Landing a job at Amazon is highly competitive, with the company receiving thousands of applications for each role. The interview process at Amazon is notoriously rigorous, consisting of multiple rounds designed to thoroughly assess candidates.
The Phone Screen
The first step in Amazon’s interview process is usually a preliminary phone screen with a recruiter. This 30-minute call is focused on assessing basic qualifications and fit for the role. The recruiter will ask about your resume, experience, and interest in Amazon.
Online Assessment
If you pass the initial phone screen, the next step is an online assessment. This consists of multiple-choice questions testing your knowledge of computer science fundamentals, data structures, algorithms, object-oriented design, and other technical skills relevant to the role.
For software engineering roles, expect 60-90 minutes of coding and debugging exercises. For non-technical positions, you may complete a work simulation assessment relevant to the job function.
Technical Phone Interview
After completing the online assessment, candidates proceed to a 45-60 minute technical phone interview with an Amazon engineer. The interviewer will probe your knowledge of computer science and programming principles through a combination of technical questions and coding problems.
Some examples of questions you may encounter:
- Explain how you would design a parking lot.
- Implement an algorithm to reverse a string.
- Describe how HTTPS works.
- Analyze the runtime complexity of a function.
The goal is to assess your technical abilities and problem-solving skills relevant to the role.
On-Site Interviews
If you successfully pass the technical phone screen, you’ll be invited to Amazon’s offices for 4-6 rounds of on-site interviews. Each interview is 45-60 minutes with an Amazon manager or engineer.
Here’s a breakdown of what to expect in each on-site interview round:
Coding Challenges
1-2 rounds will involve coding a function or small program on a whiteboard to solve a technical problem. Brush up on data structures, algorithms, and object-oriented design patterns.
System Design
1 round will test your system design skills. Be ready to discuss how you would design and scale large, complex systems like Amazon’s product search and recommendation engines.
Behavioral
1-2 rounds focused on Amazon leadership principles and behavioral interview questions like:
- Tell me about a time you dealt with a conflict on a team.
- Describe a mistake you made and how you overcame it.
Role-Specific
Some interviews will focus on skills specific to the role, such as UX design, data science, or product management.
Hiring Manager
The final interview is with the hiring manager. This is more conversational and focused on your experience, leadership capabilities, and overall fit for the team and company culture.
Decision
After completing all interview rounds, your feedback will be reviewed by the hiring committee. The decision-making process can take 1-3 weeks. Top candidates may receive an offer, while others may receive rejections or be asked to complete additional interviews.
Summary: How Many Rounds is Amazon’s Interview Process?
In summary, candidates can expect to complete 5-8 rounds of interviews to be hired at Amazon:
| Interview Round | Format |
|---|---|
| Phone screen | 30 minutes with recruiter |
| Online assessment | 60-90 minutes |
| Technical phone interview | 45-60 minutes with engineer |
| On-site interview | 4-6 rounds x 45-60 minutes |
| Hiring manager | 45-60 minutes |
Amazon’s rigorous and thorough interview process sets a high bar for candidates. Preparation and practice are key to stand out among the competitive applicant pool. While demanding,candidates who make it through to the end can be confident they have proven themselves to work at one of the top technology companies.