Insights for permanent AWS professionals
Insights for permanent AWS professionals
Insights for permanent AWS professionals
What are the main things hiring managers look for in an AWS candidate during a job interview?
| 5. Communication | 36% |
| 6. Resourcefulness | 32% |
| 7. Passion | 27% |
| 8. Confidence | 24% |
| 9. Preparation for the interview | 21% |
| 10. Integrity | 19% |
LinkedIn poll
You might have all the green flags that hiring managers look for in a candidate, but it may count for nothing if you make a fatal interview faux pas. Here’s how AWS hiring managers responded when asked which of these four options they consider the biggest red flag when interviewing a candidate—don’t make the same mistakes!
‘Other’ responses included candidates not having their video on if it was a virtual interview.
*Data taken from a poll conducted on Jefferson Frank’s LinkedIn in September 2023.
What are the main things hiring managers look for in an AWS candidate during a job interview?
| 5. Communication | 36% |
| 6. Resourcefulness | 32% |
| 7. Passion | 27% |
| 8. Confidence | 24% |
| 9. Preparation for the interview | 21% |
| 10. Integrity | 19% |
LinkedIn poll
You might have all the green flags that hiring managers look for in a candidate, but it may count for nothing if you make a fatal interview faux pas. Here’s how AWS hiring managers responded when asked which of these four options they consider the biggest red flag when interviewing a candidate—don’t make the same mistakes!
‘Other’ responses included candidates not having their video on if it was a virtual interview.
*Data taken from a poll conducted on Jefferson Frank’s LinkedIn in September 2023.
What are the main things hiring managers look for in an AWS candidate during a job interview?
| 5. Communication | 36% |
| 6. Resourcefulness | 32% |
| 7. Passion | 27% |
| 8. Confidence | 24% |
| 9. Preparation for the interview | 21% |
| 10. Integrity | 19% |
LinkedIn poll
You might have all the green flags that hiring managers look for in a candidate, but it may count for nothing if you make a fatal interview faux pas. Here’s how AWS hiring managers responded when asked which of these four options they consider the biggest red flag when interviewing a candidate—don’t make the same mistakes!
‘Other’ responses included candidates not having their video on if it was a virtual interview.
*Data taken from a poll conducted on Jefferson Frank’s LinkedIn in September 2023.
Factors that impact on your earning potential according to our respondents
| Years of experience in IT | 84% |
| Exposure to large projects | 82% |
| Years of technical experience with AWS | 81% |
| Specific vertical industry experience | 65% |
| AWS certifications | 60% |
| Years of experience working for an end user | 54% |
| Years of experience working for a partner organization | 50% |
| University degree(s) | 44% |
| Years of experience in IT | 11% |
| Exposure to large projects | 15% |
| Years of technical experience with AWS | 13% |
| Specific vertical industry experience | 25% |
| AWS certifications | 27% |
| Years of experience working for an end user | 31% |
| Years of experience working for a partner organization | 34% |
| University degree(s) | 30% |
| Years of experience in IT | 5% |
| Exposure to large projects | 3% |
| Years of technical experience with AWS | 6% |
| Specific vertical industry experience | 10% |
| AWS certifications | 13% |
| Years of experience working for an end user | 15% |
| Years of experience working for a partner organization | 16% |
| University degree(s) | 26% |
Other factors mentioned by respondents as having an impact on earning potential include:
- Good interpersonal skills
- Business acumen
- Strong work ethic
- Demonstrable leadership skills
- Cross-platform experience
- Networking abilities
- The ability to showcase your skills and experience effectively to clients and employers
“What is important is the ability to sell your skill set and experience to prospective employers, as well as having skills which are in demand which can lead to multiple offers that can be leveraged for higher pay.”
Cloud Engineer, United States
LinkedIn poll
Optimizing your resume is all about ticking all the right boxes as efficiently as possible. We asked AWS professionals which of the following they would ditch from their resume – consider cutting these out to make space for what really matters!
*Data taken from a poll conducted on Jefferson Frank’s LinkedIn in September 2023.
