I applied through other source. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Amazon (Seattle, WA) in Mar 2011
Interview
Post resume online and an Amazon recruiter contacted me. Two phone interviews. Got rejection message from the recruiter two days after the 2nd interview. Asked to write code to reverse a string and search a substr. Asked algorithm to produce power set. Did not do well on the second interview since I forgot the formula to calculate combination and slow to react to interviewer's hint to get the answer. Also did not communicate well enough as I was thinking hard. I rated the difficulty level as average because the algorithms would be easy for people freshly out of college. Asked some generak OO design questions about 1. designing a parking lot and 2. components to handle orders. Interviewers seemed to be professional and smart. Thought I did well enough to make it thru the 2nd round but... I thanked the inverviewer after the interview both times but never contacted the recruiter. Not sure if they liked that. Never showed enthusiasm at all during the interview process as I was sure Amazon is not a right place for me. I accepted the interview just to find out what their culture is. Not worth it. No regret at all.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Algorithm to produce the power set of a given set.
Tough interview.
The Process: Automated Online Assessment (OA) with 2 coding questions and a system simulation, followed by a 4-round virtual Loop. Every single round started with 20 minutes of intense, behavioral behavioral questions diving into Amazon's Leadership Principles, followed by 25 minutes of technical coding or system design.
Amazon interviews are a test of mental endurance because you have to switch from deep behavioral storytelling straight into complex coding which can be so difficult. I used Apex Interviewer to practice the cognitive context switch. Running through their live-coding workspace helped me ensure my technical communication and architectural structures remained sharp and automatic, even after spending the first half of the interview defending my past project metrics. I fed the practice AI questions I extracted from glassdoor and gothamloop.
In the end, the offer was way lower than I hoped.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Design the backend inventory tracking and placement service for a global fulfillment network, ensuring strict transactional consistency across multiple regional warehouses during peak shopping events.
Initial screening call with recruiter followed by a 1 hr hacker rank question on DSA. The final round was a panel consisting of 4 interviews ranging from technical design, more DSA and behaviour questions.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Describe a time when you disagreed with your team and how you resolved it
Online Application & Assessment: Candidates apply via amazon.jobs and may be asked to complete online assessments (work simulations or technical tests).
Recruiter Phone Screen: A 30-60 minute interview to discuss your background, interest in the role, and initial behavioral questions.
Technical Phone Screen (For Tech Roles): A 60-minute interview focused on data structures, algorithms, and coding in a shared editor.
Interview Loop (Virtual/Onsite): The final stage, usually 3-5, 45-60 minute interviews held on the same day or over a few days.
Behavioral Questions: These focus on past behavior (STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result) mapped to Leadership Principles.
Technical/Functional Questions: Problem-solving, system design, or domain-specific questions.
Bar Raiser Interview: One interviewer is a "Bar Raiser," a neutral employee from another team tasked with ensuring hiring standards remain high.
Hiring Committee/Debrief: Interviewers meet to discuss candidate feedback and make a hiring decision.
Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you
