problem solving questions for amazon interview

Cracking the top Amazon coding interview questions

Landing a job at Amazon is a dream for many developers around the globe. Amazon is one of the largest companies in the world, with a workforce of over half a million strong.

For you to join them, you’ll need to complete their unique interview that combines technical and leadership knowledge.

Today, we’ll walk you through everything you need to crack the Amazon technical interview , including questions and answers for coding problems and a step-by-step preparation guide .

Today, we will go over the following:

• 45 common Amazon coding interview questions
• Overview of Amazon coding interviews
• How to prepare for a coding interview

Wrapping up and resources

Answer any Amazon interview question by learning the patterns behind common questions. Grokking Coding Interview Patterns in Python Grokking Coding Interview Patterns in JavaScript Grokking Coding Interview Patterns in Java Grokking Coding Interview Patterns in Go Grokking Coding Interview Patterns in C++

45 common Amazon technical coding interview questions

1. find the missing number in the array.

You are given an array of positive numbers from 1 to n , such that all numbers from 1 to n are present except one number x . You have to find x . The input array is not sorted. Look at the below array and give it a try before checking the solution.

Click here to view the solution in C++, Java, JavaScript, and Ruby.

Runtime Complexity: Linear, O ( n ) O(n) O ( n )

Memory Complexity: Constant, O ( 1 ) O(1) O ( 1 )

A naive solution is to simply search for every integer between 1 and n in the input array, stopping the search as soon as there is a missing number. But we can do better. Here is a linear, O ( n ) O(n) O ( n ) , solution that uses the arithmetic series sum formula.​​ Here are the steps to find the missing number:

• Find the sum sum_of_elements of all the numbers in the array. This would require a linear scan, O ( n ) O(n) O ( n ) .
• Then find the sum expected_sum of first n numbers using the arithmetic series sum formula
• The difference between these i.e. expected_sum - sum_of_elements , is the missing number in the array.

2. Determine if the sum of two integers is equal to the given value

Given an array of integers and a value, determine if there are any two integers in the array whose sum is equal to the given value. Return true if the sum exists and return false if it does not. Consider this array and the target sums:

Memory Complexity: Linear, O ( n ) O(n) O ( n )

You can use the following algorithm to find a pair that add up to the target (say val ).

• Scan the whole array once and store visited elements in a hash set.
• During scan , for every element e in the array, we check if val - e is present in the hash set i.e. val - e is already visited.
• If val - e is found in the hash set, it means there is a pair ( e , val - e ) in array whose sum is equal to the given val .
• If we have exhausted all elements in the array and didn’t find any such pair, the function will return false

3. Merge two sorted linked lists

Given two sorted linked lists, merge them so that the resulting linked list is also sorted. Consider two sorted linked lists and the merged list below them as an example.

Runtime Complexity: Linear, O ( m + n ) O(m + n) O ( m + n ) where m and n are lengths of both linked lists

Maintain a head and a tail pointer on the merged linked list. Then choose the head of the merged linked list by comparing the first node of both linked lists. For all subsequent nodes in both lists, you choose the smaller current node and link it to the tail of the merged list, and moving the current pointer of that list one step forward.

Continue this while there are some remaining elements in both the lists. If there are still some elements in only one of the lists, you link this remaining list to the tail of the merged list. Initially, the merged linked list is NULL .

Compare the value of the first two nodes and make the node with the smaller value the head node of the merged linked list. In this example, it is 4 from head1 . Since it’s the first and only node in the merged list, it will also be the tail. Then move head1 one step forward.

4. Copy linked list with arbitrary pointer

You are given a linked list where the node has two pointers. The first is the regular next pointer. The second pointer is called arbitrary and it can point to any node in the linked list. Your job is to write code to make a deep copy of the given linked list. Here, deep copy means that any operations on the original list should not affect the copied list.

This approach uses a map to track arbitrary nodes pointed by the original list. You will create a deep copy of the original linked list (say list_orig ) in two passes.

• In the first pass, create a copy of the original linked list. While creating this copy, use the same values for data and arbitrary_pointer in the new list. Also, keep updating the map with entries where the key is the address to the old node and the value is the address of the new node.
• Once the copy has been created, do another pass on the copied linked list and update arbitrary pointers to the new address using the map created in the first pass.

5. Level Order Traversal of Binary Tree

Given the root of a binary tree, display the node values at each level. Node values for all levels should be displayed on separate lines. Let’s take a look at the below binary tree.

Here, you are using two queues: current_queue and next_queue . You push the nodes in both queues alternately based on the current level number.

You’ll dequeue nodes from the current_queue , print the node’s data, and enqueue the node’s children to the next_queue . Once the current_queue becomes empty, you have processed all nodes for the current level_number. To indicate the new level , print a line break ( \n ), swap the two queues, and continue with the above-mentioned logic.

After printing the leaf nodes from the current_queue , swap current_queue and next_queue . Since the current_queue would be empty, you can terminate the loop.

6. Determine if a binary tree is a binary search tree

Given a Binary Tree, figure out whether it’s a Binary Search Tree . In a binary search tree, each node’s key value is smaller than the key value of all nodes in the right subtree, and is greater than the key values of all nodes in the left subtree. Below is an example of a binary tree that is a valid BST.

Below is an example of a binary tree that is not a BST.

There are several ways of solving this problem. A basic algorithm would be to check on each node where the maximum value of its left sub-tree is less than the node’s data and the minimum value of its right sub-tree is greater than the node’s data. This is highly inefficient as for each node, both of its left and right sub-trees are explored.

Another approach would be to do a regular in-order traversal and in each recursive call, pass maximum and minimum bounds to check whether the current node’s value is within the given bounds.

7. String segmentation

You are given a dictionary of words and a large input string. You have to find out whether the input string can be completely segmented into the words of a given dictionary. The following two examples elaborate on the problem further.

Given a dictionary of words.

Input string of “applepie” can be segmented into dictionary words.

Input string “applepeer” cannot be segmented into dictionary words.

Runtime Complexity: Exponential, O ( 2 n ) O(2^n) O ( 2 n )

Memory Complexity: Polynomial, O ( n 2 ) O(n^2) O ( n 2 )

You can solve this problem by segmenting the large string at each possible position to see if the string can be completely segmented to words in the dictionary. If you write the algorithm in steps it will be as follows:

The algorithm will compute two strings from scratch in each iteration of the loop. Worst case scenario, there would be a recursive call of the second_word each time. This shoots the time complexity up to 2 n 2^n 2 n .

You can see that you may be computing the same substring multiple times, even if it doesn’t exist in the dictionary. This redundancy can be fixed by memoization, where you remember which substrings have already been solved.

To achieve memoization, you can store the second string in a new set each time. This will reduce both time and memory complexities.

8. Reverse Words in a Sentence

Reverse the order of words in a given sentence (an array of characters).

The steps to solve this problem are simpler than they seem:

• Reverse the string.
• Traverse the string and reverse each word in place.

9. How many ways can you make change with coins and a total amount

Suppose we have coin denominations of [1, 2, 5] and the total amount is 7. We can make changes in the following 6 ways:

Runtime Complexity: Quadratic, O ( m ∗ n ) O(m*n) O ( m ∗ n )

To solve this problem, we’ll keep an array of size amount + 1 . One additional space is reserved because we also want to store the solution for the 0 amount.

There is only one way you can make a change of 0 , i.e., select no coin so we’ll initialize solution[0] = 1 . We’ll solve the problem for each amount, denomination to amount, using coins up to a denomination, den .

The results of different denominations should be stored in the array solution. The solution for amount x using a denomination den will then be:

We’ll repeat this process for all the denominations, and at the last element of the solution array, we will have the solution.

10. Find Kth permutation

Given a set of ‘n’ elements, find their Kth permutation. Consider the following set of elements:

All permutations of the above elements are (with ordering):

Here we need to find the Kth permutation.

Here is the algorithm that we will follow:

11. Find all subsets of a given set of integers

We are given a set of integers and we have to find all the possible subsets of this set of integers. The following example elaborates on this further.

Given set of integers:

All possile subsets for the given set of integers:

Runtime Complexity: Exponential, O ( 2 n ∗ n ) O(2^n*n) O ( 2 n ∗ n )

Memory Complexity: Exponential, O ( 2 n ∗ n ) O(2^n*n) O ( 2 n ∗ n )

There are several ways to solve this problem. We will discuss the one that is neat and easier to understand. We know that for a set of n elements there are 2 n 2^n 2 n subsets. For example, a set with 3 elements will have 8 subsets. Here is the algorithm we will use:

12. Print balanced brace combinations

Print all braces combinations for a given value n so that they are balanced. For this solution, we will be using recursion.

Runtime Complexity: Exponential, 2 n 2^n 2 n

The solution is to maintain counts of left_braces and right_braces . The basic algorithm is as follows:​

13. Clone a Directed Graph

Given the root node of a directed graph, clone this graph by creating its deep copy so that the cloned graph has the same vertices and edges as the original graph.

Let’s look at the below graphs as an example. If the input graph is G = ( V , E ) G = (V, E) G = ( V , E ) where V is set of vertices and E is set of edges, then the output graph (cloned graph) G’ = (V’, E’) such that V = V’ and E = E’. We are assuming that all vertices are reachable from the root vertex, i.e. we have a connected graph.

Memory Complexity: Logarithmic, O ( l o g n ) O(logn) O ( l o g n )

We use depth-first traversal and create a copy of each node while traversing the graph. To avoid getting stuck in cycles, we’ll use a hashtable to store each completed node and will not revisit nodes that exist in the hashtable. The hashtable key will be a node in the original graph, and its value will be the corresponding node in the cloned graph.

14. Find Low/High Index

Given a sorted array of integers, return the low and high index of the given key. You must return -1 if the indexes are not found. The array length can be in the millions with many duplicates.

In the following example, according to the key , the low and high indices would be:

• key : 1, low = 0 and high = 0
• key : 2, low = 1 and high = 1
• ke y: 5, low = 2 and high = 9
• key : 20, low = 10 and high = 10

For the testing of your code, the input array will be:

Runtime Complexity: Logarithmic, O ( l o g n ) O(logn) O ( l o g n )

Linearly scanning the sorted array for low and high indices are highly inefficient since our array size can be in millions. Instead, we will use a slightly modified binary search to find the low and high indices of a given key. We need to do binary search twice: once for finding the low index, once for finding the high index.

Let’s look at the algorithm for finding the low index. At every step, consider the array between low and high indices and calculate the mid index.

• If the element at mid index is less than the key , low becomes mid + 1 (to move towards the start of range).
• If the element at mid is greater or equal to the key , the high becomes mid - 1 . Index at low remains the same.
• When low is greater than high , low would be pointing to the first occurrence of the key .
• If the element at low does not match the key , return -1 .

Similarly, we can find the high index by slightly modifying the above condition:

• Switch the low index to mid + 1 when element at mid index is less than or equal to the key .
• Switch the high index to mid - 1 when the element at mid is greater than the key .

15. Search Rotated Array

Search for a given number in a sorted array, with unique elements, that has been rotated by some arbitrary number. Return -1 if the number does not exist. Assume that the array does not contain duplicates.

The solution is essentially a binary search but with some modifications. If we look at the array in the example closely, we notice that at least one half of the array is always sorted. We can use this property to our advantage. If the number n lies within the sorted half of the array, then our problem is a basic binary search. Otherwise, discard the sorted half and keep examining the unsorted half. Since we are partitioning the array in half at each step, this gives us O ( l o g n ) O(log n) O ( l o g n ) runtime complexity.

More common Amazon technical coding interview questions

• K largest elements from an array
• Convert a Binary tree to DLL
• Given a binary tree T , find the maximum path sum. The path may start and end at any node in the tree.
• Rotate a matrix by 90 degrees
• Assembly line scheduling with dynamic programming
• Implement a stack with push() , min() , and pop() in O ( 1 ) O(1) O ( 1 ) time
• How do you rotate an array by K?
• Design Snake Game using Object Oriented analysis and design technique.
• Print all permutations of a given string using recursion
• Implement a queue using a linked list
• Find the longest increasing subsequence of an array
• Lowest common ancestor in a Binary Search Tree and Binary Tree
• Rotate a given list to the right by k places, which is non-negative.
• Write a function that counts the total of set bits in a 32-bit integer.
• How do you detect a loop in a singly linked list?
• Reverse an array in groups
• Given a binary tree, check if it’s a mirror of itself
• Josephus problem for recursion
• Zero Sum Subarrays
• Huffman Decoding for greedy algorithms
• Egg Dropping Puzzle for dynamic programming
• N-Queen Problem
• Check if strings are rotations of each other
• 0-1 Knapsack Problem
• Unbounded knapsack problem
• Longest palindromic subsequence
• Print nth number in the Fibonacci series
• Longest common substring
• Longest common subsequence

Overview of the Amazon technical coding interview

To land a software engineering job at Amazon, you need to know what lies ahead. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be. So, let’s break it down.

Interview Timeline: The whole interview process takes 6 to 8 weeks to complete.

