Amazon Interview Questions
Amazon Interview Questions

If you are looking for Amazon Interview Questions you have come to the right place.

We all know interviews are stressful and competition is intense.

However, with a small amount of preparation you can ace the interview

Here we will discuss how to successfully answer potential Amazon Interview Questions.

Please note that these are practice questions, and we are not affiliated with the company mentioned in this post.

TOPICS

Amazon Interview Questions and Answers

1. Why do you want to work for Amazon?

Possible answers are:

  • Mention you want to grow your career in retail and you feel Amazon is the place to do it. Since more and more people are purchasing products online and Amazon is the industry leader, state you feel you can learn more about retail at Amazon than any other company.
  • Mention you feel Amazon cares about their employees. Reference the fact that Amazon announced that it would be extending 6 weeks of paid leave for new mothers and fathers.

Top 3 US Retail E-commerce Companies 2021

  • Amazon 40.4% 40.4%
  • Walmart 7.1% 7.1%
  • eBay 4.3% 4.3%

% of E-Commerce Sales (*)


2. What can you tell us about Amazon?

About Amazon

  • Amazon.com is the largest internet retailer in the world.
  • It was founded by Jeff Bezos on July 5, 1994.
  • The head office is in Seattle Washington.
  • Amazon first started as an online bookstore.
  • The company produces consumer electronics—notably, Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets, Fire TV, and Echo.
  • Amazon Web Services is the world’s largest provider of cloud infrastructure services (basically companies don’t need a huge room filled with powerful computers/servers as they can servers from Amazon at Amazon’s location).
  • Amazon Fresh is a grocery delivery service in select cities.
  • Amazon Prime is a subscription service where customers receive shipping, shopping, streaming, reading, and other benefits.
  • Amazon acquired Whole Foods in June of 2017.
  • Amazon derives many of its sales from third-party sellers who sell products on Amazon.

3. What is your greatest strength?

  • The best way to respond to this question is to describe the skills and experience you have that directly correlate with the job you are applying for. Therefore, review the job description and reassure the interviewer that you have the experience and skills to do the job.

DID YOU KNOW…

Studies reveal that in general the people who get hired are those who mix speaking and listening fifty-fifty in the interview. SO DON’T RAMBLE!

4. What is your greatest weakness?

  • It’s OK to state your greatest weakness, but it’s not OK to state you don’t have any weaknesses. Also, whatever you list as your greatest weakness make sure you say how you are working on resolving it.
  • Make sure your greatest weakness is not a skill required for the position you are interviewing for.

5. Where do you see yourself in five years?

What is the biggest mistake you can make when answering this question?

The job you are interviewing for does not align with your five-year goal.

  • Suppose you are applying for the position of Java developer. If you state you want to become a senior developer or manager of development then the position you are interviewing for matches your goal. However, if you say you want to become an accountant then the role of Java Developer is not a good fit for you.
  • Have a look at the Amazon Jobs page and find a job you can see yourself doing in five years. This will make you sound like your a not a flight risk and a good fit for the company.

DID YOU KNOW…

Studies have revealed that when it is your turn to speak or answer a question you should not plan on speaking for more than two minutes.

6. How did you learn about the position?

Now is a great time to name-drop and let them know about anyone you know at Amazon.

  • You have a friend who told you about the position. This is great as you may get a positive reference from inside the company.
  • I wanted to get into retail and with Amazon being the leader in this field state you were actively looking and applying for jobs at Amazon.

Behavioral Interview Questions

7. Name a time you disagreed with a coworker or manager and what was the outcome?

  • It is only natural to have a conflict at work.  What is important is how you and your colleague come up with a positive outcome.

8. Can you tell me about a time when you received negative feedback from your manager? How did you handle it?

  • Everyone gets negative feedback from a manager as it is an important step in order to grow. In this case, state the negative feedback, and what you did to improve.

9. Have you ever been in a situation where you had a big workload and felt overwhelmed? How did you deal with that? 

  • State a situation at your last job where you felt overwhelmed. Then state how you prioritized your tasks and completed your workload on time.
  • It is also okay to state how you asked for help and how you helped other team members when they were overwhelmed.

Previous Work Experience

10. Tell us about your previous work experience?

  • Try to discuss related work experience more than non-related experience. Remember, related work experience will put you ahead of the competition! 

11. Why are you leaving your current job?

Let’s first examine what not to say!

