Jeff Bezos was a little-known entrepreneur who’d just quit his well-paying Wall St. job to start an e-commerce company, one described in the ad as a “well-capitalized Seattle start-up.” At the time, most people didn’t have computers, never mind the Internet. The ad was posted by Bezos on Aug. 22, 1994, on Usenet, the online public bulletin board and discussion network started in 1980. Bezos was looking for “extremely talented” software developers to “help pioneer commerce on the internet.”
The company was founded as “Cadabra” in Bellevue, Washington, by entrepreneur Jeff Bezos on 5 July 1994, initialling selling only books before branching out gradually into almost every other facet of commerce, shifting electronics, homeware and clothes, entering the streaming market with Prime Video and changing the high street forever. The first employee hired by Jeff Bezos in 1994 was Shel Kaphan.
What attracted the attention of social media users was that Bezos was seeking people who could build and design large complex systems “in about one-third the time that most competent people think possible.”
The first job description at Amazon
Here is the job listing:
“Well-capitalized start-up seeks extremely talented C/C++/Unix developers to help pioneer commerce on the Internet. 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. You should have a BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science or the equivalent. Top-notch communication skills are essential. Familiarity with web servers and HTML would be helpful but is not necessary.
Expect talented, motivated, intense, and interesting co-workers. Must be willing to relocate to the Seattle area (we will help cover moving costs).
Your compensation will include meaningful equity ownership.
Send resume and cover letter to Jeff Bezos:
mail: be…@netcom.com
fax: 206/828-0951
US mail: Cadabra, Inc.
10704 N.E. 28th St.
Bellevue, WA 98004
We are an equal opportunity employer.
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“It’s easier to invent the future than to predict it.” — Alan Kay”
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