Types of Interviews: Amazon coding interviews consist of 5 to 7 interviews. This includes 1 assessment for fit and aptitude, 1-2 online tests, and 4-6 on-site interviews, also known as The Loop.

The Loop: The onsite interviews include 1 to 3 interviews with hiring managers and 1 bar raiser interview to evaluate Amazon’s 14 leadership principles.

Coding Questions: Amazon programming questions focus on algorithms, data structures, puzzles, and more.

Hiring Levels: Amazon usually hires at entry-level 4 (out of 12 total), and the average salary for that level ranges from $106,000 to $114,000 yearly.

Hiring Teams: Amazon hires based on teams. The most common hiring teams are Alexa and AWS.

Programming Languages: Amazon prefers the following programming languages for coding questions: Java, C++, Python, Ruby, and Perl.

Amazon’s 14 leadership principles

Though coding interviews at Amazon are similar to other big tech companies, there are a few differences in their process, in particular, the Bar Raiser . Amazon brings in an objective third-party interviewer called a Bar Raiser, who evaluates candidates on Amazon’s 14 Leadership Principles. The Bar Raiser has complete veto power over whether or not you will be hired.

It is unlikely that you will know which of your interviewers is the Bar Raiser. The key is to take every part of the interview seriously and always assume you’re being evaluated for cultural fit as well as technical competency.

Below are the 14 values that you will be evaluated on.

How to prepare for an Amazon coding interview

Now that you have a sense of what to expect from an interview and know what kinds of questions to expect, let’s learn some preparation strategies based on Amazon’s unique interview process.

Updating your resume

Make sure you’ve updated your resume and LinkedIn profile. Always use deliverables and metrics when you can as they are concrete examples of what you’ve accomplished. Typically recruiters will browse LinkedIn for candidates.

If an Amazon recruiter believes that you are a good match they will reach out to you (via email or LinkedIn) to set up a time to chat. Even if you don’t land the job this time, chatting with them is a great chance to network

Prepare for coding assessment

It’s up to you to come to a coding interview fully prepared for technical assessment. I recommend at least three months of self-study to be successful. This includes choosing a programming language, reviewing the basics, and studying algorithms, data structures, system design , object-oriented programming, OS, and concurrency concepts.

You’ll also want to prepare for behavioral interviews .

It’s best to find or create an Interview Prep Roadmap to keep yourself on track.

Prescreen with a recruiter

Expect a light 15-30 minute call where the recruiter will gauge your interest level and determine if you’re a good fit. The recruiter may touch on a few technical aspects. They just want to get an idea of your skills. Typical questions might include your past work experiences, your knowledge of the company/position, salary, and other logistical questions.

It’s important to have around 7-10 of your own questions ready to ask the interviewer. Asking questions at an early stage shows investment and interest in the role.

Online Coding Assessment

Once you complete the call with the recruiter, they’ll administer an online coding test, a debugging test, and an aptitude test. The debugging section will have around 6-7 questions, which you have 30 minutes to solve. The aptitude section will have around 14 multiple-choice questions, dealing with concepts like basic permutation combination and probabilities.

The coding test consists of two questions. You’ll have about 1.5 hours to complete it. Expect the test to be conducted through Codility, HackerRank, or another site. Expect some easy to medium questions that are typically algorithm related. Examples include: ​

• Reverse the second half of a linked list ​
• Find all anagrams in a string ​
• Merge overlapping intervals

Tips to crack Amazon online coding assessment:

Here are a few easily implemented tips to make the Amazon coding assessment more manageable for yourself:

Use your own preferred editor

• It is best to take the assessment in a familiar environment.

Read each prompt multiple times through

• Sometimes, they may try and trick you with the wording. Make sure that you’re meeting all of the stated requirements before diving in.

Practice with less time than you’re given in the actual assessment

• Time-sensitive tests can be stressful for many people. Help to relieve some of this stress by learning to work faster and more efficiently than you need to be.

Phone Interviews

Once you’ve made it past the prescreen and online assessment, the recruiter will schedule your video/phone interviews , likely with a hiring manager or a manager from the team you’re looking to join. At this stage in the process, there will be one to three more interviews.

This is where they’ll ask you questions directly related to your resume, as well as data structures, algorithms, and other various coding questions that apply to the position. You can expect to write code, review code, and demonstrate your technical knowledge.

On-Site Interviews: The Loop

If you have successfully made it through the series of phone interviews, you’ll be invited for an on-site visit. This full day of on-site interviews is referred to as the “The Loop”. Throughout the day, you’ll meet with 4-6 people. Expect half of these interviews to be technical and the other half to assess soft skills. Be prepared to work through questions on a whiteboard and discuss your thought process.

Concepts that Amazon loves to test on are data structures and algorithms . It’s important to know the runtimes, theoretical limitations, and basic implementation strategies of different classes of algorithms.

Data structures you should know: Arrays, Stacks, Queues, Linked lists, Trees, Graphs, Hash tables

Algorithms you should know: Breadth First Search, Depth First Search, Binary Search, Quicksort, Mergesort, Dynamic programming, Divide and Conquer

The Offer / No Offer

Generally, you’ll hear back from a recruiter within a week after your interviews. If you didn’t get an offer, Amazon will give you a call. You’ll likely have to wait another six months to re-apply. Judging that your on-site interviews went well, they’ll reach out to you, at which point they’ll make you an offer, send you documents to sign, and discuss any further questions you have.

Amazon Software Engineer Interview

Amazon is one of the top tech companies worldwide, and the company focuses on hiring only the best talent. Securing a software engineer position at Amazon is not a piece of cake, but with the right guidance, content, and practice questions, you can ace the Amazon software engineer interview.

Amazon software engineer interviews consist of four rounds. A major part of these four interview rounds involves technical interview questions. That is why having a solid grasp of computing fundamentals is crucial. Questions related to arrays, linked lists, strings, dynamic programming, and system design are common. We have mentioned some of the commonly asked questions above, so have a look and practice them thoroughly. For more interview prep questions, you can try Educative-99 , created to help software engineers secure a job at top tech companies.

Besides technical questions, Amazon software engineer interviews also include behavioral questions. Amazon ensures that candidates are the right fit for the company culture, which is why you’ll be asked several behavioral questions as well. The cornerstone of Amazon’s culture is its 14 Leadership Principles. These principles, which include notions like “Customer Obsession,” “Ownership,” and “Bias for Action,” guide every decision the company makes, from high-level strategies to everyday interactions.

This dual approach to assessing candidates ensures that Amazon software engineers can solve complex technical challenges, collaborate effectively, handle difficult situations, and adapt to the company’s fast-paced environment. Hence, candidates must prepare themselves for both technical and behavioral challenges.

Cracking the Amazon coding interview comes down to the time you spend preparing, such as practicing coding questions, studying behavioral interview questions, and understanding Amazon’s company culture. There is no golden ticket , but more preparation will surely make you a more confident and desirable candidate.

To help you prepare for interviews, Educative has created several unique language-specific courses :

• Grokking Coding Interview Patterns in Python
• Grokking Coding Interview Patterns in JavaScript
• Grokking Coding Interview Patterns in Java
• Grokking Coding Interview Patterns in Go
• Grokking Coding Interview Patterns in C++

Available in multiple languages, these courses teach you the underlying patterns for any coding interview question .

This is coding interview prep reimagined , with your needs in mind.

Happy learning

Continue reading about coding interview prep and interview tips

• The Definitive Guide to Amazon Coding Interviews
• 3 Month Coding Interview Preparation Bootcamp
• "Why Amazon?” How to Answer Amazon’s Trickiest Interview Question

Haven’t found what you were looking for? Contact Us

How do I clear my Amazon Coding interview test?

Understand the fundamentals of data structures and algorithms, as Amazon interviews often involve complex problem-solving. Practice coding regularly. Check out the previous Amazon coding interview questions and practice well with them.

Is Amazon coding interview hard?

Amazon coding interviews are very interesting yet difficult to ace. In order to do well, it is crucial to have in-depth knowledge and understanding of data structures and algorithms.

What are the different rounds of the Amazon interview?

Amazon’s hiring process includes six key stages:

Resume review Initial phone interviews A meeting with the hiring manager A writing assessment A series of loop interviews Evaluations by the hiring committee

The most challenging phases are the phone screenings, which can take one or two rounds, and the on-site interviews, which involve four to five rounds.

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• Interview Advice

Using Problem-Solving Situations During Amazon Interviews

Former Amazon senior manager shares proven tips for mastering Amazon's problem-solving interview questions aligned with Leadership Principles.

If you join Amazon, you will quickly realize that everyone around you is a serial problem solver. This is by design. Besides being an organization of over-achievers, Amazon has a profoundly ingrained engineering ethos that lives in tech and non-tech organizations.

Therefore, you won’t be surprised that problem-solving is a recurring theme throughout the interview process. Amazon behavioral interview questions that ask you to share a situation where you were solving problems map to 5 out of 16 Leadership Principles. Problem-solving questions can test Dive Deep, Invent & Simplify, Are Right A Lot, Frugality, and Learn & Be Curious.

However, unless you know the nuances of the Leadership Principles, we can’t blame you for being somewhat confused about what LP is being tested in one problem-solving question or another. Another complication for candidates is that when we find ourselves in real-life problem-solving situations, we may demonstrate a range of leadership principles mixed.

We wrote this article to offer you a quick orientation around problem-solving themes in Amazon Leadership Principles and the interview questions that test them. We hope it will make it easier for you to pick the right situation during the interview and focus on the correct details to answer Amazon interview questions.

Problem-solving and Dive Deep

While Amazon's Dive Deep Leadership Principle is not only about problem-solving, some Dive Deep questions will look for evidence of your ability to solve complex problems. Of course, complexity means different things to different people. Yet, in an Amazon interview context, it typically boils down to three things.

• A problem that requires multiple levels of data analysis (peeling the data onion) to solve.
• A problem had you using numerous data sources (from either systems or people) to find a solution.
• A problem was so novel that it took a while to figure out how to approach it.

In contrast to other Leadership Principle questions that ask for problem-solving evidence, the main focus of Dive Deep is on the process of getting to the solution itself. Here, we’d recommend that you focus on establishing the source of complexity and then outline the steps you took to get to the very bottom of the problem.

Problem-solving and Invent & Simplify

At the heart of the Invent and Simplify Leadership principle at Amazon are two distinct themes: invention and simplification, as the name of the LP suggests. Problem-solving typically comes under the Simplification theme.

Under Invent and Simplify, Amazon will expect you to demonstrate how you effectively boiled complexity into simplicity while solving a problem. From our experience at Amazon, we can attest that many problems started as giant hairy monsters with unknown root causes and hidden under a sea of data (most of which was useless to the analysis).

While you should still follow a STAR format of answering Amazon Leadership Principle questions, Invent and Simplify problem-solving responses should focus on the “A-Ha!” moment that led you to invent a simple solution. The invention of a fix at the end of the problem-solving journey is the main currency of an acceptable answer. Therefore, the bulk of your story-telling should detail the innovation process rather than digging for the root cause.

Problem-solving and Are Right A Lot

Are Right; A Lot of Leadership Principle at Amazon is mainly about continuously learning from your successes and failures to always make the right decisions. So, where does problem-solving feature in this LP? Very prominently. Just think about when you need to solve a problem while operating under uncertainty or, perhaps, without having all the knowledge and expertise right away. So, being able to inform your gut on the spot by learning from people and systems around you is how you would need to approach problem-solving under Are Right A Lot.

Therefore, the currency of a good problem-solving answer to the Are Right A Lot Leadership Principle question in an Amazon interview is a series of steps of how you went about building or disconfirming (challenging) your beliefs while operating under uncertainty and needing to solve a problem.

Problem-solving and Frugality

If you’ve taken our training ( Amazon Interview Whizz ), you will remember the main themes of the Frugality Leadership Principle at Amazon. Having read the previous few sections, you won’t be surprised that Frugality situations may also have a problem-solving element.

But this time, you are operating under resource constraints and have to do with what you have. This is Frugality, defined by the official version (achieve more with less), but just in a problem-solving contest.

Hence, the currency of a decent problem-solving answer to Amazon interview questions on the Frugality Leadership Principle would be a story about how you effectively ran with what you had to solve a challenge.

Problem-solving and Learn & Be Curious

Problem-solving themes under Learn & Be Curious are similar to those under Are Right. The slight difference is in the nuances. While Are Right A Lot is about drawing on the expertise of others to inform or challenge your intuition, Learn & Be Curious is about acquiring knowledge. Both Leadership Principles make one a confident problem-solver, and you have probably demonstrated both LPs in real-life situations, possibly both simultaneously. However, in an Amazon interview situation, it would be helpful to focus your response on the details that matter for Learn & Be Curious.

Therefore, the currency of a workable answer under this Leadership Principle in an Amazon interview is a story of the steps you took to acquire expertise that you did not have to solve a problem.

