Hey Blinders, Just want to get an insight on interviews and how tech interviews are graded, not just for Amazon, could be others as well. I'm just posting as Amazon onsite because i just had one for them! 1) How important are LPs vs technical ability? Which one is with more for recruiters? 2) Can you get an offer by not passing an algorithm question, but well on behavioral? And vice versa? 3) Are system design interviews worth more than algorithm? 4) How can you normally tell who is the bar raiser?? Thanks in advance!!! YoE: 1 TC: 115k
You don't need to worry about bar raiser. The real job of bar raiser is say you go in interview for L4 but your interview performance is at L5 level, it is bar raiser's job to up level you (rarely happens) or vice versa which happens most of time (L5 gets L4) Bar raiser is just there to make sure the leveling is correct nothing else
This is incorrect, bar raiser at Amazon has veto powers, if everyone wants to hire but BR doesn't - he can veto.
Depends on HM and in how many cases this has happened do you know? It's rare that entire hiring committee including HM is in favor of hire and bar raiser vetos it! That veto power is useless for bar raiser in 99.99% cases. If everyone wants to hire and bar raiser vetos, he will be seen as an idiot. To not get hired, you need to screw up more interviews and also BR is never alone so if performance is terrible, the co-interviewer with BR will also give a no hire.
I’ve gotten two offers at amazon (hw and sw). My experience is your LP examples outweigh your technical abilities. If you can’t demonstrate your LP qualities, you can be banned from interviewing for any Amazon team for 1-2 years. Vs if you are solid on LPs but failed on the technical aspects, they even recycle your application and you can apply for a different role immediately. Or same role after 6 month cool off period. Take away is know their LPs like they are engrained in your every thought process.
For LP’s vs technical questions, to be honest before my on-site I briefly reviewed the LP stuff from the email the recruiter sent me. But other than that when asked LP/behavioral questions I just answered from experience and framed it within normal leadership ideas, and that must’ve been sufficient. I couldn’t tell who the bar raiser was. I went in for an “event” so all four people I spoke to were from the same org and there wasn’t really any indication if one was in a separate team within that org from the others. As far as 2., one of the algorithm problems I didn’t do very well on but I tried to be as thorough as possible while explaining my idea of how to solve it. Tried to built rapport with that particular interviewer. Communicated fairly well. Worked for me. Got the offer. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Ask Blinders
Yesterday
881
Tipping culture is really getting out of control! Waiter gave me ‘a look’ because I tipped her 10% for ‘BAD service!’
Tech Industry
Yesterday
838
The new Tesla Model 3 P goes from 0-60 in 2.9 seconds
AMA
Yesterday
1508
I’m a professional coaster AMA
India
11h
253
Should NRI be able to vote?
Tech Industry
Yesterday
2187
TESLA UP 14% AFTER HOURS 🎉🎉🎉🎉
1) Weak but passing code and strong LPs = offer. Very strong code and weak LPs = fail 2) At L4 as long as you are atleast partially right on the solution, youre ok. 3) At higher levels. At 1 YOE, no. 4) Usually the only person not from the team/sister teams. Source: My experience
Hey Program, Awesome, thanks for the insight!! So, my experience was interesting because none of the interviewers were on the same team. I'm assuming this is because I'm applying for a new grad role?
Umm it may be, from what I know from friends at Amazon usually only one person is from outside the team/org if you’re applying to a specific position. For new grad it may not be so since I think thats a generic position and you get matched to a team only after an offer.