Jeff Bezos' Hiring Strategy Retrospective
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 01 2026
0mins
Should l Buy AMZN?
Source: Benzinga
- Hiring History Review: Jeff Bezos posted Amazon's first job listing shortly after founding the company in 1994 on Usenet, emphasizing the pursuit of quality talent over mere headcount, showcasing his commitment to team excellence.
- Pioneering Internet Spirit: The job listing called for candidates to “help pioneer commerce on the Internet,” a bold ambition at a time when most households lacked computers and reliable internet access, reflecting Bezos's visionary outlook.
- High Standards Hiring Principle: In Amazon's 1997 shareholder letter, Bezos articulated the hiring philosophy that “you can work long, hard, or smart, but at Amazon.com you can't choose two out of three,” underscoring the company's stringent employee quality expectations, which became a core aspect of its culture.
- Cultural Impact: This 'Day 1' hiring mindset not only shaped Amazon's corporate culture but also set high standards for talent acquisition in the tech industry, influencing recruitment strategies across the sector.
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Analyst Views on AMZN
Wall Street analysts forecast AMZN stock price to rise
44 Analyst Rating
41 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 210.570
Low
175.00
Averages
280.01
High
325.00
Current: 210.570
Low
175.00
Averages
280.01
High
325.00
About AMZN
Amazon.com, Inc. provides a range of products and services to customers. The products offered through its stores include merchandise and content it has purchased for resale and products offered by third-party sellers. The Company’s segments include North America, International and Amazon Web Services (AWS). It serves consumers through its online and physical stores and focuses on selection, price, and convenience. Customers access its offerings through its websites, mobile apps, Alexa, devices, streaming, and physically visiting its stores. It also manufactures and sells electronic devices, including Kindle, Fire tablet, Fire TV, Echo, Ring, Blink, and eero, and develops and produces media content. It serves developers and enterprises of all sizes, including start-ups, government agencies, and academic institutions, through AWS, which offers a set of on-demand technology services, including compute, storage, database, analytics, and machine learning, and other services.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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