We hope this article helped you understand the nuances of sharing problem-solving situations when answering Leadership Principles questions in behavioral interviews at Amazon. If you fancy taking your interview preparation to the next level, check out Amazon Interview Whizz , our signature training course. It is based on our insights from thousands of interviews, coaching sessions, and hiring decisions.

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Amazon Interview Questions

Most Asked Questions

• K largest elements from a big file or array .
• Find a triplet a, b, c such that a 2 = b 2 + c 2 . Variations of this problem like find a triplet with sum equal to 0. Find a pair with given sum. All such questions are efficiently solved using hashing. – Practice here
• Binary tree traversal questions like left view, right view, top view, bottom view, maximum of a level, minimum of a level, children sum property, diameter etc.
• Convert a Binary tree to DLL – Practice here
• Lowest Common ancestor in a Binary Search Tree and Binary Tree.
• Implement a stack with push(), pop() and min() in O(1) time.
• Reverse a linked list in groups of size k – Practice here
• Given two numbers represented by two linked lists, write a function that returns sum list – Practice here
• Rotate a matrix by 90 degree.
• Stock span problem
• Next greater element
• Maximum sum subarray such that no elements are consecutive – Practice here
• Edit distance
• Assembly line scheduling
• Why Amazon?
• Questions about projects done in previous company or final year.

Important Links :

• Amazon Interview Experiences
• Amazon Practice Questions
• Amazon’s most frequently asked Questions – Set 2
• Amazon Recruitment Process

Amazon Interview Video.

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Top 100+ AWS Interview Questions and Answers [Updated]

Amazon Interview Questions and Answers That You Should Know Before Attending an Interview

What is amazon cloudwatch, amazon interview questions and answers that you should know.

Lesson 14 of 15 By Hemant Deshpande

Table of Contents

In preparation for your Amazon interview, it is important to understand the types of questions that will be asked. In particular, you should focus on problem-solving and algorithm questions. While some questions may be specific to Amazon, many will be general and can be applied to any technical interview . By preparing for these questions, you will stand out from the other candidates and demonstrate your familiarity with common interviewing practices. In this article, we will look at some of the most frequently asked interview questions at Amazon and provide tips on answering them.

Firstly, look at Beginner Level Amazon Interview Questions.

Want a Job at AWS? Find Out What It Takes

1. Why do you want to join Amazon?

This is one of the most straightforward Amazon interview questions you might encounter. Here’s an answer to it:

• The company's growth is increasing rapidly every day, and Amazon has disrupted every industry it has set its foot in every sector in the world.
• It is really about putting yourself in the shoes of the consumer to win their trust and confidence towards the company and the skills in a personality.
• It also helps me to excel at immersing myself in new industries and applying that knowledge to deliver above-average results.

2. What are checked exceptions?

A checked exception is an exception that occurs at the compile-time; these exceptions are also called compile-time exceptions. The exceptions cannot simply be ignored at the time of compilation, and the programmer should take care of (handle) these exceptions.

For example:- If a file is to be opened, but the file was not found, an exception occurs. These exceptions that occurred cannot simply be ignored at the time of compilation.

3. What is hashing?

Hashing is a technique used to convert a range of key values into a range of indexes of an array. For example, you can create an associative data storage where the data index is found by providing its key values using the hash tables .

4. What is linear data structure?

A Linear data structure has data elements arranged in a sequential manner, and each element is connected to its previous and next element. Such data structures are easy to implement as computer memory is also sequential.

The examples of the linear data structure are Lists, Queue, Stack, Array, etc. 

5. What does algorithm mean?

An algorithm is a finite sequence of well-defined instructions, typically used to solve a class of specific problems or perform a computation. Algorithms are used as specifications for performing calculations, data processing , automated reasoning, automated decision-making, and other tasks. A heuristic, in contrast, is an approach to problem-solving that may not be fully specified or may not guarantee correct or optimal results, especially in problem domains where there is no well-defined correct or optimal result.

Learn Essential Skills for Effective Leadership

6. What is a search operation?

Search operation means whenever an element is to be searched, start searching from the root node, where the data is less than the key value, search for the element in the left subtree. Or, in simple terms, searching for the element in the right subtree.

7. What is the purpose of the "is" operator in Python?

The "is" keyword is used to test if two variables refer to the same object or not. The test returns the results true if the two objects are the same object and false if they are not referred to the same object or if the two objects are accurate. Use the == operator to test if two variables are equal.

8. What is data structure?

Data structure is a data organization and storage format that enables efficient access and modification of the data. And, a data structure is a collection of data values and the relationships among the data and the functions that can be applied over the data.

9. What is the difference between tuples and lists in Python?

The main differences between the lists and tuples are: lists are enclosed with ( [] ) square brackets and their elements, and the size can be changed when required. Tuples are enclosed in round or parentheses ( () )and cannot be updated. Tuples can be off as read-only lists.

10. What is the Tower of Hanoi?

The Tower of Hanoi is a puzzle consisting of three towers and more than one ring. Where all rings are of different sizes and stacked upon each other, the large disk is always below the small disk. The main aim is to move the disk tower from one peg to another without breaking its properties.

11. What is Collections API?

Collections API is a set of classes and interfaces that support operations on the collection of objects. The significant advantages of a collections API are that it provides interoperability between unrelated APIs.

12. Describe a time where you failed at something. How did you recover?

When I was managing a project for one of our biggest clients in my previous company, I was so eager to please them that I told them we could finish the project within three weeks. So, I took my experience and used it to become much better at managing clients' expectations during the project.

13. Tell something about you which is not included in your resume?

• Mention something you achieved at your current job that's so recent and not included in your resume.
• Talk about a volunteering experience that you can relate to the position.
• Stress is a strength or skill that's essential to the current position.

14. What is BFS?

Breadth-First Search algorithm is used in searching for a tree data structure for a node satisfying the given property. The algorithm begins at the tree root and goes further to explore all the tree nodes at present depth before it moves on to the nodes at the next depth level. The extra memory, usually a queue, should be needed to keep track of the child nodes that were encountered but not explored.

15. Why should we hire you?

As some right out of college, I am on the lookout for opportunities to prove my ability. As a part of this organization, I'll put all my efforts and strengths to make your company reach outstanding achievements, and if you hire me, I will get an opportunity to build my professional experience through your company.

These are a few Beginner Level Amazon Interview Questions. Now, jump on to the Intermediate level Amazon Interview Questions in this tutorial.

16. What is a Heap in Data Structure?

Heap is a balanced binary tree data structure where the root-node key is compared with its children and is arranged accordingly. A min-heap, a parent node has a key-value less than its child’s, and a max-heap parent node has a value greater than its child’s.

17. What does success mean to you?

In my point of view, I define success as fulfilling my role in my team and the company. I trust that my employer has placed me in a position where I can achieve the goals of the company and my team. So I work toward completing my duties as effectively as possible.

18. How does Prim's algorithm find spanning trees?

The Prim's algorithm considers the nodes to be part of a single tree and adds new nodes to the spanning tree from the given graph.

19. What is synchronization?

Synchronization is the capability to control the access of multiple threads to the shared resources. Synchronized keyword in Java provides locking that ensures exclusive mutual access of shared resources and prevents data race.

20. List a few advantages of Packages in Java?

• Packages in Java avoid name clashes.
• Packages in Java also provide easier access control.
• It is easy to locate the related classes using packages in Java.

21. What is Tree Traversal?

Tree traversal is a process of visiting all the nodes of a tree. All the nodes are connected via edges (links), where we always start from the root (head) of the node.

The three ways to traverse a tree:

• In-order Traversal
• Pre-order Traversal
• Post-order Traversal

22. Why did you decide to go into IT?

While technical skills can get you far, there's a lot in IT work that can be learned on the job. Because of this, employers might look for somebody who has other qualities that can be linked to success, like passion and curiosity. So this question can also be a way for employers to get to know you and your story.

23. What are your salary expectations?

For these kinds of questions, rather than offering a set number of the salary you expect, provide a range in which you'd like your salary to fall. And also, try to keep your range tight rather than very wide.

For example, if you want to make $80,000 a year, an excellent range to offer would be $75,000 to $90,000.

24. What does success mean to you?

 In my point of view, I define success as fulfilling my role in my team and the company. I trust that my employer has placed me in a position where I can achieve the goals of the company and my team. So I work toward completing my duties as effectively as possible.

25. What is Database?

A Database is a collection of the data that is stored and accessed by the computer system, and designed by formal design and modeling techniques. 

26. Describe yourself in five words?

Give a response like the following:  

27. How does Kruskal's algorithm work?

The working of Kruskal's algorithm treats the graph as a forest and every node as an individual tree. A tree that connects to another only if it has the least cost among all available options and does not violate MST properties.

28. How does depth-first traversal work?

The Depth First Search algorithm algorithm traverses a graph in a depthward motion and remembers the stack to get the next vertex to start a search when a dead end occurs in any iteration.

29. What was the biggest mistake of your life?

For these kinds of questions, one of the best ways to answer is to talk about a specific example of a time when you made a mistake. Explain what the mistake was and elaborate a little about it. Quickly switch over what you learned and how you improved after making that mistake.

30. What is shell sort?

Shell sort can be said as a variant of insertion sort. It divides the list into smaller sublists based on some gap variable, and then each sub-list is sorted using insertion sort. In some cases, it can also perform up to 0(n log n).

31. Mention some examples of greedy algorithms?

Examples of greedy algorithms are:  

• Kruskal's Minimal Spanning Tree Algorithm
• Travelling Salesman Problem
• Knapsack Problem
• Prim's Minimal Spanning Tree Algorithm
• Job Scheduling Problem
• Dijkstra's Minimal Spanning Tree Algorithm
• Graph - Map Coloring
• Graph - Vertex Cover

32. What is a recursive function?

A recursive function is a function that calls itself directly or calls a function that in turn calls it.

Every recursive function follows the recursive properties base criteria where functions stop calling itself and progressive approach where the function tries to meet the base criteria in each iteration.

33. List the types of Data Structures? 

Data structures are divided into two categories: 

• Linear Data Structure
• Non-Linear Data Structure

34. What are your strengths?

The answer to this amazon interview question could be:  

• Determination

35. What are the situations that make you angry?

For these kinds of questions, briefly mention the situation that agitated you and then move on to the solution. Every interviewer appreciates a problem-solving attitude or bent-of-mind. Do not over exaggerate about you being a calm and professional person.

36. State the properties of B Tree.

The properties of B Tree are: 

• Every node in a B-Tree contains at most m children.
• Every node in a B-Tree except the root node and the leaf node contains at least an m/2 children.
• The root nodes in B-Tree must have at least two nodes.

37. Which is more important: money or work?

In my point of view work is more important to me. Once you achieve and overperform the target and help increase the company's growth, then definitely money will follow.

These are a few Intermediate Level Amazon Interview Questions. Now, understand the Advanced Level Amazon Interview Questions.

38. Mention some examples of dynamic programming algorithms?

• Knapsack problem
• Shortest path by Dijkstra
• Tower of Hanoi
• Project scheduling
• Floyd-Warshall
• Fibonacci number series

39. What is a queue in Data Structure?

Queue in a data structure is an abstract data structure. In contrast to stack, where the queue is opened at both ends, one end is mainly used to insert data (enqueue), while the other to remove data (dequeue). Queue follows FIFO methodology, and the data item stored first will be accessed first.

40. Mention the use of a default constructor in Java?

The purpose of the default constructor in Java is to assign the default value to the objects. Java compiler always creates a default constructor implicitly if there is no constructor present in the class.

41. What is a postfix expression?

An expression in which the operators follow the operands is known as postfix expression. The benefit of this form is that there is no need to group sub-expressions in parentheses or consider operator precedence.

In postfix notation, the expression "a + b" will be represented as "ab+".

42. What is meant by Selection Sort?

Selection sort is an in-place sorting technique. It splits the data set into sub-lists known as sorted and unsorted. Then it selects the minimum element from the unsorted sub-list and places it into the sorted list. This iterates unless all the elements from the unsorted sub-list are consumed into a sorted sub-list.

43. Write a code for Inserting a node?

class Node:

def __init__(self, data):

self.data = data 

self.next = None 

class LinkedList:

def __init__(self):

self.head = None

44. What is merge sort, and how does it work?

Merge sort is a sorting algorithm based on the divide and conquers programming approach. Merge sort keeps dividing the list into smaller sub-list until all sub-list have only one element. And then, it merges them in a sorted way until all sub-lists are consumed. It has a run-time complexity of 0(n log n), and it needs 0(n) auxiliary space.

45. Tell me about a time you could not finish a project and had to pivot quickly. How did you handle it?

At my last job, I led a project that was near completion. When everything was moving smoothly and on target for timely completion, then one of our partners provided one of the software upgrades that were to occur at the 90 percent mark and encountered a breach of systems and was estimated to be delayed by two to four weeks. Instead, we could allocate two resources to support the provider and help to recover from the breach in less than half of the projected time.

46. Why did you leave your Last Job?

The best way to answer these questions is, to be honest. Try not to forget to add your learnings from the situation and how you have overcome those problems.