LinkedIn poll
Optimizing your resume is all about ticking all the right boxes as efficiently as possible. We asked AWS professionals which of the following they would ditch from their resume – consider cutting these out to make space for what really matters!
*Data taken from a poll conducted on Jefferson Frank’s LinkedIn in September 2023.
What’s on offer in the jobs market?
Are AWS professionals experiencing pay increases?
Almost three-quarters (72%) of AWS professionals received a salary increase from their current employer in the last year.
On average, those who received a salary increase from their current employer saw their pay rise by 13%.
Let’s see those pay increases broken down further:
- 0-5% pay increase
36%
- 6-10% pay increase
27%
- 11-15% pay increase
11%
- 16-20% pay increase
10%
- 21-25% pay increase
5%
- 26-30% pay increase
2%
- More than 30% pay increase
9%
While the rising cost of living has resulted in many employers having to offer pay rises, an average increase of 13% suggests that this could also be down to the competition for existing talent driving prices up. But it’s not the only reason.
What’s on offer in the jobs market?
Are AWS professionals experiencing pay increases?
Almost three-quarters (72%) of AWS professionals received a salary increase from their current employer in the last year.
On average, those who received a salary increase from their current employer saw their pay rise by 13%.
Let’s see those pay increases broken down further:
- 0-5% pay increase
36%
- 6-10% pay increase
27%
- 11-15% pay increase
11%
- 16-20% pay increase
10%
- 21-25% pay increase
5%
- 26-30% pay increase
2%
- More than 30% pay increase
9%
While the rising cost of living has resulted in many employers having to offer pay rises, an average increase of 13% suggests that this could also be down to the competition for existing talent driving prices up. But it’s not the only reason.
What’s on offer in the jobs market?
Are AWS professionals experiencing pay increases?
Almost three-quarters (72%) of AWS professionals received a salary increase from their current employer in the last year.
On average, those who received a salary increase from their current employer saw their pay rise by 13%.
Let’s see those pay increases broken down further:
- 0-5% pay increase
36%
- 6-10% pay increase
27%
- 11-15% pay increase
11%
- 16-20% pay increase
10%
- 21-25% pay increase
5%
- 26-30% pay increase
2%
- More than 30% pay increase
9%
While the rising cost of living has resulted in many employers having to offer pay rises, an average increase of 13% suggests that this could also be down to the competition for existing talent driving prices up. But it’s not the only reason.
What reasons did AWS professionals give for experiencing a pay increase?
| I received a performance-related increase | 57% |
| I received an incremental pay increase | 43% |
| I received a promotion | 29% |
| Greater demand for AWS professionals has increased my market value and my employer wants to keep me | 12% |
| There's a lack of AWS talent in the market and my employer wants to keep me | 7% |
| More opportunities for remote work have increased my job options and my employer wants to keep me | 6% |
| My organization made staffing cuts and I have taken on more work | 6% |
| My organization is more profitable now than it was 12 months ago | 6% |
| I gained an additional AWS certification | 5% |
| Other | 3% |
| I received a performance-related increase | 42% |
| I received a promotion | 38% |
| I received an incremental pay increase | 25% |
| Increased opportunities for remote work have increased my job options and my employer wants to keep me | 14% |
| I gained an additional AWS certification | 12% |
| Greater demand for AWS professionals has increased my market value and my employer wants to keep me | 12% |
| There's a lack of AWS talent in the market and my employer wants to keep me | 6% |
| My organization made staffing cuts and I have taken on more work | 6% |
| My organization offered staff pay increases due to an increased workload | 6% |
| Increased demand for AWS services means my organization has more clients than a year ago | 5% |
| Other | 4% |
Did your salary change when you last changed jobs?
On average, individuals who obtained a salary increase after changing jobs saw a 21% rise in their earnings.
We asked those who took a pay cut when they changed jobs to share their reasoning. The top five responses were:
Download our salary tables to better understand what you could earn and compare your salary against your peers.
Did your salary change when you last changed jobs?
