I applied online. I interviewed at Amazon (Seattle, WA) in Oct 2012
Interview
I had 2 Phone interviews followed by an Onsite interview. The phone interviews were straightforward, involving standard questions such as how to reverse a string. Also some questions on arrays, how to find if there are duplicates. Then there were questions related classes and polymorphism. Afterwards I had to email solution to a dictionary problem within the next day, which made use of STL data structures such as hash maps.
The onsite interview was a pleasant experience. The hiring manager wanted to know my ambition and what I see myself doing in the team. The staff was a mix of strict interviewers who were opinionated and those who were open to my view point. I did not get good read of whether they were happy with my answers. I thought the interview went positive, however it came back negative.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Write code to iterate through a binary tree, delete a node from binary tree
Write C++ code to support Rubik's cube solving
What is model-view-controller paradigm?
How will you deal with very large data set, especially those that does not fit into memory. What search techniques will you use?
Initial screening call with recruiter followed by a 1 hr hacker rank question on DSA. The final round was a panel consisting of 4 interviews ranging from technical design, more DSA and behaviour questions.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Describe a time when you disagreed with your team and how you resolved it
Online Application & Assessment: Candidates apply via amazon.jobs and may be asked to complete online assessments (work simulations or technical tests).
Recruiter Phone Screen: A 30-60 minute interview to discuss your background, interest in the role, and initial behavioral questions.
Technical Phone Screen (For Tech Roles): A 60-minute interview focused on data structures, algorithms, and coding in a shared editor.
Interview Loop (Virtual/Onsite): The final stage, usually 3-5, 45-60 minute interviews held on the same day or over a few days.
Behavioral Questions: These focus on past behavior (STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result) mapped to Leadership Principles.
Technical/Functional Questions: Problem-solving, system design, or domain-specific questions.
Bar Raiser Interview: One interviewer is a "Bar Raiser," a neutral employee from another team tasked with ensuring hiring standards remain high.
Hiring Committee/Debrief: Interviewers meet to discuss candidate feedback and make a hiring decision.
Recruiter screen. Then 2 coding interviews then onsite rounds (another coding question, then a system design question, then HM behavioral interview). System design was simpler than other companies. Coding was leetcode ish
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