Take care of yourself not to speak ill of your former employer, colleagues, or the job. Your attempt and approach should be to make the answer as positive as you can. So, it will be beneficial to make a good impression on you.

47. Count possible paths in an mXn matrix from top left to bottom right?

class Tree {

static int numberOfPaths(int a, int b)

if (a == 1 || b == 1)

return numberOfPaths(a- 1, b) + numberOfPaths(a, b - 1);  

public static void main(String args[])

System.out.println(numberOfPaths(3, 3));

48. Write a function to give the sum of all the numbers in the list?

def sum(numbers):

total = 0 for num in numbers:

print(''Sum of the numbers: '', total)

sum((10, 20, 30, 40, 0, 50))

49. How to Split String in Java?

public class Split {

  public static void main(String args[])

  String str = "Simplielearn";

  String[] arrOfStr = str.split("e", 2);

  for (String a : arrOfStr)

  System.out.println(a);

50. Write a code to find the factorial?

class Factorial

 public static void main(String args[])

  int i, fact=1;  

  int number=5;   

  for(i=1; i<=number; i++){    

      fact=fact*i;    

  System.out.println("Factorial of "+number+" is "+fact);    

51. How do you find the missing number in the array?

The secret to finding the missing number in an array is to use the formula n(n+1)/2. This will help you find the middle number in the array, and from there, you can determine the missing number.

52. Find out if the summation of two integers equals the given value.

This can be determined by using the following steps:

• Determine the two numbers that are being added together.
• Substitute these numbers for x and y in the equation x + y = z.
• Solve the equation for z.
• Check to see if the value of z is equal to the given value.

53. How to merge two sorted linked lists?

There are a few ways to merge two sorted linked lists . One way is to use a temporary variable to store the address of the head of the first list and then traverse the lists, inserting each element of the first list into the second list before moving on to the next element in the first list.

Another way is to use a temporary variable to store the address of the head of the second list and then traverse the lists, inserting each element of the first list into the second list before moving on to the next element in the first list.

54. How to copy linked list with arbitrary pointer?

For example, you have a linked list, and you want to copy it. But you don't have a pointer to the first element, so you can't use the standard library function memcpy(). How do you do it?

The solution is as follows:

• Traverse the given linked list and copy the data of each node to a new location.
• Update the pointer in the original list to point to the next node.
• Recursively copy the new list to the same new location.

55. What is the level order traversal of a binary tree?

The level order traversal of a binary tree is a depth-first search algorithm . The algorithm starts at the root node and explores the left and right child nodes before moving to the next level. The algorithm visits every node in the tree, including the leaves, and prints the nodes in the visit order.

56. Determine if a binary tree is a binary search tree

A binary search tree (BST) is a data structure that allows fast searching of data. It can be used to store a sorted list of items. The tree is binary because it has two children for each node at most. A binary search tree is a binary search tree if and only if the following two conditions are met:

• The left child of a node is less than the node itself.
• The right child of a node is greater than the node itself.

57. What is string segmentation?

String segmentation is breaking a string into smaller strings or segments. This can be done in several ways, depending on the desired outcome. Common methods of string segmentation include character delimitation, word delimitation, and sentence delimitation.

When you segment a string, you essentially break it down into smaller strings. These smaller strings can then be processed individually. For example, you could use string segmentation to split a list of names into individual strings. This would allow you to loop through the list and process each name separately.

58. How do you reverse words in a sentence?

In C programming , you can reverse the order of the words in a sentence by using the strrev() library function. The strrev() function takes a string as input and reverses the order of the characters in the string.

59. How to find Kth permutation?

To find the kth permutation, we can use the factorial function to calculate the product of all the possible permutations of the first k items in the set and then divide by k!. The brute force method would be to try every possible permutation, which would take n!/(k! (n-k)! ) steps. However, this can be sped up using various algorithms.

One such algorithm is the Knuth shuffle, which takes O(n*k) time. Another is the insertion sort, which takes O(n*log(n)) time. Finally, the bubble sort takes O(n*log(n)*k) time.

60. What are the Key steps to succeed in your Amazon interview?

There are several key steps that you can take to set yourself up for success when interviewing with Amazon. First and foremost, it is important to research the company and the role you are interviewing for. Understand the company's values and culture, and be prepared to talk about how your skills and experience align with those values.

It is also important to be prepared for common interview questions. Practice answering questions aloud so that you can speak confidently and clearly. Be sure to ask questions of your own during the interview, as this will show that you are interested in the role. Finally, send a thank you note after the interview to reiterate your interest in the position.

61. How to clone a directed graph

Cloning a directed graph is a process that creates a replica of the original graph. The new graph will have the same nodes and edges as the original, and the order of the edges will be preserved. The most common way to clone a directed graph is to use a graph algorithm like breadth-first search or depth-first search. These algorithms recursively explore all paths in the graph, creating a new copy of the graph for each path they encounter. 

62. How to find low/High index

You can use these algorithms to find low and high indexes.

For Low Index:

• Consider the range between low and high indexes at each step and then find the mid-index.
• If the element at the mid Index is lower than the key, low will become mid + 1. This allows you to move towards the beginning of the range.
• If the mid element >= the key, the high will be mid - 1. The low Index will remain the same.
• If the low > high, it would indicate the first appearance of the key.
• Return -1 if the key does not match the element at the low.

For High Index:

Similar results can be obtained by slightly altering the condition above for high Index

• Switch the low Index to middle + 1 if the key Index of an element is lower than or equal to the Index at mid.
• Switch the high Index to middle - 1 if the key element is larger than the mid.

63. How to search a rotated array?

There are a few ways to search a rotated array. One way is to use the binary search algorithm. This algorithm works by dividing the array in half and searching for the element in the middle. If the element is found, then the algorithm terminates. If the element is not found, the algorithm splits the array in half again and searches for the element in the middle of that subarray. This process is repeated until the element is found or the array is reduced to a single element.

64. Create a program that prints the k largest elements of an array. An array element can have any order. If you have an array of [1, 23, 12, 9, 30, 2,50] and are asked to print the largest three elements, i.e., k = 3, the output should be 50, 30 or 23

• Modify Bubble Sort to run an outer loop maximum of k times.
• Print the last k elements from the array created in step 1.

The complexity of Time: O(n*k).

65. What are classes and objects in c++?

Classes and objects are the two most important concepts in C++. A class is a template for creating objects. It is a blueprint for an object. Classes are defined by their members, which are the data and functions that belong to the class.

An object is an instance of a class. It is a specific instance of the template defined by the class. Objects are created by using the new keyword. The class members are copied into the object when it is created.

66. Given an array of integers, write a function that returns true if there is a triplet (a, b, c) that satisfies a2 + b2 = c2. 

Import kotlin. math.*

class ArrayTripletsAlg {

    fun doIt(array: Array<Int>): Triple<Int, Int, Int>? {

        fun sort(a: Int, b: Int, c: Int): Triple<Int, Int, Int> {

            return if (a > b) {

                if (a > c) {

                    if (b > c) {

                        Triple(a, b, c)

                    } else {

                        Triple(a, c, b)

                    }

                } else {

                    Triple(c, a, b)

                }

            } else if (b > c) {

                    Triple(b, a, c)

                    Triple(b, c, a)

            } else {

                Triple(c, b, a)

            }

        (0 until array.size - 2).forEach { i ->

            (i + 1 until array.size - 1).forEach { j ->

                (j + 1 until array.size).forEach { k ->

                    val triplets = sort(array[i], array[j], array[k])

                    if (triplets.first.toDouble().pow(2) ==

                            (triplets.second.toDouble().pow(2) + triplets.third.toDouble().pow(2)))

                        return triplets

        return null

67. What is Operator Overloading?

Operator overloading is a feature of some programming languages that allows you to redefine the behavior of operators for user-defined data types. This can make code more concise and readable or provide more functionality.

68. How do you allocate and deallocate memory in c++?

The new operator is used in C++ to allocate memory from the free store (or heap). int *ptr=new int; , and the delete operator to deallocate.

Customer Obsession Amazon Interview Questions

1. please tell me when you were obsessed with providing high-quality customer service..

Sample Answer: I worked as a support engineer at a software company and one of our biggest clients called XYZ. They were having some issues with the product, and I was the only one who could help them. I spent hours on the phone with them to resolve the issue. I was obsessed with giving them the best possible service. In the end, I was able to fix the issue, and they were very happy. That experience taught me the importance of going above and beyond for customers.

2. What was the most difficult interaction you had with a customer?

Sample Answer: 

The most difficult customer interaction that I have ever had was working at a call center for a cell phone company. I was helping a customer trying to upgrade his phone, but he was having trouble because his old phone was still under contract. He became extremely angry and began to shout at me. He accused me of being incompetent and of trying to cheat him. I felt like I would lose my temper, but I managed to stay calm and resolve the issue to his satisfaction.

3. Could you give an example of when you sought feedback from a customer? What did you do with the feedback?

Sample Answer:

I was always very open to customer feedback and often sought it out to understand what I could do to improve their experience and the product. I would also take this feedback and use it to develop new features or products. For example, one of my customers suggested that we develop a desktop application because they found the website difficult to use on their mobile phones. We developed a desktop application based on this customer feedback, which was a huge success.

Invent and Simplify Questions

1. please tell me when you solved a complicated problem with a simple solution..

When answering this question, you have to share a time when you utilized your problem-solving skills to solve a complex issue. Be sure to highlight how you could remain calm under pressure and utilize your critical thinking skills to find a solution.

For example, suppose you were in a previous job and were tasked with developing a new software system. In that case, you could share a story about how you were able to simplify the process by breaking it down into smaller steps that could be easily tackled. This would show the interviewer that you can think on your feet and develop creative solutions to complex problems.

2. Tell me about a time when you invented something.

The interviewer is looking to gauge your problem-solving skills, creativity, and resourcefulness. When answering this question, you have to share a story that demonstrates how you could think outside the box and develop new ideas.

3. Please walk me through a different scenario of a process you invented or improved.

There are a few ways to answer this question. One way would be to describe how you identified a problem and came up with a solution. This could involve describing the steps you took to research the problem and develop a plan of attack.

Another way to answer this question would be to describe how you implemented a process improvement. This could involve explaining how you worked with your team to make changes and then following up to ensure that the changes were effective.

Dive Deep Amazon Interview Questions

1. give me an example of when you used data to decide/solve a problem..

There are a few different ways to answer this question. One way is to give an example of when you used data to decide your personal life, such as deciding what college to attend. Another way is to give an example of when you used data to solve a problem in your professional life. For example, you might have used data to figure out how to increase website traffic or improve customer retention rates.

2. Discuss the most difficult problem you have ever dealt with.

This question is designed to assess your problem-solving skills and ability to think on your feet. The best way to answer this question is to discuss a problem you were passionate about solving. You should describe the problem in detail and explain how you approached it. Talk about the challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Be sure to highlight your accomplishments and what you learned from the experience.

3. Tell me about a problem you had to solve that required in-depth thought and analysis. How did you know you were focusing on the right things?

The problem I had to solve was how to increase website traffic. I knew that I needed to focus on the right things to achieve this goal. I analyzed my website's Google Analytics data to determine which pages received the most traffic. Then I looked at the data to see what content attracted the most visitors. I also used Google Search Console to determine which keywords people used to find my website. I created new content that would target these keywords and published it on my website based on this data. I also promoted this content on social media and other websites. I knew I was focusing on the right things when I was able to come up with a potential solution after spending some time thinking about the problem and how to best approach it. This solution ended up working. As a result, I was able to increase website traffic.

Frugality Questions

1. tell me about a time when you had to work with limited time or resources..

There are a few ways to answer this question. One way is to share a time when you had to work with a tight deadline. You can talk about how you managed your time and resources efficiently to meet the deadline.

Another way to answer this question is to share a time when you had to work with limited resources. You can talk about how you were creative and innovative ways to get the most out of your resources.

2. Describe a time when you had to manage a budget (or manage time/money/resources/etc.). Were you able to get more out of less?

The best way to answer this question is to give an example of when you had to be very strategic with your resources and make the most out of every penny. Perhaps you spearheaded a project where you had to work with a limited budget, or maybe you had to cut back on your spending to save money. When answering this question, focus on the steps you took to succeed rather than the outcome. For instance, if you could reduce costs without sacrificing quality, highlight that achievement.

3. Tell me about a time when you thought of a new way to save money for the company.

The best way to answer this question is to describe when you identified an opportunity to save the company money and then implemented a plan. For example, you might have noticed that the company was regularly spending a lot of money on shipping costs, and you devised a strategy to reduce those expenses. Or, you may have realized that the company was wasting a lot of money on unnecessary inventory and developed a system to improve inventory management. Whatever the case may be, describe the problem you identified and how you solved it.

Ownership Amazon Interview Questions

1. give me two examples of when you did more than what was required in any job experience (d1c: i don't know why the interviewer asked for two situations).

There are a few ways to answer this question. One way is to give an example from a previous job where you went above and beyond the call of duty. For instance, you could talk about staying late to help a colleague with a project or taking on extra work when you were already overloaded.

