Insights for permanent AWS professionals
What are the main things hiring managers look for in an AWS candidate during a job interview?
Willingness to learn
Cultural fit
Positive attitude
Passion
| Communication | 45% |
| The ability to demonstrate their skills | 33% |
| Preparation for the interview | 29% |
| Resourcefulness | 29% |
| Confidence | 22% |
| Openness to new approaches | 22% |
| An understanding of the role | 22% |
The hiring managers that took part in our survey tell us that there are on average three steps to the hiring process in their organization. This includes an initial application, a number of interviews, and in some cases a competency test. Similarly, recent candidates completed an average of three interview stages for their current role.
Factors that impact on your earning potential according to our respondents
| Important | Neutral | Unimportant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years of experience in IT | 92% | 6% | 2% |
| Years of technical experience with AWS | 88% | 8% | 4% |
| Exposure to large projects | 87% | 10% | 2% |
| Specific vertical/industry experience | 63% | 28% | 9% |
| AWS certifications | 57% | 23% | 21% |
| Working with AI | 52% | 32% | 16% |
| College/University degree(s) | 37% | 31% | 32% |
| Important | 92% |
|---|---|
| Neutral | 6% |
| Unimportant | 2% |
| Important | 88% |
|---|---|
| Neutral | 8% |
| Unimportant | 4% |
| Important | 87% |
|---|---|
| Neutral | 10% |
| Unimportant | 2% |
| Important | 63% |
|---|---|
| Neutral | 28% |
| Unimportant | 9% |
| Important | 57% |
|---|---|
| Neutral | 23% |
| Unimportant | 21% |
| Important | 52% |
|---|---|
| Neutral | 32% |
| Unimportant | 16% |
| Important | 37% |
|---|---|
| Neutral | 31% |
| Unimportant | 32% |
- Business acumen
- Networking capabilities
- Project management experience
- Good interpersonal skills
- Motivation for continuous learning
- Security Clearance
- Strong work ethic
Want to find out what you could be earning and compare your salary against your peers?
What’s on offer in the jobs market?
Are AWS professionals experiencing pay increases?
Almost two-thirds (62%) 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 12%.
While the rising cost of living has resulted in many employers having to offer pay rises, an average increase of 12% suggests that this could also be down to the competition for existing talent driving prices up. But it’s not the only reason.
Why did those working for an end user experience a pay increase?
| I received an incremental pay increase | 61% |
| I received a performance-related increase | 39% |
| I received a promotion | 21% |
| I gained an additional AWS certification | 7% |
| My organization made staffing cuts and I have taken on more work | 7% |
| Greater demand for AWS professionals has increased my market value and my employer wants to keep me | 4% |
What reasons did those working for a partner give for experiencing a pay increase?
| I received a performance-related increase | 55% |
| I received an incremental pay increase | 45% |
| My organization made staffing cuts and I have taken on more work | 18% |
| I received a promotion | 9% |
| I gained an additional AWS certification | 9% |
| Greater demand for AWS professionals has increased my market value and my employer wants to keep me | 9% | My organization offered staff pay increases due to an increased workload | 9% |
Did your salary change when you last changed jobs?
On average, individuals who obtained a salary increase after changing jobs saw a 19% 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:
1
2
3
4
5
Are employees negotiating pay increases?
Over three-quarters (77%) of employees who attempted to negotiate a raise were successful and earned an 14% pay increase on average.
Why have some employees never negotiated a pay increase?
- My employer provides regular incremental pay increases/pay reviews
- I’m happy with my compensation
- I’d rather move to a different employer than negotiate
- I’m new to the role, so I’m not in a position to ask
Would you rather look for a new role than negotiate with your employer for a higher salary?
Counteroffers
A counteroffer is an offer made by your employer aimed at persuading you to rethink your decision to resign. Over half (55%, down slightly from 57% in our previous study) of professionals have received a counteroffer after resigning from a role—pointing to a continued trend of employers trying to retain their experienced workforce.
Those who received a salary increase as part of their counteroffer saw a 19% raise on average, consistent with the results of our last survey.
While counteroffers were once highly effective, our latest data shows that only 27% of employees accept them, compared to 49% in our previous study. This suggests that there are many factors beyond the reach of an employer, which play a significant role in employee retention decisions.
What are employees offered as a counteroffer?
Salary increase
Promotion
Bonus
| Additional paid time off | 17% |
| Training and development opportunities | 16% |
| Flexible working hours | 12% |
| Employer paid for certifications | 9% |
| Retention bonus | 7% |
| Commission | 7% | Remote working | 5% | Shares in the company | 5% | Other | 2% |
Rewards and recognition
High salaries have long been linked to specialist tech roles, and each year we see AWS professionals receiving increasingly lucrative offers as companies compete for top talent. However, that’s just part of the equation.
Recent years have seen an increase in the variety of perks and benefits packages being provided to AWS professionals, as employers aim to differentiate themselves and address the needs and preferences of candidates. While some shifts have made the market less favorable for jobseekers compared to previous years, there are still ongoing expectations for adequate rewards and recognition that employers can’t afford to ignore.
In this section, we’ll delve into the benefits that candidates value most, the perks being offered to AWS professionals, and how employers can create packages that stand out in the market to attract the talent they seek.
What employee benefits are AWS professionals receiving?
1. Home working
2. Health/medical insurance
3. Bonus (monthly/biannual/year-end bonus)
| 4. Life insurance | 43% |
| 5. Retirement savings plan/401(k) match/pension contributions | 42% |
| 6. Flexible working hours | 39% |
| 7. Dental plan | 38% |
| 8. Casual dress policy | 37% |
| 9. Home office equipment/utility subsidy | 33% |
| 10. Education/training allowance | 31% |
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
The average working week for a full-time permanent employee was found to be 43 hours—with 7% of respondents telling us they work over 60 hours a week— and part time employees averaging 11 hours.
Paid time off by region
Professionals working in a permanent role tell us that they receive, on average, 22 days of paid time off (PTO) a year.
The amount of paid time off our respondents receive varies widely from country to country, influenced by differing employment laws and regulations that set minimum vacation entitlements for full-time employees. However, as organizations strive to attract talent, many are increasingly offering generous PTO as a way to entice candidates to apply for their positions. This is excellent news for AWS professionals, as many are now receiving PTO that exceeds the legal requirements in their regions—reflecting employers’ ongoing recognition of the value candidates place on achieving a better work-life balance.
Germany
Netherlands
United Kingdom
France
Spain
United States
Conclusion
It’s also interesting to see health/medical insurance come in as a strong second place on the list of benefits professionals are receiving. In the midst of a public health crisis it’s clear that more value has been placed on physical wellbeing as well as mental health. And the encouraging thing for some employers will be that creating a well-rounded benefits package doesn’t always necessitate a massive financial outlay.
Remote work and flexible hours require little if any outlay, and offering additional Paid Time Off from the outset rather at the counter-offer stage, when it’s often too late, will make great inroads on what you offer to employees. That’s not to say your benefits package should ever result in you cutting corners—AWS talent is in too much demand to play hardball—but it’s certainly an opportunity to be creative when looking at what’s on offer.
Careers and Hiring Guide
AWS Edition 2025
Key Findings
Our key findings report contains highlights from this year’s Careers and Hiring Guide, plus our salary tables to allow you to compare your compensation or benchmark your teams’ salaries or rates no matter their role in the AWS ecosystem.