On average, individuals who obtained a salary increase after changing jobs saw a 21% rise in their earnings.
We asked those who took a pay cut when they changed jobs to share their reasoning. The top five responses were:
Download our salary tables to better understand what you could earn and compare your salary against your peers.
Are employees negotiating pay increases?
- Yes, I’ve negotiated a pay increase
65%
- No, I’ve never negotiated a pay increase
29%
- Not applicable
6%
The majority (83%) of employees who attempted to negotiate a raise were successful and earned an 18% pay increase on average.
Interestingly, 70% of respondents who have previously negotiated a pay increase said they’re likely to do so again in the coming year.
Why have some employees never negotiated a pay increase?
Reasons for having never negotiated a pay increase are similar in this study as those identified in our previous surveys—and can be grouped into the following themes:
- My organization provides regular incremental pay increases
- There is no need to negotiate, as my employer pays the current market rate for my role
- I feel uncomfortable or lack the confidence to ask for a pay raise
- We’ve had layoffs, so I think it’s unfair for me to ask
- I’m new to the role, so I’m not in a position to ask yet
Would you rather look for a new role than negotiate with your employer for a higher salary?
Then chat to one of our experienced team to help you find the role and salary you deserve.
Are employees comfortable asking for a pay increase?
Less than a third (28%) of those who have never negotiated a pay increase say they would feel comfortable asking for one in the future, while 32% feel uncomfortable having that conversation.
Comfort with asking for a pay increase does not seem to have much of a bearing on people’s willingness to pursue one, as 54% of those who have never negotiated before tell us that they plan on doing so in the coming year.
Are employees negotiating pay increases?
The majority (83%) of employees who attempted to negotiate a raise were successful and earned an 18% pay increase on average.
Interestingly, 70% of respondents who have previously negotiated a pay increase said they’re likely to do so again in the coming year.
Why have some employees never negotiated a pay increase?
Reasons for having never negotiated a pay increase are similar in this study as those identified in our previous surveys—and can be grouped into the following themes:
- My organization provides regular incremental pay increases
- There is no need to negotiate, as my employer pays the current market rate for my role
- I feel uncomfortable or lack the confidence to ask for a pay raise
- We’ve had layoffs, so I think it’s unfair for me to ask
- I’m new to the role, so I’m not in a position to ask yet
Would you rather look for a new role than negotiate with your employer for a higher salary?
Then chat to one of our experienced team to help you find the role and salary you deserve.
Are employees comfortable asking for a pay increase?
Less than a third (28%) of those who have never negotiated a pay increase say they would feel comfortable asking for one in the future, while 32% feel uncomfortable having that conversation.
Comfort with asking for a pay increase does not seem to have much of a bearing on people’s willingness to pursue one, as 54% of those who have never negotiated before tell us that they plan on doing so in the coming year.
Counteroffers
A counteroffer is an offer made by your employer to entice you to reconsider your resignation. Under two-thirds (57%, up from 54% in our previous study) of professionals have received a counteroffer after resigning from a role—pointing to a trend of employers trying to retain their experienced workforce.
What are employees offered as a counteroffer?
79%
Salary increase
31%
Promotion
24%
Retention bonus
21%
Bonus
| Remote working | 15% |
| Training and development opportunities | 13% |
| Flexible working hours | 11% |
| Shares in the company | 10% |
| Employer paid for certifications | 9% |
| Additional paid time off | 8% |
| Commission | 8% |
| Other | 3% |
On average, those who received a salary increase as part of their counteroffer received a 20% raise.
Almost half (49%, similar to the percentage from our previous survey) of respondents who received a counteroffer accepted it.
Why do employees accept counteroffers?
- I received a higher salary
- It was easier to stay with my current employer
- I was given a promotion
“I accepted a counteroffer because of a significant salary increase that aligned with my expectations and market value.”
Site Reliability Engineer, United States
On average, professionals who stayed with their employer after receiving a counteroffer remained in the organization for a further two years and six months. There was an exceptional case where an employee stayed on for 16 years—but this was not typical.