Another way to answer this question is to give an example from a current or past job where you exhibited leadership skills. For example, you could talk about how you spearheaded a project or took charge during a difficult situation.

2. Tell me about a time when you took on something significant outside your area of responsibility, and why was that important?

When answering the question, you have to highlight how you successfully contributed to the organization's goals, despite not having prior experience in that area. You can also talk about how you were able to learn on the job and develop new skills. Ultimately, you want the interviewer to see that you are willing to take on new challenges and proactively seek growth opportunities.

3. Describe a time you didn't think you were going to meet a commitment you promised?

There are a few different ways to answer this question. One way is to share a time when you were under a lot of pressure and thought you wouldn't be able to meet the commitment, but you did anyway. Another way is to share a time when you didn't think you could meet the commitment because of unforeseen circumstances, but you found a way to make it happen. Finally, you can share a time when you thought meeting the commitment was impossible, but you were able to pull it off in the end.

Earn Trust Questions

1. tell me about a critical piece of feedback you received.

When you're asked about a critical piece of feedback you received, be prepared to share an experience where someone gave you honest and constructive feedback that you took to heart. You can frame your answer around the following four steps:

• Explain the situation
• Describe how you felt about the feedback at the time
• Talk about how you processed the feedback and what you did with it
• Explain the outcome and what you learned from the experience.

2. Tell me about a time when you saw your team member struggling.

The interviewer wants to know if you can be observant and recognize when someone struggles, whether with work or personal issues. They also want to know if you can step in and offer help.

Your answer should showcase your ability to be a problem solver and leader. You should describe a time when you noticed that someone was struggling and took action to help them. Describe the steps you took to identify the source of the struggle and how you resolved it. Finally, talk about the positive outcome of your actions.

3. Building trust with teams can be difficult to achieve sometimes. Can you give me an example of how you effectively built trusting working relationships with others?

The interviewer asks about your interpersonal skills and how you've applied them in the past. First, think of an example of when you had to build trust with someone new. Maybe you were working on a project with a team member you'd never met before, or you were starting a new job and had to establish trust with your new boss and coworkers.

Next, describe what you did to build trust. Perhaps you took the time to learn about their background and shared some personal stories of your own. Maybe you showed that you were reliable and always followed through on your commitments.

Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit Interview Questions

1. tell me when you took an unpopular stance in a meeting with peers and your leader, and you were the outlier..

I was the outlier in a meeting when working at my previous job. We discussed a new project, and I was the only one against it. My boss and coworkers were pushy and tried to convince me to go along with the project, but I stuck to my guns and said no. They went ahead with the project without me, and it failed miserably.

I learned two things from that experience. First, always trust your gut instinct. If you don't feel right about something, there's probably a good reason for it. Second, it's important to be assertive and stand up for what you believe in, even if it means going against the majority.

2. Tell me when you decide to go along with the group decision, even if you disagree.

There are a few different ways to answer this question. One way is to discuss a time when you were in disagreement with the rest of the group, but you decided to go along with their decision anyways. This can show that you are a team player and willing to compromise to get the job done.

Another way to answer this question is to discuss a time when you agreed with the group decision, even if you didn't necessarily agree with it. This can show that you have good judgment and make decisions quickly.

3. Tell me when you strongly disagreed with your manager on something you deemed very important to the business. What was it about, and how did you handle it?

There are a few different ways to answer this question. One way is to stay calm and professional and explain your reasoning clearly and concisely. Another way is to be honest and upfront, explaining that you disagreed with the manager's decision but are still willing to do your best to carry out the task. Finally, you could also find a compromise or middle ground between the manager's decision and your own beliefs. Whichever way you respond, make sure that you are respectful and polite.

Hire and Develop the Best Amazon Interview Questions

1. tell me about a time when you dealt with an employee with poor performance..

When answering this question in an interview, you want to focus on a time you successfully improved the employee's performance. You could talk about how you identified the problem and what actions you took to correct it. You could also share how you monitored the employee's progress and provided feedback. Ultimately, you want the interviewer to see that you have the ability to identify and solve problems when they arise.

2. Tell me about a time when you coached someone into outstanding performance.

This question can be difficult to answer if you haven't had any experience coaching employees. However, if you have had this experience, there are a few things you can do to answer this question effectively.

The first step is to outline the goals you set for the employee and how you helped them achieve them. Next, describe the techniques you used to motivate and guide the employee. Finally, explain how the employee's progress was monitored and adjusted.

3. Tell me about when you've built a team for a specific project.

This question is designed to probe into your ability to lead and manage a team. When answering this question, it's important to highlight when you took the lead on a project and successfully delegated tasks to team members. Be sure to highlight how you allocated responsibilities, delegated tasks, and communicated with your team. If you have any examples of successful projects that your team was a part of, be sure to share those as well.

Bias for Action Interview Questions

1. can you give me an example of a calculated risk where speed was critical what was the situation, and how did you handle it.

I once took a calculated risk to increase my company's speed to market. We were working on a new product and knew that we needed to get it to market quickly to be successful. We decided to take a chance and develop the product using a new technology that we were not familiar with. This decision allowed us to get the product to market much faster than we would have been otherwise, and we could beat our competition to the punch. While this was a risky decision, it was ultimately successful and allowed us to achieve our goals.

2. Describe a situation where you made an important business decision without consulting your manager

You could talk about a time when you had to make a tough call on your own or when you had to make a decision quickly and didn't have time to consult your manager. Be sure to highlight your ability to think on your feet and make decisions in a high-pressure situation.

You could also talk about when you disagreed with your manager's decision and made the call to go against them. This shows that you dare stand up for what you believe in and aren't afraid to go against the grain. Whichever way you answer, explain why you made the decision and what outcome resulted from it.

3. Tell me when you had to analyze facts quickly, define key issues, and respond immediately to a situation. What was the outcome?

In my previous job as a research analyst, I often had to analyze data quickly and draw conclusions. This was especially important when working on presentations for my team or clients. To be successful, I had to learn how to quickly define the key issues at hand and respond immediately to any situation or outcome. This involved being able to think on my feet and making decisions quickly. I improved my analytical abilities and became more efficient when working under pressure by practicing these skills. This was beneficial in my current role as a business analyst, where I often need to provide solutions to problems in a short amount of time.

Deliver Results

1. tell me about a time when you were leading a group, were assigned a goal, and did not reach it..

The interviewer is asking about a time when you were not successful. This question is designed to understand how you handle difficult situations and what you learned from the experience.

I was once assigned a goal to lead a team in producing a large-scale event. Unfortunately, we did not reach the goal, and the event was a disaster. Despite this, I learned a lot from the experience, and it taught me how to be a better leader.

2. Tell me about a time when you not only met a goal but considerably exceeded expectations.

There are a few ways to answer this question. You could talk about a time when you overcame an obstacle in your way or a time when you went above and beyond to get the job done.

An example of overcoming an obstacle could be if you were working on a project and the deadline was suddenly moved up, and you still managed to meet the original deadline. An example of exceeding expectations could be if you were working on a project and the client asked for an additional charge, and you were able to make the change without any issues.

3. Tell me about a time when you were able to deliver an important project under a tight deadline.

When answering this question, you want to highlight your ability to stay calm under pressure and your ability to think on your feet. One time when I was able to deliver an important project under a tight deadline was when my company was preparing to launch a new product. We were behind schedule, and I was in charge of ensuring that all the marketing materials were ready to go. I worked around the clock for a week and was able to get everything done on time.

Insist on the Highest Standards Interview Questions

1. tell me about a time when you have been unsatisfied with the status quo. what did you do to change it were you successful.

The best way to answer this question was with an example of when you were proactive in making change, even if it meant going against the status quo. For instance, maybe you led a project to improve a process at work that had been stagnant for years, or maybe you organized a petition to get your school to change its policy on something you felt strongly about. Whatever the situation may be, explain how your actions positively impacted you.

2. Tell me about a time when you were dissatisfied with the quality of something at work and went out of your way to improve it.

The best way to answer this question is to give an example of when you were dissatisfied with the quality of something at work and then took it upon yourself to improve it. For instance, maybe you noticed that many customer complaints were related to product quality. In that case, you might have decided to take on a quality assurance role to ensure that the products met customer expectations. Alternatively, if you felt that the company's branding was lackluster, you might have started a branding initiative to improve the company's image.

3. When you refused to compromise around quality or customer service

The interviewer is looking for a real-life example of a time when you had to make a tough decision in the workplace. This is not the time to talk about when you made a minor concession or gave in a little bit. They are looking for a story about when you had to put your foot down and say no.

Learn and Be Curious

1. what's the coolest thing you've learned on your own that you've then been able to apply and perform your job further.

The coolest thing I've learned on my own is how to code. It's something I was interested in and decided to teach myself. Once I learned the basics, I started coding for fun projects on the side. A few months ago, I was able to use my coding skills to help my company create a new website. It was a great experience, and I was proud of what I could do.

2. Tell me about a time when someone openly challenged you. How did you handle this feedback?

It can be tough to know how to answer this question in an interview, but it's important to show that you can handle criticism positively. One way to answer this question is to share an instance where you disagreed with someone's opinion but could still listen to them and learn from what they had to say.

You could also share a time when you received negative feedback but were able to use it to improve your work. Whatever example you choose, explain how you handled the situation and what you learned from it.

3. Give an example of a tough or critical piece of feedback you received. What was it, and what did you do about

The toughest feedback I ever received was when my boss told me that I needed to be more aggressive in my sales pitches. I had always been a bit of a shy person, so this was a difficult adjustment for me to make. I worked on being more assertive and eventually saw results. I learned that it's important to take criticism seriously but not let it get you down. Feedback can be tough to hear, but it's always given to help you improve.

Think Big Interview Questions

1. tell me about a time when very senior people adopted your vision across the organization..

When answering this question in an interview, it's important to stay positive and focus on the outcome rather than the challenges you may have faced. Try to think of a situation where several senior people adopted your vision within the organization and how that positively impacted the business.

For example, you could share a story about how your vision led to a significant increase in sales or helped the company achieve a new milestone. Stay positive, focus on the outcome, and avoid talking about any challenges you may have faced.

Are Right a Lot Amazon Interview Questions

1. can you think of a time you made a bad professional decision what was the impact of the decision what did you learn.

The interviewer is trying to get a sense of your decision-making abilities. When answering this question, you want to focus on when you made a mistake that you learned from. Don't try to make yourself look good by talking about when you made the right decision.

2. When you had to make a difficult decision with input from a lot of people

The interviewer wants to know that you can handle difficult situations and take input from other people before making a decision. When answering this question, it is important to stay calm and not get defensive. Start by describing the situation in detail and explaining the process you went through to decide. Be sure to mention how you took into account the opinions of others before making your final decision. If you have an example of a difficult decision you made, share that. This will show the interviewer that you are capable of handling difficult situations.

Strive to Be Earth's Best Employer Interview Questions

1. tell me about a time when you created conditions for others to succeed..

This is a question that often comes up in interviews. When answering it, think about a time when you delegated tasks effectively or created an environment where others could thrive.

For example, suppose you were asked to describe when you created conditions for others to succeed. In that case, you might talk about a project you led where you delegated tasks effectively and gave people the freedom to work on what they were most interested in. You could also describe a time when you fostered a positive and productive work environment, where employees felt comfortable taking risks and collaborating.

2. Tell me about a time when you drove decisions that created a working environment that was more fun and inclusive.

The best way to answer this question is to give an example of when you made a decision that had a positive impact on the team. For instance, you might have decided to host a company-wide picnic or organize a team-building activity.

When you make decisions that create more fun and inclusive working environment, it tells your team that you care about their well-being. This can help to improve morale and boost productivity.

Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility

1. tell me about a time when you considered the environmental impact of your decisions..

When answering this question in an interview, it's important to think about when you decided that it had an environmental impact. You want to share a positive story and showcase your dedication to considering the environment in your decision-making process.

For example, you might have chosen an environmentally friendly product over a less sustainable option, or you may have reduced your company's carbon footprint by changing how your business operates. Whatever the story, highlight how your actions had a positive environmental impact.

How to Answer Amazon Interview Questions

The Amazon interview process is notoriously difficult. To make the process a bit easier, here are some tips for answering Amazon interview questions:

• Go through the company's website and research what they do.
• Know your resume inside out, and be able to speak to your experience and how it relates to the position you are applying for
• Practice, practice, practice. The best way to get comfortable with an interview is to practice in advance.
• Be prepared to answer behavioral questions and other question types.

Top 3 Amazon Interview Questions 

1. what would you do if you found out your closest friend at work was stealing.

This is a difficult question. You want to be honest, but you don't want to hurt your friend's feelings. You also don't want to get yourself in trouble. The first thing you should do is talk to your friend. Find out what's going on and why they're stealing. Maybe they're in a tough financial situation, and they feel like they have no other choice. Maybe they're doing it for fun, and they don't realize the implications.

