Are you an Amazon candidate looking to excel in its hiring process? We understand. It's a tremendous opportunity to work for a company of such scale. However, there's one problem: they hire well and in large numbers.
As it stands, Amazon employs over 1.5 million people worldwide, with numbers steadily increasing by hundreds of thousands each year. It's a lot, and they can only manage such a scale because they have very strict assessment and interview strategies in place.
At MentorCruise, our career coaches have helped people land their dream Amazon job. And one of the best ways to achieve this is by simply being prepared and understanding the Amazon hiring process. In this post, you'll learn:
- Amazon’s approach to hiring
- Amazon's interview process
- Reasons why Amazon candidate applications get rejected
- Tips on how to get hired for a role at Amazon
Amazon Application Process
The first step in the Amazon hiring process is the application process. Mostly, all the application processes start with an online application unless you're applying with a resume on an open day.
Online Applications
First, you must create an Amazon.job account and complete your profile. Depending on the job, you may or may not need to upload a resume. You can even use your LinkedIn profile as a resume.
Once your profile is complete, you can then start your application. They give you a 3-hour window to complete it.
You'll have a series of questions to answer during the online application. Depending on the job, this can be work style or work sample assessments.
Work Style Assessment
First, you have a work style assessment. This Amazon online test is developed to determine your professional style and how it aligns with the company’s Leadership Principles. It consists of a list of multiple-choice questions.
Work Sample Simulations
These are role-specific assessments. You’ll be given a virtual task to complete that is relevant to the job.
These assessments vary in difficulty, depending on the role. For instance, a warehouse manager will have much different work sample simulations than a backend developer.
Job Offer
You may get a job offer based on your performance and job-match quality after the online application.
Your Amazon Job account will notify you of this, and they'll let you know the following steps. These steps are usually a background check, followed by an interview over the phone and in person.
The Amazon Hiring Process
Above, we explained the application process. However, what about the actual Amazon hiring process?
As you can imagine, Amazon hires effectively. They've optimized their hiring process in such a way that they're able to find the right candidates for every role effortlessly.
However, this doesn't come easily. Their process is strict and, sometimes, very lengthy.
Step 1: Coordination of HR recruiter and Phone interview
In most cases, the interview process begins with a phone call, video call, or email from an HR recruiter. This will be your phone interview.
They'll ask you common interview questions, which may include such things as:
- "Tell me about yourself"
- "Why do you want to work at Amazon"
- "Tell me about a time when you failed"
- “What is a great customer experience?”
- And specific job questions like "Tell me about a product or feature that you developed from beginning to end."
As you can see, you'll be asked a few different types of questions. These can be categorized as common, leadership, behavioral, and job-specific questions.
For questions like behavioral questions, we recommend that you use the STAR approach. Amazon likes these responses, so it's worth researching how to do this.
Step 2: Assessments
After your phone interview, you may need to complete additional assessments beyond what you've already done during the application process.
If it's a warehouse job, probably not. However, if it's a managerial role or a coding position, you may need further assessments.
Step 3: Onsite interview
Next, you'll have an onsite interview. Though Amazon doesn't publicly admit this, you'll usually be interviewed multiple times in one day, especially for high-performing roles.
These one-on-one interviews will last about 60 minutes. They will include various people from the team you’re applying to join, such as colleagues, the recruiting manager, and a senior executive.
One of the last interviews will be with a “Bar Raiser,” as Amazon refers to them. These interviewers aren’t associated with the team you’re applying to, and they’re more concerned with overall applicant quality than with particular team specifications.
Step 4: Hiring Meeting
After your interviews, the people you met with will gather in one room to discuss whether or not you should be hired. Usually, you’ll find out the outcome within a week of finishing the final interviews.
Step 5: Offer Meeting
If all goes well, HR will inquire about your present and estimated salary. They'll give you a written offer based on this information and the job’s standard.
Instead of a phone call, HR can invite the interviewee to their office for an “offer meeting” to explain the situation in person.
Step 6: Reference Check
If you’re applying for a high-rank job, Amazon will normally conduct one or two reference tests and, in some cases, more for senior positions.