Almost two-fifths (37%) of those who accepted a counteroffer later regretted their decision.
What are the reasons behind employees expressing regret after accepting a counteroffer?
- The promises my employer made were not upheld
- Nothing changed other than my salary
Counteroffers
A counteroffer is an offer made by your employer to entice you to reconsider your resignation. Under two-thirds (57%, up from 54% in our previous study) of professionals have received a counteroffer after resigning from a role—pointing to a trend of employers trying to retain their experienced workforce.
What are employees offered as a counteroffer?
79%
Salary increase
31%
Promotion
24%
Retention bonus
21%
Bonus
| Remote working | 15% |
| Training and development opportunities | 13% |
| Flexible working hours | 11% |
| Shares in the company | 10% |
| Employer paid for certifications | 9% |
| Additional paid time off | 8% |
| Commission | 8% |
| Other | 3% |
On average, those who received a salary increase as part of their counteroffer received a 20% raise.
Almost half (49%, similar to the percentage from our previous survey) of respondents who received a counteroffer accepted it.
Why do employees accept counteroffers?
- I received a higher salary
- It was easier to stay with my current employer
- I was given a promotion
“I accepted a counteroffer because of a significant salary increase that aligned with my expectations and market value.”
Site Reliability Engineer, United States
On average, professionals who stayed with their employer after receiving a counteroffer remained in the organization for a further two years and six months. There was an exceptional case where an employee stayed on for 16 years—but this was not typical.
Almost two-fifths (37%) of those who accepted a counteroffer later regretted their decision.
What are the reasons behind employees expressing regret after accepting a counteroffer?
- The promises my employer made were not upheld
- Nothing changed other than my salary
Rewards and recognition
High salaries have long been associated with specialist tech roles, and year after year we’re seeing AWS professionals offered bigger and bigger paychecks as organizations strive to outbid one another for top talent. But that’s only half the battle.
In recent years, we’ve seen a development of perks and benefits packages being offered to AWS professionals as employers look to stand out from the crowd and meet the wants and needs of candidates. Although some post-pandemic adjustments across the community have meant the market isn’t quite as favorable to candidates when compared with the last few years, it’s nonetheless still a candidate-driven market—and as a result, there’s still an expectation of sufficient reward and recognition.
In this section, we’ll explore what benefits candidates value most, the perks being offered to AWS professionals, and how employers can build packages that set them apart in the market and attract the top talent they desire.
What employee benefits are AWS professionals receiving?
54%
1. Health/medical insurance
50%
2. Home working
45%
3. Four weeks or more paid time off
| 4. Bonus (monthly/biannual/year-end bonus) | 42% |
| 5. Flexible working hours | 38% |
| 6. Retirement savings plan/401(k) match/pension contributions | 32% |
| 7. Life insurance | 31% |
| 8. Dental plan | 30% |
| 9. Training and development opportunities | 28% |
| 10. Vision/optical plan | 25% |
How many employers are offering remote working?
We asked respondents to tell us how many days they work remotely or from home per week, and the results are as follows:
Average working hours
Permanent employees who took part in our survey work between 9 and 70 hours per week—with 3% of respondents telling us they work over 60 hours a week. The average working week for a full-time employee was found to be 41 hours.
Paid time off by region
Professionals working in a permanent role tell us that they receive, on average, 21 days of paid time off (PTO) a year.
How much paid time off our respondents receive varies significantly from country to country, with different employment rules and regulations dictating the minimum amount of vacation that full-time employees must receive. However, as organizations look to pull ahead in the race for talent, we’re seeing more and more employers utilizing a generous amount of PTO as a way of attracting more candidates to their vacancies. This is of course great news for AWS professionals, with many being offered PTO that far surpasses the legal requirements of that area—an indication that employers continue to recognize the value candidates have placed on a better work-life balance for many years.
See to the right for the average PTO days by country of our respondents:
29 days
Germany
27 days
Netherlands
26 days
United Kingdom
26 days
Spain
26 days
Italy
25 days
France
25 days
Poland
23 days
Belgium
19 days
United States
Rewards and recognition
High salaries have long been associated with specialist tech roles, and year after year we’re seeing AWS professionals offered bigger and bigger paychecks as organizations strive to outbid one another for top talent. But that’s only half the battle.
