I applied online. I interviewed at Amazon (Seattle, WA) in Oct 2012
Interview
I had 2 Phone interviews followed by an Onsite interview. The phone interviews were straightforward, involving standard questions such as how to reverse a string. Also some questions on arrays, how to find if there are duplicates. Then there were questions related classes and polymorphism. Afterwards I had to email solution to a dictionary problem within the next day, which made use of STL data structures such as hash maps.
The onsite interview was a pleasant experience. The hiring manager wanted to know my ambition and what I see myself doing in the team. The staff was a mix of strict interviewers who were opinionated and those who were open to my view point. I did not get good read of whether they were happy with my answers. I thought the interview went positive, however it came back negative.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Write code to iterate through a binary tree, delete a node from binary tree
Write C++ code to support Rubik's cube solving
What is model-view-controller paradigm?
How will you deal with very large data set, especially those that does not fit into memory. What search techniques will you use?
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.
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