Inside Amazon’s recruitment process in the UK

Quick—how many sides does a circle have? How do you lift an elephant with one hand? Who was prime minister in 1992? If you're gearing up for an interview, you might think you need to prepare for trick questions like these. At Amazon, that's not the case. Though tech companies have a reputation for throwing out brain teasers during the interview process, we do things a bit differently.

Our candidate-first approach to interviewing means we'll do our best to ask fair questions and provide tools and resources to help you. However, it's still important to do your research and prepare.

If you're ready to get started, here are 11 tips to prepare for your upcoming interview with Amazon.

Amazon interview questions are behavioural-based. We'll ask about past situations or challenges you've faced and how you handled them. Amazon's Leadership Principles will help us guide the discussion.

Study the job description and get ready to provide examples related to the requirements listed. This will help you prepare for behavioural questions in your interview.

The STAR method is a structured way to respond to behavioural-based interview questions. Following the format, you answer questions by discussing the specific Situation, Task, Action, and Result of the experience you're describing.

Address all angles with STAR; who was involved? What did you do specifically? What were the results based on what you did? How did you make an impact? Once you have nailed these details, start to practise your responses out loud.

Sometimes candidates make the mistake of not going in to enough detail. When answering questions in your interview, remember that specifics are key. Give a detailed account of one situation for each question you answer, and use data or metrics to support your example.

Use "I," when describing actions in your interview answers.

Amazon understand the importance of collaboration and that you have worked with a team, but an interview is an opportunity to sell yourself, not minimise what you have achieved.

Be ready to describe the specific steps you took and how you contributed. Let us know what you actually did.

It's okay to talk about failure. Come prepared with examples that showcase your expertise while describing how you've taken risks, succeeded, failed, and grown in the process.

Keep in mind, some of Amazon's most successful programmes have roots in failed projects. We value innovation and you can’t innovate without failure.

Asking "why Amazon?" is not just a formality for us. We want to understand why you're exploring an opportunity with the company so we get a better sense of who you are.

Be ready to share how Amazon fits into your specific career path. Of course, we want to hear what you will bring to the organisation, but equally, we’re eager to see what you want to learn while working here.

Don't be shy about following up if you need clarification. If an interviewer asks you a question and does not give enough information for you to provide a solid answer, ask for more context.

We ask a lot of questions, and we want our candidates to feel comfortable with this as it’s the environment and culture we actually have.

We may ask you to provide a writing sample. This will depend on the role you're interviewing for, but it isn't necessarily limited to traditional writing roles.

Why? One of the unique aspects of Amazon's culture is that we don't do PowerPoint or any other slide-oriented presentations in meetings. We write narratively structured memos and silently read them at the beginning of each meeting. These papers include pertinent information like project goals, tactics, outcomes, and next steps. Because these papers impact our decision making, articulating your thoughts in written format is a necessary skill.

You will meet with between two to seven Amazon employees during your interview process. They will likely be a mix of managers, team members, key stakeholders from related teams, and a "Bar Raiser" (usually an objective third party from another team).

To keep track of your stories and key details during multiple interviews, bring a pen and notebook to your interview. You can also use this to write down questions you would like to ask each interviewer, and reminders about certain Leadership Principles that might apply to the role.

We use our Leadership Principles to evaluate candidates during interviews. Consider how you've applied them in your previous professional experience as you practise your stories and responses.

We don’t expect candidates to memorise all of the principles, but we like to see that you understand and are excited about them. We use them to see how our values resonate with you, so take time ahead of your interview to tie your stories back to Amazon’s Leadership Principles.

Amazon has a peculiar culture centred on customer obsession.

As you prepare for your interview, research the company to determine whether Amazon is the right fit for you. Learn more about Amazon's culture.

We hope these tips help you prepare for success in your upcoming interview with Amazon.

To explore open roles visit Amazon.jobs.