Jeff Bezos once said that in job interviews he told candidates of 3 ways to work — and that you have to do all 3 at Amazon

rew Angerer/Getty Images

• Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has seen his company grow into one of the world's biggest companies.
• Back in 1997, Bezos told shareholders that employees at other companies "can work long, hard, or smart, but at Amazon.com, you can't choose two out of three."
• Bezos acknowledges his high standards for employees every year, telling shareholders that "it's not easy to work here."

In the 24 years since Amazon was founded, CEO Jeff Bezos has seen his company grow from a modest online bookshop to one of the most valuable companies in the world.

Back in 1997, Bezos was already expecting big things out of his young company. In his annual letter to Amazon shareholders, Bezos described how much effort he expected from his employees.See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Jeff Bezos reveals what it's like to build an empire and become the richest man in the world — and why he's willing to spend $1 billion a year to fund the most important mission of his life

See Also:

• The list of Amazon's 'important strategic partners' from the year it went public illustrates exactly how successful it's become
• A dentist shares 5 at-home teeth whitening products actually worth buying
• 32 photos that show how obsessed Japan is with minimalism

SEE ALSO: Jeff Bezos told Amazon execs to consider 3 questions before offering someone a job, and they're still spot-on 20 years later