The HR manager or recruiting manager does these over the phone, and lasts approximately 15-20 minutes. They will usually ask to meet with at least one former boss and one former colleague, or if you are in a management position, one of your former direct reports.
Amazon’s Hiring Process Timeline
There’s no quick answer to the question because the Amazon hiring process timeline varies depending on the position being filled.
The higher the position you’re applying for, the longer the process. This is due to the number of interviews that need to be set up with the management.
For instance, for senior positions, the hiring meeting stage can take weeks or even months because the higher-ups' schedules (i.e., vice presidents and directors) must be free.
For lower positions, you can expect the hiring process to be faster as there are fewer steps to take.
Reasons Why Your Amazon Application Was Rejected
When using an online application, you have three different statuses:
- Application submitted
- Under consideration
- No longer under consideration
If your application is "No longer under consideration, " it's been rejected. The reasons for this can vary but usually consist of the following:
1. Lack of work experience
Your application was rejected because the position you are applying for requires more experience than you have. This is particularly true for highly specialized technical skills.
2. The job position demands a higher level of education.
It’s possible that the job position demands a Bachelor’s degree or higher, which you may not have.
3. Skills and experience mismatch
Another possibility is that your application does not meet the company’s hiring criteria. This may be due to a mismatch between your skills and experience and the requirements of the position.
4. Mistakes in application
Amazon receives a large number of applications, which is why they have a system in place to screen applicants before moving forward with the applications. So, if the documents you submit are incomplete or contain errors, chances are your application will be rejected.
Tips on How to Get Hired at Amazon
After reading the above, you should have a better understanding of the Amazon application and hiring process. With this knowledge, follow the tips below to increase your chances of getting hired.
1. Familiarize yourself with Amazon’s company culture and values.
You must be able to demonstrate how your skills and experience match those values on your resume and in interviews.
More importantly, you should be able to articulate your ability to contribute to the company’s success.
2. Tailor your resume to match the job requirements.
Create a strong resume that showcases your relevant experience as it relates to the job you’re applying for. Look at the job description and responsibilities and tailor your resume to meet every job requirement.
Highlight specific skills and work experience that are relevant to the position. You must tweak your general resume according to the job requirements. Never submit a generic resume.
3. Use relevant keywords in your resume and documents.
Including relevant keywords helps improve your resume's visibility as it makes it easier to scan and search, either by AI or humans.
Hiring managers typically only spend a few seconds reviewing each resume, so they are looking for certain keywords to further expedite the process.
For example, if you are applying for a managerial position at Amazon, here are some relevant keywords that you can use:
- Market strategy
- Conversions
- Data-driven
- Process improvement
- Business results
- Return on investment (ROI)
- Product development
- Project management skills
- Cost-effective
- Business intelligence
- Sales targets
- Strategic
- Innovative
- Problem-solving
With keywords, it’s much easier for your resume to be found by a recruiter or hiring manager who is looking for candidates with specific skills and qualifications.
4. Highlight your experience by using action verbs in your resume and interviews.
Using action verbs in your resume and during the Amazon job interviews is a way to effectively highlight your skills and abilities. By using strong, descriptive verbs, you can paint a clear picture of what you are capable of and what you have accomplished.
Amazon is looking for problem-solvers and innovative individuals who can deliver results. The company is more likely to hire candidates who can think outside the box, are proactive in their work, can take on challenges, and solve business problems.
In order to compete effectively for a job at Amazon, you must be able to show and convince the hiring manager and directors that you have done something in your previous work that benefited the company, which you can replicate at Amazon.
5. Back your stories with data
You must be truthful in your answers to interview questions. This means you must be able to support your statements with solid evidence.
Your stories and experiences should be presented with clear, specific examples. Being a data-driven company, Amazon will likely appreciate if your claims are substantiated with concrete evidence.
For instance, if you discuss achieving sales targets, you should provide specific examples as proof of your accomplishments. The same applies to cost savings and improvements in efficiency.
Concrete examples carry a compelling impact that can bolster your case and enhance the likelihood of securing a position at Amazon.
Get help with MentorCruise
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