If you believe that your friend is stealing because they need money, you might want to suggest some other solutions. Maybe they could apply for a loan or sell some of their possessions. If they're stealing for fun, you could try to talk to them about the dangers and consequences of stealing. If you believe that your friend is stealing because they're addicted to stealing, you might suggest getting help. Many addiction treatment centers can help your friend overcome their addiction.

2. Describe your most difficult customer and how you handled it. 

The interviewer is looking to see how you handle difficult customer interactions. They want to know if you have the skills and experience to deal with challenging situations. When answering this question, give a specific example of a difficult customer that you interacted with and outline how you handled the situation. Make sure to highlight your problem-solving skills and customer service experience. Explain what you did to resolve the issue and make the customer happy. If you have any awards or accolades for customer service, mention them.

3. Tell me about a time you were 75 percent through a project and had to pivot quickly. How did you handle it?

The interviewer is looking to see how you handle difficult and unexpected situations. This is a common question in interviews, so you should be prepared for it.

First, take a moment to think about when you had to change your plan mid-project. Then, walk the interviewer through the steps you took to handle the situation. Highlight how you maintained your professionalism and remained focused on the end goal. Finally, explain what you learned from the experience.

More Interview Questions from Amazon 

1. why amazon.

The best way to answer this question is to research Amazon's core values and how your skills and experiences align with them. Amazon's core values include innovation, customer obsession, and frugality. You can highlight examples of how you've demonstrated these values in your previous roles. For example, if you've launched a new product or streamlined a process at your previous company, you can discuss how your innovation improved the customer experience.

2. Which leadership principle of Amazon do you connect with most?

This question can be answered by thinking about what you value most in a leader. Do you appreciate someone who is decisive and takes action? Or do you prefer a more analytical leader who takes the time to consider all of the options? Once you have identified the leadership principle you connect with most, you can provide an example of how you demonstrated that principle in your past work experience.

3. Do you know who the Amazon CEO is? How do you pronounce his name?

Jeff Bezos is the founder, CEO, and President of Amazon. He is an American entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. His full name is Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen.

4. Tell me about a time you faced a crisis at work. How did you handle it?

The best way to answer this question is to share a time when you could successfully manage a difficult situation. You can talk about how you kept a calm head under pressure, displayed excellent problem-solving skills, or took decisive action when needed.

Ensure your strengths and how they helped you resolve the crisis. Stay positive, and don't try to paint yourself as perfect - nobody is. If you made a mistake, own up to it and explain what you learned from the experience.

5. Describe [Amazon product or service relevant to the role] as you would to a prospective customer.

When describing Amazon's product or service relevant to the role, one should focus on how it is useful and unique. For example, when interviewing for Amazon Solution Architect , you can talk about cloud storage service, I.e., " Amazon's cloud storage service is incredibly useful because it allows you to store all of your data in one place. You can access your data from anywhere globally, and you can easily share files with other people."

6. Can you tell me when you had to make a fast customer service decision without any guidance? How did you decide what to do?

This is a difficult question because it is hard to think of an example where you had to make a customer service decision without any guidance. One option is to describe when you had to handle a challenging customer service situation. You could explain how you remained calm and handled the situation in a way that was satisfactory for both the customer and the company.

7. Tell me about a time that you dealt with a hostile customer.

When interviewers ask about a time you dealt with a hostile customer, they are looking to see how you handle difficult situations. They want to know if you can remain calm under pressure and whether you can think on your own. The best way to answer this question is to share an example of a time when you could successfully de-escalate the situation. You can talk about the steps you took to diffuse the situation and how you managed to keep the customer happy.

8. When given an unfamiliar task, how do you ensure you handle it properly?

The best way to ensure you handle an unfamiliar task properly is to research the task. Once you have a general understanding of what is involved, you can begin developing a plan of action. This plan can be tailored specifically for the task at hand and will help to ensure that you handle it most efficiently and effectively possible. Finally, it is always a good idea to have someone else review your plan before putting it into action, just to ensure there are no potential problems.

9. If you are given two conflicting priorities from two separate managers, how do you figure out how to proceed?

There are a few ways to approach this problem. One is to try and prioritize the goals based on their importance to the company as a whole. Another is finding a way to compromise and meet in the middle. If neither of those solutions works, then it might be necessary to choose one goal over the other. It might even be necessary to speak with the managers directly and get their take on the situation in some cases.

10. Give me an example of when you received criticism. How did you respond to the information?

The interviewer is looking for an indication of how you handle constructive criticism. This is important because no one is perfect, and as a future employee, you will make mistakes. The company wants to know that you are capable of handling feedback (even if it is negative) in a professional manner.

11. What metrics do you use to drive positive change?

When asked this question in an interview, it's important to understand the interviewer's definition of "positive change." Some interviewers might be asking about tangible results, such as increasing sales or profits. Others might be more interested in softer metrics, such as employee satisfaction or customer satisfaction. No matter what the interviewer is looking for, you should always have at least one metric to track progress and success. 

12. What would you do if a supervisor asked you to do something unsafe that went against policy?

The best way to answer this question is to discuss how you would try to resolve the situation. You could mention that you would first try to talk to the supervisor about the situation and explain why you think it is unsafe. If that doesn't work, you could then go to a higher-up or the HR department to resolve the situation.

13. Tell me about a time when you were handling a project outside your scope of work. How did you handle it?

I was responsible for managing a project that went outside of my scope of work in my previous job. The project plan had changed, and I was not aware of the change. As a result, I could not properly prepare for the project.

I handled the situation by communicating with my manager and the client. I explained the situation and asked for help getting up to speed on the new project plan. I also made sure to stay in close communication with my team to continue to be effective in my role.

14. Describe a situation where you had to deal with ambiguity when making a decision.

When I was working as a project manager , I had to deal with ambiguity. To make the best decision possible, I would ask many questions and gather as much information as possible. Sometimes it was hard to get a clear answer, but I always tried to stay calm and make the best decision I could under the circumstances.

15. Can you tell me about a time when you had to make a decision when all of the data you needed was unavailable?

When I was working as a sales representative for a company, I had to decide whether to offer a discount to a potential customer. The customer had requested a discount, but I didn't know how much profit the company would make if the sale went through. Offering a discount would be beneficial for the customer, but it could negatively impact the company's profits. In this situation, it's important to weigh the pros and cons of offering a discount before deciding.

16. How do you keep yourself / your team / your colleagues motivated?

There are many ways to keep yourself, your team or your colleagues motivated. One way is to set goals and rewards for meeting them. For example, if you want someone to finish a project by a certain date, you could give them a bonus or a gift card if they are successful.

Another way to keep people motivated is to offer praise and recognition when they do a good job. This can be as simple as saying "thank you" or as elaborate as giving a public shout-out. Either way, positive reinforcement is an effective way to encourage people to keep up the good work.

17. What steps do you take to form positive and functional relationships with your colleagues?

The first step in building positive relationships with your colleagues is to be friendly and open. Introduce yourself and take an interest in them as people, not just workers. Be respectful and considerate, and don't gossip or talk about others.

Try to be helpful and supportive, and offer to help out with tasks or projects. Be positive and constructive in your feedback, rather than negative and critical. Celebrate successes together, and offer a shoulder to cry on during tough times.

18. What would you do if a team member wasn't pulling their weight?

There are a few possible answers to this question. You could explain that you would have a conversation with the team member to understand the issue and try to resolve it. If the issue was not resolved, you might then decide to reassign that person to a different task or team. Alternatively, you could explain that you would let the team member go if they were not meeting expectations.

19. What do you do to ensure that the customer experience is always a priority?

There are a few key things that I always do to make sure that the customer experience is a priority. One must always be willing to go the extra mile for a customer. If they need something, I do my best to get it for them. Another key thing is to be proactive in addressing any complaints or concerns that a customer may have. I want to know about them as soon as possible to address the issue and prevent it from happening again. Finally, I always try to be friendly and personable with customers.

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This article provides a list of common interview questions asked by Amazon. If you are applying for a position at Amazon or are just curious about what they might ask, this is a great resource. The answers to these questions will help you prepare for your interview and show you what Amazon is looking for in candidates.

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About the author.

Hemant Deshpande, PMP has more than 17 years of experience working for various global MNC's. He has more than 10 years of experience in managing large transformation programs for Fortune 500 clients across verticals such as Banking, Finance, Insurance, Healthcare, Telecom and others. During his career he has worked across the geographies - North America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific. Hemant is an internationally Certified Executive Coach (CCA/ICF Approved) working with corporate leaders. He also provides Management Consulting and Training services. He is passionate about writing and regularly blogs and writes content for top websites. His motto in life - Making a positive difference.

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• The Top 23 Amazon Interview...

The Top 23 Amazon Interview Questions (With Sample Answers)

7 min read · Updated on April 05, 2022

Make sure you prep for your Amazon interview.

Landing an interview with Amazon might feel like one of the most exciting — and intimidating — things to happen to you. Amazon, like most organizations, puts a lot of effort into hiring the right fit for their open positions. As CEO Jeff Bezos once shared, “I'd rather interview 50 people and not hire anyone than hire the wrong person.”  

It says a lot if your resume got past the gatekeepers and into the hands of an Amazon hiring manager. Now, take a deep breath and get prepped for your interview.

How to answer Amazon interview questions

From the lengthy list of interview questions that Amazon candidates share online, you can expect that an Amazon interview will rely heavily on situational and behavioral interview questions . 

Behavioral interview questions focus on past behavior as an indication of future job success, while situational interview questions ask how you would handle any number of hypothetical situations. With these questions, you can also pull from past experiences to answer how you would handle the hypothetical situation today or in the future. 

From there, you can break behavioral and situational interview questions down further into competencies, such as leadership and communication.  Using the STAR method during an interview is an excellent approach to answering these types of questions.

Situation: Set the stage by describing the situation. 

Task: Describe the task.

Action: Describe the action(s) you took to handle the task.

Results: Share the results achieved. 

Top 3 Amazon interview questions 

Now that you have a foundation on how to answer Amazon interview questions, it's time to practice. Below are three of the top interview questions you are likely to encounter during your interview. 

What would you do if you found out your closest friend at work was stealing?

You are likely to be asked this question regardless of the position you're interviewing for, especially with cost reduction and shrinkage being top priorities for a company like Amazon. There is really only one way to answer this question that speaks to honesty, integrity, trust, and leadership:

While it would be a difficult situation to find myself in, integrity is essential to me. Plus, stealing is against policy and costs the company's bottom line, no matter how insignificant the theft might seem. I would go to my department manager and report the theft or use the company's recommended reporting policy for such behavior.

Describe your most difficult customer and how you handled it. 

Amazon is known for their customer service. If the position you're interviewing for is a customer-facing position, then you can count on a question similar to this. When answering this question, apply the STAR method: 

Once, I encountered a repeat customer who was upset that an item he ordered was delayed. It was scheduled to arrive within five days of him ordering it, but due to backlog issues with the supplier, the delivery time was adjusted to be 30 days out. The item was an anniversary gift for his wife, and the anniversary was less than two weeks away. 

Obviously, the 30 days would not work for him, and he was close to irate about the situation. I needed to figure out a way to help him receive the anniversary gift on time. I first contacted the supplier to see if there was any way to expedite the order, but the best they could do was get the item to him a couple of days earlier than the revised scheduled arrival date. 

So, I then worked with the customer to identify a different supplier that sold an almost identical item. I offered him expedited shipping at no charge, so he would receive the item within three days, and that timing worked for his anniversary date. I also offered him a 20 percent coupon towards his next purchase. He was pleased with the outcome, and he remained a loyal customer.   

Tell me about a time you were 75 percent through a project and had to pivot quickly. How did you handle it?

Life happens when we are in the middle of projects, and Amazon leadership will want to know how you handle these types of situations when they occur. You could encounter this question for many different types of roles, including technical and management positions. Your answer should speak to your agility, leadership, and problem-solving skills:  

At my last job, I was leading a project that was near completion. Everything was moving smoothly and on-target for timely completion. Then, one of our partners providing one of the software upgrades that were to occur at the 90 percent mark encountered a breach of their systems and was estimated to delay the project by two to four weeks. 

I had to review our plans and come up with options to keep the project on target as much as possible. Going with another software provider wasn't a viable option, as the groundwork had been laid to go live with the current provider, and starting over would have delayed the project even more. Instead, we were able to allocate two resources to support the provider in recovering from the breach in less than half of the time that was projected. 

As a result, we were able to complete the project only two days after the originally scheduled completion date. Fortunately, since we had built in a cushion for contingencies, we were able to go live on schedule. 

20 more interview questions from Amazon 

Here are more possible Amazon interview questions you might be asked, broken down into categories. 

Behavioral questions

Share about a time when you had a conflict with someone at work. How did you handle it?

Tell me about a time you used innovation to solve a problem.

Tell me about a time when you took a calculated risk. What was the outcome?

Tell me about a time you had to handle a crisis.

Tell me about a time when a team member wasn't pulling their weight. How did you handle it?

Leadership questions

Tell me about a decision you made based on your instincts.

Tell me about a time you used a specific metric to drive change in your department.

Tell me about a time when you influenced change by only asking questions.

