Interview Prep

Preparing for your Amazon interview?

To prepare for a Amazon interview, research the company thoroughly, practice role specific questions using the STAR method, and prepare thoughtful questions to ask your interviewer. According to Orbyt's analysis, amazon interviews typically involve 3 to 5 rounds. Use Orbyt's free AI interview prep tool to generate tailored questions for Amazon and your specific role in seconds.

Amazon is famous for its Leadership Principles interviews, where every answer is evaluated against 16 core principles using the STAR format.

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The Amazon interview process

Amazon's loop includes a phone screen with coding and LP questions, then an onsite with 4 to 5 interviews. Each interviewer is assigned specific Leadership Principles to evaluate. One interviewer serves as a Bar Raiser, an independent evaluator from outside the hiring team. The process typically takes 2 to 4 weeks.

What Amazon looks for

Amazon evaluates every candidate against its 16 Leadership Principles. They want people who are customer obsessed, take ownership of outcomes, bias toward action, and can dive deep into problems while still thinking big. Data driven decision making is essential.

How to prepare

  1. Memorize all 16 Leadership Principles and prepare 2 to 3 STAR stories for each one
  2. Quantify your impact in every behavioral answer with specific metrics and outcomes
  3. Study Amazon's system design patterns for distributed services and microarchitectures
  4. Prepare for the Bar Raiser round by having stories that demonstrate disagreeing and committing
  5. Practice framing every answer around customer impact and measurable results

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Giving vague behavioral answers without specific data points, metrics, or outcomes
  • Ignoring the Leadership Principles and treating Amazon like a standard tech interview
  • Saying 'we' instead of 'I' when describing your individual contributions to team projects

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Amazon interview questions

The Bar Raiser is a trained interviewer from a different team who ensures hiring standards remain high. They have veto power over the hiring decision. Their role is to evaluate whether you raise the bar for the team you would join. Treat their interview with extra preparation because their assessment carries significant weight.

Both matter equally at Amazon. Even exceptional coders get rejected if they cannot demonstrate Leadership Principles with concrete examples. Conversely, strong LP answers cannot compensate for failing the coding bar. Prepare at least two detailed STAR stories per principle, focusing on ownership, customer obsession, and delivering results.

The Amazon hiring process typically takes 2 to 6 weeks from initial application to offer. Timelines vary by role and team. Some positions move faster while senior or specialized roles may take longer due to additional rounds or committee reviews.

Amazon offers relocation packages for many full time roles, though specifics vary by position and location. It is best to discuss relocation support with your recruiter during the initial screening phase so you can factor it into your decision.

Most Amazon roles involve 3 to 5 interview rounds. This usually includes a recruiter call, a phone or video technical screen, and 2 to 3 on site or virtual loop interviews with the hiring team.

While not always mandatory, submitting a cover letter for Amazon applications can strengthen your candidacy. A concise, role specific cover letter that connects your experience to the job requirements shows genuine interest and can differentiate you from other applicants.

Strong Amazon candidates demonstrate both technical competence and alignment with company values. Prepare concrete examples of past impact, show curiosity about the team's challenges, and ask thoughtful questions that reveal your understanding of the role and company direction.

Also preparing for

Apple
Google
Meta
Microsoft
Netflix
Tesla

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