In recent years, we’ve seen a development of perks and benefits packages being offered to AWS professionals as employers look to stand out from the crowd and meet the wants and needs of candidates. Although some post-pandemic adjustments across the community have meant the market isn’t quite as favorable to candidates when compared with the last few years, it’s nonetheless still a candidate-driven market—and as a result, there’s still an expectation of sufficient reward and recognition.
In this section, we’ll explore what benefits candidates value most, the perks being offered to AWS professionals, and how employers can build packages that set them apart in the market and attract the top talent they desire.
What employee benefits are AWS professionals receiving?
54%
1. Health/medical insurance
50%
2. Home working
45%
3. Four weeks or more paid time off
| 4. Bonus (monthly/biannual/year-end bonus) | 42% |
| 5. Flexible working hours | 38% |
| 6. Retirement savings plan/401(k) match/pension contributions | 32% |
| 7. Life insurance | 31% |
| 8. Dental plan | 30% |
| 9. Training and development opportunities | 28% |
| 10. Vision/optical plan | 25% |
How many employers are offering remote working?
We asked respondents to tell us how many days they work remotely or from home per week, and the results are as follows:
Average working hours
Permanent employees who took part in our survey work between 9 and 70 hours per week—with 3% of respondents telling us they work over 60 hours a week. The average working week for a full-time employee was found to be 41 hours.
Paid time off by region
Professionals working in a permanent role tell us that they receive, on average, 21 days of paid time off (PTO) a year.
How much paid time off our respondents receive varies significantly from country to country, with different employment rules and regulations dictating the minimum amount of vacation that full-time employees must receive. However, as organizations look to pull ahead in the race for talent, we’re seeing more and more employers utilizing a generous amount of PTO as a way of attracting more candidates to their vacancies. This is of course great news for AWS professionals, with many being offered PTO that far surpasses the legal requirements of that area—an indication that employers continue to recognize the value candidates have placed on a better work-life balance for many years.
See below for the average PTO days by country of our respondents:
29 days
Germany
27 days
Netherlands
26 days
United Kingdom
26 days
Spain
26 days
Italy
25 days
France
25 days
Poland
23 days
Belgium
19 days
United States
Conclusion
With the same number of respondents as last year working from home full time, the evidence is clear: remote working is now very much the standard. While other industries may still consider flexible work a post-pandemic perk, employers within the AWS community should understand remote working to be an expectation among candidates, putting those 9% of respondents who offer no remote working at all at a major disadvantage in the hiring markets.
The rise in respondents receiving health insurance and bonuses compared to 2023 is again indicative of professionals’ desire to alleviate some of the financial challenges of the present day, and employers not currently offering these benefits should take note of the consequences this may have on their ability to attract and retain talent in the coming year.
But success in the hiring market isn’t just about keeping up with the competition. Employers should also look to consider the benefits that candidates are receiving less frequently to stand out from the crowd—particularly perks like training and development opportunities that we know are highly desired by professionals across the AWS community.
Finally, with candidates averaging 21 days of annual PTO and 45% receiving four weeks or more, you may be tempted to offer unlimited PTO to pull ahead of your competition. But beware: talent has become suspicious of this ‘perk’ due to staff shortages and high workloads preventing even standard amounts of vacation time being taken.
Our key findings report contains highlights from this year’s Careers and Hiring Guide, plus our salary tables allow you to compare your salary or benchmark your teams’ salaries no matter their role in the AWS ecosystem.
Our key findings report contains highlights from this year’s Careers and Hiring Guide, plus our salary tables allow you to compare your salary or benchmark your teams’ salaries no matter their role in the AWS ecosystem.
Our key findings report contains highlights from this year’s Careers and Hiring Guide, plus our salary tables allow you to compare your salary or benchmark your teams’ salaries no matter their role in the AWS ecosystem.