What was the last leadership development course you took? What did you gain from it?

Provide an example of a time when you had to complete a project on a budget you felt was too tight. How did you make it work?

Technical and skills questions 

How would you improve Amazon's website? 

Tell me about how you brought a product to market.

What metrics do you use to influence and drive positive change? 

What skills do you possess that will help you succeed at Amazon?

Tell me about a time when you handled a project outside of your scope of work. How did you approach it?

Company-specific questions

Do you know our CEO? How do you spell his name?

How would you introduce Amazon in an elevator pitch?

Which Amazon leadership principle do you align with most?

What does Amazon's ownership principle emphasize?

Do you know how many Amazon leadership principles there are?

Questions to ask the interviewers

During your Amazon interview, have a list of questions ready to ask your interviewer . Your questions should be company-specific. For example: 

What do you feel is the biggest challenge Amazon is currently facing?

What do you love about your role?

How would you describe the team I would be working with?

What is a typical day like in this role?

What qualities are required to succeed at Amazon?

Where do you see Amazon in five years?

Are there any new or unique customer trends you're currently experiencing or projecting?

Conclusion 

Amazon interviews are notoriously challenging. But remember, you landed the interview — which puts you one step closer to landing the role.

So do your homework and take the time to prepare for the interview. Then, you can show them what you've got with confidence once you're in the interview room.

Unsure how to answer these interview questions? Our expert interview coaches know how to impress all the major companies you may interview for. 

Recommended Reading:

6 Skills Interview Questions Recruiters Are Asking Candidates Since COVID-19

How to Research a Company to Find Your Perfect Job Match

How to Answer Interview Questions About Working From Home

Related Articles:

How to Prepare for a Software Engineering Job Interview

27 Supervisor Interview Questions (and Great Answers)

7 Common Interview Questions for an Executive Director and How to Answer Them

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MOST COMMON Amazon CODING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

15 Most-Asked Amazon Interview Questions With Answers

Amazon is a technology-driven company that relies on its software infrastructure. The giant e-commerce platform needs experts who can optimize its ecosystem. To land your dream job, you must prove your coding skills during the Amazon interview process. If you need help figuring out where to start the preparation, this guide is the perfect place. To help you, we have compiled a list of the top 15 coding questions asked during Amazon interviews. The answers will teach you the fundamental concepts required to navigate difficult problem-solving questions. They will also help you sharpen your coding abilities so that you can code with confidence during the interview .

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Amazon coding interviews focus on arrays as they store and manipulate collections of elements. They allow for fast access, insertion, deletion, and searching. Expertise in arrays demonstrates your understanding of data structures and algorithms. Amazon seeks candidates who can handle large datasets and build scalable systems, because these tasks showcase your critical thinking skills and ability to process data efficiently. In a nutshell, you need to show your problem-solving skills through the efficient use of arrays. The best way to prepare is to practice. Brush up your concepts of arrays by solving the following problems:

Find the missing number in the array

Problem Statement

You are given an array containing 'n' distinct numbers taken from the range 0 to 'n'n. Since the array has only 'n' numbers out of the total 'n+1' numbers, find the missing number.

Determine if the sum of two integers is equal to the given value

Problem statement

Given an array of integers and a value, determine if there are any two integers in the array whose sum is equal to the given value.

LINKED LISTS

Linked lists are another important data structure required for Amazon coding interviews. They provide a more cost-effective way of inserting and deleting data elements. With a strong foundation in using linked lists, you can traverse, change, and manipulate data. Moreover, using linked lists in algorithms improves the solution's scalability. See if you can solve these problems:

Merge two sorted linked lists

Given two sorted linked lists, merge them so that the resulting linked list is also sorted.

Copy linked list with arbitrary pointer

You are given a linked list where the node has two pointers. The first is the regular ‘next’ pointer. The second pointer is called ‘arbitrary_pointer’ and it can point to any node in the linked list.

Your job is to write code to make a deep copy of the given linked list. Here, deep copy means that any operations on the original list (inserting, modifying and removing) should not affect the copied list.

You must know all the essential data structures to write the fastest algorithm. A key part of your interview preparation is developing a solid understanding of the application of tree data structure. In the context of Amazon, you can use trees for the following functions:   

Storing and retrieving hierarchical data 

Building decision trees for machine learning applications 

Constructing data structures for natural language processing

Level order traversal of a binary tree

Given the root of a binary tree, display the node values at each level. Node values for all levels should be displayed on separate lines.

Determine if a binary tree is a binary search tree

Given a Binary Tree, figure out whether it’s a Binary Search Tree. In a binary search tree, each node’s key value is smaller than the key value of all nodes in the right subtree, and are greater than the key values of all nodes in the left subtree i.e. L < N < R.

You can extract, transform, and analyze textual data if you are good at string manipulation. Text data plays a crucial role in Amazon due to the website’s use of search queries, product descriptions, and more. You can try solving these problems to see if you're ready for this topic:

String segmentation

Given a dictionary of words and an input string tell whether the input string can be completely segmented into dictionary words.

Reverse words in a sentence

Given a string, find the length of the longest substring which has no repeating characters.

DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING

Dynamic programming is a systematic way to solve complex problems by breaking them down into overlapping subproblems and then solving them. This reduces the computation cost. It is a helpful tool for Amazon because they need it to optimize their system in various ways. This includes the optimization of inventory management, supply chains, route planning, and pricing strategies. Test yourself with this coding problem:

How many ways can you make change with coins and a total amount

Given coin denominations and total amount, find out the number of ways to make the change.

MATH AND STATS

Mathematics and statistics play a significant role in Amazon's business. You can use math and stats to identify patterns and relationships in the vast amount of available data. Having a solid foundation in math and stats will help you with the following tasks: Designing efficient algorit https://www.educative.io/courses/algorithms-coding-interviews-java hms : 

Working with machine learning models 

Quantitative analysis 

Making data-driven decisions

Find Kth permutation

Given a set of ‘N’ elements, find the Kth permutation.

Find all subsets of a given set of integers

You are given a set of integers and you have to find all the possible subsets of this set of integers.

BACKTRACKING

Backtracking means exploring the problem space to find the best solution. You can apply this technique through a trial-and-error approach to the choices. 

Amazon faces many constraint-based problems, like scheduling, resource allocation, and logistics. You can solve these challenges by iterating combinations. Then, you can choose the most workable one. Solve this question now to test yourself:

Print balanced brace combinations

Print all braces combinations for a given value 'N' so that they are balanced.

A graph is a tool used to depict a group of connected elements. You can use them to simulate real-world scenarios by applying graph algorithms. 

Amazon uses graphs to analyze customer behavior and market trends, among other things. The personalized recommendations feature for customers also uses graphs. Amazon Web Services (AWS) also uses graph-based systems for distributed computing. Graphs can help with the following: Efficient routing Optimization Resource allocation If you want to test your understanding of graphs, try solving this problem:

Clone a directed graph

Given the root node of a directed graph, clone this graph by creating its deep copy so that the cloned graph has the same vertices and edges as the original graph.

SORTING AND SEARCHING

Amazon deals with large amounts of data. This is why you need to have a strong understanding of searching algorithms in order to create efficient search functionalities. Sorting algorithms are also valuable in identifying patterns in large data sets. 

Do you know which search or sort algorithm to choose? The time and space complexity of the algorithm will help you decide. This, in turn, optimizes the system's performance. To assess your skills in sorting and searching, try out these challenges:

Find the High/Low index

Given an array of points in the a 2D plane, find ‘K’ closest points to the origin.

Search rotated array

Given an unsorted array of numbers, find the top ‘K’ frequently occurring numbers in it.

MORE INTERVIEW PREP?

Tips to ace the Amazon coding interview: 

Create simple code. 

Don't wait for the optimal solution to come to you. Just start and enhance as you go. The code that you write should be easy to maintain as the traffic increases. 

Improve readability by breaking up the code into logical components. 

Think thoroughly about the edge cases to validate your ultimate solution. 

When you are not sure about something, be sure to mention and discuss it with the interviewer. 

Need further interview prep?  

This toolbox of basic data structures and algorithms is essential in order to tackle Amazon interview questions. We've partnered with Educative to bring you the best interview prep around. Check out this complete list of top Amazon coding interview questions . For a thorough data structure and algorithm practice, click the link below. These structured courses will give you the strategy you need to convert your dream into a realistic goal. 

Good luck with the interview!

Ace the Amazon Behavioral Interview + Questions (Guide)

What is the Amazon Behavioral Interview?

What are amazon’s leadership principles, top 3 amazon behavioral questions, 50 amazon behavioral interview questions to practice, using the star framework to answer questions, sample question 1: tell me when you had to make a short-term sacrifice for long-term gain, sample question 2: tell me about a time you made a mistake., tips for the interview, amazon interview coaching.

Trying to get ready for your Amazon behavioral interviews? These interviews are notoriously tricky.

Amazon relies more on behavioral interviews than other FAANG companies like Apple or Facebook, where technical skills are usually weighed more heavily in product manager interviews.

We collaborated with 6 Amazon product managers, software engineers, and program managers to create this guide and our complete Amazon interview course .

Amazon’s behavioral questions focus on your past behavior and performance.

Your answers are supposed to reveal quite a bit about you and help predict job performance—at least in theory.

"I'd rather interview 50 people and not hire anyone than hire the wrong person." - Jeff Bezos, Founder and Former CEO, Amazon

These questions usually begin with “Tell me about a time...” or “Give me an example of...”

Interviewers want to know:

• How will you be as an employee?
• What are your personal and professional interests?
• How do you fit into Amazon's culture?

They also clue your interviewer into how you think. Amazon is always seeking evidence of “ leadership principles " in your answers.

During your behavioral rounds, your interviewer will focus on how your answers align with Amazon’s 16 Leadership Principles.

Amazon is well known for its strict adherence to the management principles laid out by its CEO, Jeff Bezos.

One of these is the famous ‘Day 1 mentality' that undoubtedly had much to do with Amazon’s colossal success.

But Day 1 isn’t the only tenant that Amazon holds dear. The company has 16 leadership principles , written by Bezos himself, that its employees, and the company itself, are expected to uphold.

Amazon's 16 leadership principles are:

• Customer Obsession
• Invent & Simplify
• Are Right, A Lot
• Learn and Be Curious
• Hire and Develop the Best
• Insist on the Highest Standards
• Bias for Action
• Have Backbone; Disagree & Commit
• Deliver Results
• Strive to be Earth’s Best Employer
• Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility

Your interviewer wants to hear examples of your performance in past roles.

How did you show similar qualities to Amazon’s own leadership principles?

Although you'll be up against dozens of potential questions, these three behavioral interview questions repeatedly appear in Amazon interviews.

Ultimately, Amazon wants candidates who think outside the box and who can push Amazon to new heights. Regardless of the role, you'll face setbacks and obstacles. Knowing how to overcome them and explaining your thought process is key.

• Tell me about when you solved a customer pain point. Watch Amazon PM's answer .
• Tell me about when you solved a complex problem. Watch Amazon TPM's answer.
• Tell me about when you raised the bar. Watch a Google PM answer .

Below, you’ll find the concise explanation of each leadership principle given by Amazon on their careers page .

These principles will be present throughout the entire hiring process.

When you’re ready, watch the expert mock interviews linked and then try your hand at a few sample behavioral questions compiled from past interviews .

Principle 1: Customer Obsession

To provide exceptional customer service, you need empathy for the customer.

This means understanding their needs and desires and putting yourself in their shoes. Only then can you provide the best possible experience.

This Leadership Principle is massive for Amazon - Jeff Bezos has talked about its importance countless times.

“There are many ways to center a business. You can be competitor focused, you can be product focused, you can be technology focused, you can be business model focused, and there are more. But in my view, obsessive customer focus is by far the most protective of Day 1 vitality.” - Jeff Bezos

Prepare to answer behavioral questions about your relationship with the customer.

Practice questions on Customer Obsession:

• Tell me about a time you solved a pain point for customers. Watch an Amazon PM answer.
• Tell me about a time when you dealt with a demanding customer. View other PM answers.
• Tell me about a time you used customer feedback to drive innovation.
• Tell me about one of your projects where you put the customer first.
• Tell me about a time you went over and above for a customer.

Principle 2: Ownership

Amazon is a company that values ownership.

You'll take the initiative, make tough decisions, and accept responsibility for your mistakes. Amazon is looking for people who will roll up their sleeves and do whatever it takes to get the job done.

When answering questions about ownership, highlight examples when you took the initiative, made tough decisions, and accepted responsibility for your mistakes.

Practice questions on Ownership:

• Tell me about a time you had to make a decision to make short-term sacrifices for long-term gains. Watch a Capsule Pharmacy PM answer.
• Tell me about a time you made a bold and difficult decision. Watch a Google PM answer.
• Describe a challenging situation in which you had to step into a leadership role.
• Tell me about a time when you were dissatisfied with the status quo.
• Tell me about a time when your project failed.

Principle 3: Invent & Simplify

Amazon has long been known for its culture of innovation.