  • Don’t say you were fired!
  • Don’t display any negativity towards your coworkers!

Possible answers are:

  • I enjoyed working at my last company, however, I no longer felt I was growing in my current role and I am now looking for new challenges.
  • I was in a contract position and I successfully completed the tasks I was required to do.

12. How would your previous manager describe you?

Clearly, you don’t want to say anything negative about yourself. Sample answers are:

  • Works well under pressure.
  • A Team Player.
  • Pays great attention to detail.
  • Good communicator.

13. Why is there a gap in your resume?

  • Honesty is the best approach when answering this question. Being honest about your situation gives the employer a sense of integrity and confidence.

Additional Interview Questions

14. Who are Amazon’s competitors?

Interviewers ask this question because they want to see that you have done your homework and you are informed about the industry.

  • State Brick and Mortar companies like Walmart or Target.
  • Online sites such as eBay.

15. What are your salary expectations?

  • This is a stressful question because if you ask for too much, you will not get the job and if you ask for too little, they will gladly underpay you.
  • Be sure to research salary expectations for your role before you go into the interview. There are plenty of sites that will discuss salary ranges.
  • If you don’t know what to say, ask what the salary range is?  You can then counter with the high end of the range. 

16. What motivates you? 

Employers ask this question because they want to see your resiliency, determination on how you’ll handle challenges and setbacks.

Say

  • Meeting deadlines, targets, or goals.
  • Mentoring and coaching others.
  • Learning new things.
  • Coming up with creative ideas to improve something or make something new.
  • Working well as part of a team.
  • Finding a way to solve a problem or overcome a challenge.

17. If you could be one animal what would it be? 

Interviewers ask this question because it may reveal more about your character, or see how you operate under stress.

When you state what animal you would be, state why.

Possible Answers are

  • Dogs to demonstrate loyalty
  • Ants are hard workers and team-players
  • Dolphins are smart
  • Elephants are strong
  • Gorilla is gentle but powerful, a good parent, and a good leader

Questions to Ask on an Amazon Interview

  • What do you like best about working here?
  • How would you describe your ideal candidate for this position?
  • What about this position is the most important?
  • How would you measure my success and what could I do to exceed your expectations?
  • Which part of the position has the steepest learning curve? What can I do to get up to speed quickly?
  • What opportunities will I have to learn and grow?

Amazon Warehouse Interview Questions

Why should I hire you as a warehouse associate?

  1. State you work well as an individual as well as a team player
  2. Mention you pay strong attention to detail which will allow you to accurately pick and pack orders.
  3. Mention you work well under pressure.
  4. State you are physically fit and will not have issues moving items in the warehouse.

How do you feel about working on your feet all day?

  • Most warehouse jobs will require you to work on your feet for long periods of time. If possible tell the interviewer you do not have a problem with this. Try to wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes with a low heel, maintain good posture, and stay hydrated.

What hours can you work?

  • Try and be flexible when answering this question. The more relaxed you are with your hours, the better your chance of landing the job.
  • State that you understand if you need to work on weekends and holidays. 

How was the attendance in your last job?

  • Honesty is your best approach when answering this question as the interviewer may check your references.
  • Emphasize that you understand the importance of starting your shift on time.

Do you have any experience operating heavy machinery?

  • Although not a requirement state if you have operated any heavy machinery.

Amazon Interview Tips

  • Arrive 10 minutes early.
  • Turn off your smartphone.
  • Learn as much as you can about the company.
  • Don’t speak too fast as you will sound nervous.
  • Don’t speak too slow as you will sound boring.
  • Make eye contact during the entire interview.

Amazon Interview Attire

Entry-Level Position

  • Dress business casually if you are interviewing for an entry-level position.  Do not wear shorts and avoid wearing jeans. 

Management Position

  • Dress formally or business casual if you are interviewing for a management position.  Blazers and dark trousers are a safe choice, as well as wrap dresses for females. Avoid sportswear clothes.  
Colors
  • Blue tells employers that you’re credible and trustworthy.
  • Black shows leadership and is great if you’re going for a senior position.
  • Red sends a message that you’re assertive and works well in fields like sales.
  • Orange is apparently the worst color to wear for a job interview, with it being linked to unprofessionalism.

See Also

*Please note that we cannot guarantee specific questions asked during the interview. Also, note that we are not affiliated with the company mentioned in this post.