in a similar boat where I had an interview last week and was told I would hear back within 5 business days but I have not heard anything
O U Hello! I interviewed on the 10th and they reached out to me on the 16th or 17th. I was contacted via email one of those mornings, and I received a call later that day pertaining the email. I was told if they haven’t reached out to you within five business days, you should reach out to your recruiter/coordinator. Hopefully, they are just a little behind and you got the job! Let me know how things go. Good luck!
This would be a manager over the reliability, maintenance, and engineering team. You would be leading a team of facilities associates as opposed to production associates.
@@tameragarlington656 that’s a bummer your date had gotten pushed back. Pay frequency varies depending on location so I wouldn’t be concerned about it just yet!
Associates have specific breaks - as an Area Manager you can take breaks as you are able and as you see fit for yourself. I take a few throughout the night to eat a snack and zen out for a bit. Some nights I am able to step away for 15 or 20 minutes, others I can only take 5 if there is a lot of chaos happening. Ultimately you do what is best for you and your area
I am working 3 12's but they are overnight on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. So it is a con because I work on all the nights most people are available to do things. It's not like it's impossible to do those things, it just provides a barrier
Lol you probably have annoying managers. Im in PS and yeah there are some annoying managers and PAs, but there are some cool ones too. The ones who leave me alone are the best.
For anyone with the drive to make money, three to four days off a week!!! Side hustle and ensure you invest in your 401k the minute you can. Anywhere from 15 to 20% is a great starting point
I’m happy making 70-85k, every time I make more I put more into my retirement for tax reasons as well. I tell everyone to do this. Next thing you know your putting 70k a year in your 401k
