Amazon interview history
Over the past six years, I've applied for about 13 jobs at Amazon. This equated to about seven phone screens (each for a different position, several months/years apart). Result was made it to two onsite loops - one in 2013, one in 2017, completely different job functions. Never received an offer. I'm determined to keep trying because I know where I've been making mistakes. I've been studying the leadership principles relentlessly, writing up my top accomplishments and aligning them with said principles, and quantifying my impacts. I've aced the technical pieces but get shut down on the leadership principles. Therefore I'm confident I can make it if I just practice behavioral stuff. In both loops the bar raisers have been especially aggressive and I just need to be better prepared for their questions. My question is, is there a black list that I run the risk of getting on? When I apply for a new position (which I will be reapplying in a couple months) can they see all my prior interview history and feedback? If it matters, my trade is Salesforce Administration. Advice is appreciated, thanks!
Why are you so determined to get into Amazon? It's not the only company out there. I used to want to work at Amazon but then my interests changed and now I've decided to focus on other companies.
I live in Seattle so it's really the only legitimate company to put on your resume
Google has an office in Fremont. Most companies will relocate you if you want to move. There's also Microsoft in Redmond.
Only real principle is being dishonest. You will never get a job by being honest and open. They are looking for the most sneaky and smart.
There's no blacklist, but they will be aware you've interviewed for the other roles. If the roles you're applying for are in the same domain it's okay, but if they're all different they will think "well this person isn't passionate about the job, they're passionate about the company", which may be taken badly or well depending on the hiring manager. Most people there prefer radical candor, so be open, honest and confident about the value you bring. It's an amazing place to work and I hope we get it right and hire you!
Thanks a lot, I really appreciate that. Yeah I actually completely changed job function from marketing to SFDC admin from 2012 - present. Been doing consistent SFDC work for the past five years so hope it isn't counted against me.
It depends. If you love it, and they're looking for those skills, and you promote it as one of your strengths, it should be fine. Make sure you have 1-2 stories for each of the leadership principles. I don't mean bullshit stories, I mean examples of experiences you've had in which you exemplified the LPs.
Rememer to reflect on how you use the leadership principles in your day to day job solving technical issues. They might seem like contradictory at times but thats a part of the reflection.
Basically bullshitting skills, you will need it a lot at Amazon
Nice advice, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!
OP, thereās a specific way to prepare for an Amazon interview. PM me and I can tell you how itās done.
pmd you!
If you really are acing the technical evaluation and not getting offers, then the easiest explanation is that the hiring manager on the panel picked up some red flags in the interview or the panel's written feedback. Something that indicates that you would be difficult to work with in a team setting. Contrary to what others might say about Amazon culture, being confrontational for the sake of being confrontational does not get you far. When you're discussing confrontational situations in your previous experience with your interviewer, make sure you can thoroughly articulate the opposing position. Convince your interviewer that you kept team cohesion and morale up while steering them in the right technical direction, and you will do just fine.
This is wonderful advice. It's hard for me to swallow this because I'm actually a very mutable and nice person.. at least that's what I think haha. Regardless, in my stories about disagree and commit, I may have painted myself in a poor light, so will definitely work on that portion. Thank you!
Mutable might also be taken as negative. "Have a backbone, disagree and commit" also means to raise voice and contest if you are not comfortable with another person's point. So being a silent spectator in a critical discussion and just agreeing to whatever others said, might not always be good.
Makes sense. Hard to convey that perfect balance though. I'll keep iterating my LP example. Thanks!
First of all you can get blacklisted. It lasts for 2 years it would have to be pretty serious, like being obviously dishonest in your interview. My best piece of advice, and I'm a bar raiser and a bar raiser trainer, is to be open and honest. To have a series of stories prepared that you can draw on but nothing too rehearsed. For God's sake don't try to quote back leadership principles in the course of your story. As in "I showed backbone by standing up to my boss but when he had a different idea I disagreed and committed. I then thought big...". That kind of s*** leaves us cold. If you have the leadership principles we are looking for we will figure it out. Your chances of gaming the system and fooling us are very low, but your chances of trying to game the system and looking like an idiot are very high. Know about Amazon, know about the team you were applying to, and if you know the identities of the hiring manager and the people in your loop try looking them up on LinkedIn before you walk in the door. I don't call that creepy, I call that being prepared. Your recruiting coordinator should provide you with those names before you arrive.
This is amazing advice. I will continue to prepare while keeping this is mind. Definitely makes sense, you don't want to sound like a disengenuous snake oil salesmen. Thank you!
I have an on-site with Amazon coming up soon. It'll be my first time interviewing with a FANG company, I've always worked at startups or SMBs in the past. I had a coffee with a hiring manager and he moved me straight to the on-site, so I feel like they're definitely interested. My concern is that I don't have a CS degree and I've never had a ton of practice with CS puzzles. Can a candidate with great LP/culture fit make it with moderate algorithm knowledge or do you really need to be awesome in both?
fwiw, i was told leadership principles can be trained but i was lacking in algorithmic skills