The company strives to create effective and efficient solutions in everything it does. This commitment to innovation is clearly evident in Amazon’s approach to answering “invent and simplify” questions.

When presented with a problem, Amazon encourages its employees to think creatively and develop novel and practical solutions.

Practice questions on Inventing and Simplifying:

• Tell me about a time you improved a complex process. Watch an Amazon program manager answer.
• Tell me about how you brought a product to market.
• Tell me about a time when you solved a complex problem.
• How do you handle roadblocks or obstacles?

Principle 4: Are Right, A Lot

Amazon is known for its customer-centric culture, and part of that is because of the company’s focus on speed and agility. Amazon expects its employees to make decisions quickly and efficiently without getting bogged down in details or second-guessing themselves.

At the same time, when making these decisions, you’ll need to be right a lot.

This can be a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity to show that you can take risks and think on your feet under pressure.

Practice questions on being Right, A Lot:

• Tell me about a time you made a decision based on your instincts.
• Tell me about a time you had to make a decision without much customer data.
• Tell me about a time when you had to convince team members on something you proposed.
• Give me an example of a calculated risk you took where speed was critical.
• Tell me about a time you had a problem and had to discover the real cause.

Principle 5: Learn and Be Curious

Show your ability to learn new things and explore new ideas.

For example, you might discuss a time when you had to quickly learn a new skill for your job. Or you might describe a time when you devised an innovative solution to a problem.

Emphasize your willingness to adapt and grow in your career.

Practice questions on Learning and Curiosity:

• Tell me about a skill you recently learned. View sample answer.
• Tell me about a time you built out a process.
• Tell me about a time you exceeded expectations.
• What’s your product ideation process?
• Tell me about a time when you solved a problem innovatively.

Principle 6: Hire and Develop the Best

Amazon leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion. They recognize exceptional talent and move them throughout the organization.

Leaders develop leaders and take their role in coaching others seriously.

In this way, Amazon creates a culture of excellence that starts with its leaders and extends to all members of the Amazon workforce. Amazon expects its employees to always strive to reach higher standards.

Amazon is a company always looking to challenge its employees and help them grow.

Practice questions on how to Develop the Best:

• Tell me about a time when you fired someone. View community answers.
• Tell me about a time you had a conflict with someone on your team. How did you resolve it? What did you learn?
• Talk about your best and worst-performing team.
• How do you build credibility with new reports on a team you haven’t built yourself?
• How would you motivate your team to perform better?

Principle 7: Insist on the Highest Standards

Amazon expects its employees to always strive to reach higher standards. They want to see employees who have pushed themselves to meet challenging goals and will continue to do so in the future.

This is the thing that makes Amazon such a great place to work. It is a company always looking to challenge its employees and help them grow, which helps them stay motivated and engaged.

Practice questions on the Highest Standards:

• Tell me about a time when you raised the bar. Watch a Google PM answer.
• Tell me about a time when you made a decision based on data and were ultimately wrong.
• As a manager, how do you handle tradeoffs?
• Give an example of a tough or critical piece of feedback you received.
• Tell me about a time when you questioned the status quo.

Principle 8: Think Big

Can you develop and articulate a bold vision? This doesn’t mean that you need to have all the answers, but you should be able to show that you’re thinking big and have a clear idea of where you want to take the company.

So, when preparing for your interview, ensure you have a few good examples of times when you’ve thought outside the box and come up with innovative solutions.

Practice questions on Thinking Big:

• Tell me about a time you were creative.
• Tell me about a time when you devised a simple solution to a complex problem.
• Tell me about when you had to sell an idea to upper management.
• Tell me about a time you had to convince engineers to implement a particular feature.

Principle 9: Bias for Action

Amazon likes to move fast and ship products quickly. This means that employees often have to make decisions without all the information they would ideally like to have.

In your interview, be prepared to share when you made a decision without all the information you needed or would have liked. Describe how you went about making the decision and what the result was.

Be sure to emphasize that you are comfortable taking risks and always looking for ways to improve your products and services.

Practice questions on Bias for Action:

• How do you prioritize if you have to work on 5 different projects? View community answers .
• How have you convinced others to take action?
• How have you managed risk in a project?
• Describe a situation where you negotiated a win-win situation.
• Tell me about a tough decision you made during a project.

Principle 10: Frugality

Amazon constantly strives to provide customers with the best possible value, and its leadership principles emphasize this.

This means offering a wide selection of products at low prices and providing fast and free shipping on millions of items. To do this requires staying frugal at the corporate level to pass savings on to customers.

This interview will challenge you to think about times you’ve saved money or brought big results with little input.

Practice questions on Frugality:

• Tell me about when you turned down more resources to complete a project. Watch an expert answer.
• Tell me about a time when you had to accomplish big results with little budget.
• Tell me about a time you had to change the course or direction of a project when you were almost 70% through.

Principle 11: Earn Trust

This principle dictates that employees should always look for ways to improve their work and to be “vocally self-critical” when they make mistakes. In other words, Amazon wants its employees to focus on fixing mistakes instead of figuring out who to blame.

The company roots this philosophy in the belief that every employee has the power to make a positive impact and that blaming others only impedes progress.

Candidates who demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement, trustworthiness, and excellent character are often the most successful at Amazon.

Practice questions on Earning Trust:

• How do you build credibility with new reports on a team you haven’t built yourself? Watch an Amazon EM answer.
• Can you give me an example of how you manage conflict?
• How do you earn the trust of your team members?
• Tell me about a time when you had to convince team members of something you proposed.

Principle 12: Dive Deep

No company is perfect, and Amazon is no exception. Things will inevitably go wrong from time to time, and it’s vital that employees can find quick solutions. This is where problem-solving skills come in handy.

Interviewers want to see that you can assess a situation and develop a timely and clever response.

Practice questions on Diving Deep:

• Tell me about a time when you had a problem and had to go through several hoops to discover the root cause. Watch a video answer.
• Tell me about the most complex project you’ve worked on.
• How have you changed an opinion or direction using data?
• Tell me about a time when you could make a decision without having many data metrics in hand.
• Tell me about a time when you decided based on data and were ultimately wrong.

Principle 13: Have Backbone; Disagree & Commit:

Leaders are expected to have strong opinions and be able to stand up for what they believe in. Sometimes you must set aside personal beliefs to move forward as a team.

As you review Leadership Principles, think about how having to make decisions affects the macro outlook of a company like Amazon.

Practice questions on Having Backbone; Disagree & Commit:

• Tell me about a time you faced technical and people challenges simultaneously. Watch a Google TPM answer.
• Tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with your manager.
• How do you manage difficult conversations?
• Tell me about a time when you had an idea you proposed that was not agreed on.
• Tell me about a time you disagreed with someone and how you resolved it.

Principle 14: Deliver Results

Employees aren’t afraid to take risks and learn from their mistakes. Of course, this doesn’t mean you don’t care about quality. You should always strive to do your best work, but there is always room for improvement.

Amazon would prefer to deliver a product or service that is good enough rather than miss a deadline or fail to meet a goal.

Practice questions on Delivering Results:

• Tell me about a time when you worked on a project with a tight deadline. Watch a Cruise TPM answer.
• Describe a challenging project you worked on and why it was challenging.
• How do you prioritize?
• Tell me about a time you used a specific metric to drive change in your department.

15) Strive to be Earth's Best Employer

The “Earth’s Best Employer” policy is more than just a nice-sounding platitude. It’s a concrete way of demonstrating that the company is committed to its workforce.

A company that can show it is dedicated to being Earth’s Best Employer will likely have an easier time recruiting and retaining top talent. And, as any manager knows, a happy, engaged workforce is essential to a company’s success.

By creating a safe, diverse, and just work environment, companies can boost their team morale and productivity and set themselves apart from the competition.

Practice questions on Striving to be Earth’s Best Employer:

• Tell me about a time when an employee gave you negative feedback.
• Tell me about a time you had to mediate a conflict.
• Tell me about a time when you had to motivate a team after a demoralizing event.
• What do you look for when hiring for a team manager role?

16) Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility

Amazon is responsible to its employees, shareholders, and the planet. Amazon's core values are sustainability and social responsibility, even if customer obsession dominates the conversation.

The company strives to ensure its operations positively impact the environment and that employees work hard to create a workplace where everyone can thrive.

They understand that Amazon’s size and reach give the company a unique opportunity to make a difference.

Practice questions on Bringing Broad Responsibility:

• Tell me about a time you had a problem and had to discover the cause. Watch a video answer.
• Describe a time when your project failed.
• Tell me about a time you were not satisfied with the status quo.
• Tell me about a goal/mission you did not think was achievable. How did you help your team to achieve this goal?

More sample interview questions about Amazon's leadership principles

• Tell me about a time when you took a calculated risk.
• Tell me about a time when you had to leave a task unfinished.
• Tell me about when you had to work with incomplete data or information.
• Tell me about a time when you influenced a change by only asking questions.
• Tell me about your most innovative idea.
• Tell us about a time when you solved a problem through superior knowledge or observation.
• Give me two examples of when you did more than what was required in any job experience.
• Tell me about a time you had to handle a crisis.
• Tell me about a time when you had to make a quick decision that would significantly impact the business.
• Tell me about a time when you had a group conflict, and how did you overcome this conflict?
• Tell me about a situation where you directly impacted customer satisfaction.
• What would you do when your engineering manager tells you the launch needs to be delayed?
• Tell me about a time when you had to handle pressure.

Amazon claims that “speed matters in business.” This attitude extends to their interviews as well.

Be clear and concise while still displaying a depth of understanding with clarity of thought.

Your interviewer won’t appreciate meandering anecdotes that seem to jump all over the place.

That’s why Amazon isn’t secretive with its encouragement of the STAR method for answering behavioral questions.

The STAR method is a way of answering these types of questions in a succinct but complete way.

STAR stands for:

• S - Situation
• R - Results

Imagine your interviewer asked you to answer one of the most common Amazon behavioral interview questions, “tell me about a time you had to make a decision to make short-term sacrifices for long-term gains."

Use the STAR method to make the most out of your answer with no rambling or confusing answers.

Explain the situation

Briefly describe the situation in which you had to make such a decision.

What was the context, how’d you know you needed to make the decision, etc.

You could say:

What task did you work on?

Elaborate on the necessary tasks involved with the decision to make short-term sacrifices.

Tasks are not the actions you took but are instead general concepts.

What action did you take?

Different from tasks, what specific actions did you take for the task?

If your task was to learn more about user behavior, your actions could be phone calls or surveys sent via email to users.

Share the results

Finally, talk about the results that came because of your actions.

In this interview question, you’d focus on long-term gains.

This sample answer uses the STAR method to articulate the situation, tasks, action, and result.

Using this method, your interviewer will learn a lot of helpful information about you in a short amount of time. This answer goes beyond what an HR manager might have even listed in the job description.

Hiring managers will often direct behavioral questions at past situations that can be very complex and nuanced or require some context to fully understand.

But with the STAR method, you don’t need to worry about leaving anything important out or wasting the interviewer’s time with a long-winded response.

Read More: How to Use the STAR Method in Interview Answers

Unlike other interview questions, there are no correct answers to behavioral questions, per se.

That is, there can be countless “correct” answers, as it’s based on your personal experiences.

However, there are several tips to help you succeed:

Do your research

Research the general scope of the behavioral questions Amazon may ask you during your interview.

While you’ll never know exactly what questions you’ll be asked, looking over the questions listed in this guide should give you a good idea about what you’re up against.

Reviewing the position's job description may also help guide you in the right direction. For instance, managerial positions may get asked different questions than an Amazon RPM.

Brainstorm experiences to share

Brainstorm possible situations from your previous experiences that you could use for these questions.

Use this guide as a good starting point in your brainstorming. Focus on stories that directly touch on Amazon's leadership tenets.

Write down your stories

After you’ve brainstormed relevant work experiences, write them down and flesh them out so that you’re not stumbling to remember some details amid the questioning.

Write them down according to the STAR method, as well, to make sure your answers are both concise and fully developed.

One particularly effective way to do this is by creating a story bank .

Study the role

Do as much research as possible about the role you’re applying for and the work that the role’s department/team actually does. Your interviewer is bound to ask questions to evaluate if you’re a cultural fit, and your prior research will only help to make the best impression possible.

Not only that, but your research regarding the role you’re applying for can give you a good impression of the behavioral skills necessary for the job. And by extension, it can give you a good idea of the behavioral questions they may ask regarding those skills.

Alongside our Amazon interview prep course, we also offer industry-leading interviewing coaching to help you:

• Get an insider’s look from someone who’s been interviewed, got the offer, and worked at the companies you’re applying to.
• Receive an objective evaluation of where you stand as a job candidate.
• Get personalized feedback and coaching to help improve and get more job offers.

Many of our coaches specialize in Amazon interviews. Check out the profiles of former Amazon interviewers Nathan Yu (Amazon PM) , Vichitra Kidambi (Amazon TPM), and Abhishek Joshi (Amazon PM) to request a coaching session today.

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