Today, one of every 153 American workers is an Amazon employee. With that, you may assume that getting hired is a breeze. However, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos once said: “I’d rather interview 50 people and not hire anyone than hire the wrong person.” If you’re about to face off against Amazon interview questions, that might legitimately be the most intimidating statement ever.
Now, that doesn’t mean Amazon wants you to fail. Instead, it simply means they only want to hire people who bring the right stuff to the table. With a bit of preparation, you can make the cut. So, come with us as we explore the world of Amazon interview questions.
Download our “Job Interview Questions & Answers PDF Cheat Sheet” that gives you word-for-word sample answers to some of the most common interview questions including:
Top skills recommended for Amazon Catalog Manager interview Insights by AmbitionBox
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.
Now that you have a foundation on how to answer Amazon interview questions, its time to practice. Below are three of the top interview questions you are likely to encounter during your interview.
How to Answer Amazon Interview Questions
While you could just jump into the fray, memorize a few Amazon interview questions, and be done with it, that’s not the best way to go about things. Sure, you might be ready to handle specific questions. But, if something unexpected comes up, you might be caught flatfooted. No one wants that.
With the right techniques and overall strategy, you can face off against unanticipated questions. Now, exactly how you need to prepare can and will be a bit nuanced. After all, there is a slew of positions at Amazon, and each one involves something different.
How do you make sure you’re ready for YOUR Amazon interview?
Start by reading the job description for the position. In that handful of paragraphs, you’ll find a ton of specific, actionable information about what the hiring manager is looking for in a perfect candidate.
For example, the list of must-have skills you find on most job descriptions reflects their priorities. Those keywords or qualities you see over and over? Yeah, those fall into that category, too.
Without a doubt, you can expect to have to speak about your capabilities in those areas, so reflect on your abilities and think about relevant examples from your work history that you can describe. That way, you can discuss your capabilities with ease.
Now, you may be headed for an interview at a traditional department store. If you’re curious about what those interview questions look like, head over to our articles on Kohl’s or Best Buy. Otherwise, here’s how to prepare for behavioral questions at Amazon!
Now, it’s important to understand that talking about your skills is only one part of the equation. You also need to be ready for Amazon behavioral interview questions.
Amazon adores behavioral interview questions. Usually, it’s because of the belief that past behavior indicates future success. Plus, it gives them clues about a candidate’s personality and behavioral traits, as well as how well a person aligns with the company’s core leadership principles (more about that in a moment).
Some of these can be a little tricky, but when handled properly, behavioral interview questions are also chances to shine. Begin by embracing the STAR Method. With that, you can take a boring response and carefully polish it into a captivating answer. Couple that with the Tailoring Method, and you have an approach that focuses on personalization, customizing your responses to the role and company.
By bringing both methodologies together, you can demonstrate your value clearly. Plus, you’ll have an easier time connecting with the hiring manager, and that could boost your odds of success.
In fact we we wanted to let you know that we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview. After all, hiring managers will often ask you more generalized interview questions!
Click below to get your free PDF now: