Amazon Interview Questions: The Ultimate Preparation Guide (With Example Stories)

This guide will show you how to prepare for behavioral interview questions when interviewing at Amazon, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of what's expected. Amazon interviews are notoriously challenging. Our recommendations are based on our experience with thousands of candidate interviews and coaching sessions (both while we were at Amazon and after starting Day One Careers).

At the end of this guide, we offer a vetted list of questions for interviews at the company, but we encourage you to read through the entire guide. While we cannot guarantee you will get a job, following this guide will increase your chances of landing the offer. We recommend that you bookmark this guide and use it as a reference point throughout your Amazon interview preparation journey.

About us

Evgeny Bik and Gayle Gallagher (GG), co-founders of Day One Careers, wrote this guide. GG spent five years at Amazon as a senior leader in Prime Video and Amazon Fresh in the UK, and Evgeny spent over three years as a senior leader in Amazon Launchpad and Amazon Devices in Europe. In addition, GG and Evgeny were Hiring Managers and interviewers for their teams and partner organizations.

In addition, GG was a qualified Amazon Bar Raiser – an independent decision-maker with veto power over the hiring manager in the Amazon interview process. GG and Evgeny had careers in multi-national Tech, FMCG and Retail companies before joining Amazon.

Finally, after leaving Amazon, Evgeny spent one year at Apple as an eCommerce lead in IMMEA (Apple’s developing markets organization).

We created Day One Careers to provide everyone with expert Amazon interview preparation resources. We’re incredibly proud of our free and paid resources, and we encourage you to explore our blog and YouTube channel for more expert guidance.

You can check out our LinkedIn profiles if you’d like to learn more about our career paths: GG’s profile and Evgeny’s profile.

Why We Wrote This Guide

We wrote this guide for two reasons. First, after coaching thousands of candidates on preparing for interviews at Amazon, we wanted to make our expertise available to as many candidates as possible. Second, the internet (blogs and YouTube) is spreading misinformation about the interview process at Amazon, including questions and preparation strategies.

What makes us confident? Our community of paid students has plenty of folks who burned themselves following the unqualified advice of the self-proclaimed Amazon interview experts. So you can be confident that you are in the best hands possible.

How This Guide Will Help You Prepare For Amazon Interviews

This guide will help you prepare for behavioral interview questions at Amazon. It has a proven D1C Amazon Interview Method (D1C AIM) to prepare for your interview, which has worked for hundreds of candidates who have landed job offers with Amazon.

Note that we crafted this guide to assist genuine candidates in preparing for interviews at Amazon. Therefore, we don’t offer tips on manipulating Amazon’s interview process and encourage all candidates to avoid resources that try to do so.

Also, this guide covers only interview questions based on Amazon’s Leadership Principles. It does not cover coding, System Design or other functional preparation topics.

We are proud of what we have achieved with Day One Careers, and we stand firm in our aspiration to be the most credible source of guidance on ace Amazon’s behavioral interviews.

Step 1: Understand Amazon’s Leadership Principles

Amazon’s behavioral interviews look for behaviors corresponding to their core competencies – the 16 Amazon Leadership Principles. These Leadership Principles – or LPs – embody Amazon’s business mantra and penetrate every aspect of Amazon’s decision-making.

So, during behavioral interview rounds, Amazon wants to ascertain that you embody the Amazon Leadership Principles, ensuring you are a future Amazonian. Hence, all questions you encounter during your behavioral interviews with Amazon will be based on the Leadership Principles. You can review all Leadership Principles by visiting Amazon’s jobs portal.

We cannot stress how integral the Amazon Leadership Principles are to the company's culture and decision-making. Even candidates interviewing for technical roles (e.g. Software Developer, Data Scientists, Business Intelligence Engineers) should take these competencies seriously.

From our experience, the weight of your behavioral interview results will be at least 80% for non-technical roles and at least 50% for technical positions.

Many candidates only consider the information on Amazon’s website when trying to understand the Leadership Principles. However, each Amazon Leadership Principle encompasses multiple sub-themes beyond its official definition, reflecting the depth of Amazon's values. Some sub-themes seem logically connected to the LP definition, while others might appear unrelated or contradictory.

For example, candidates fail to realize that Amazon’s Customer Obsession Leadership Principle does not mean the customer is always right. So, they struggle to come up with a credible response when an Amazon interviewer asks them to tell a story about when a customer made an unreasonable request.

Another trap that many candidates fall into is trying to prepare individual responses to individual interview questions. This approach is unsustainable because there are too many questions. Utilizing our collection of vetted questions will help, but you will still quickly run out of stories.

So, the only working preparation strategy is to understand the broad sub-themes (facets) of Amazon’s Leadership Principles and develop stories that cover them.

To understand the facets of Amazon’s Leadership Principles, we recommend doing the following:

1. Review Jeff Bezos’ Letters to Shareholders. Jeff’s Shareholder Letters contain golden insight into the meaning that Amazon’s founder attached to the Amazon Leadership Principles.
2. Read books from our reading list. These books come from former senior Amazonians who worked with Jeff and his team during the company’s early days. The insights in these books are invaluable to understanding the Leadership Principles in-depth.
3. Review example questions. Along this guide, you will find a list of example interview questions that map to the 16 Leadership Principles – crowd-sourced and vetted by GG and Evgeny for authenticity. By studying these examples in-depth, you will see emerging leadership principles facets.
4. Invest in in-depth online courses. If you want to leave no stone unturned to prepare for your interview, we strongly recommend investing in self-study resources. There are plenty to choose from – so make sure to research thoroughly.

We recommend our Amazon Interview Success System – an all-in-one online training that helped hundreds of candidates land L4-L8 roles at Amazon. It is heavily reviewed in our live database of testimonials, so feel free to check them out. Or check out our free taster course to kick-start your Amazon interview preparation journey.

Step 2: Understand Amazon’s Cultural Quirks

Amazon takes pride in its peculiar culture and ways of working. This company culture is rooted in the Leadership Principles but has evolved with distinct expressions over the years, highlighting Amazon's commitment to its core values.

One such expression is Amazon’s approach to innovation. While plenty of businesses call themselves innovative, the reality is not straightforward. Some are reactive incrementalists, and others focus on features rather than benefits.

Amazon’s framework cuts across all these methods by stating, “We start with the customer and work backwards”. “Working backwards” quickly became an internal cultural meme at Amazon and a title of a highly recommended book by Colin Bryar.

In practice, this means that Amazonians are expected to anticipate what the customer might need and want, even without having clear guidance for customers. Or, as often happens, by going opposite what customers are asking for.

Amazon’s company culture can be challenging to understand, reflecting its unique innovation and customer service approach. Still, taking the time to appreciate it will help you connect with your interviewers and feel more comfortable during the interview process.

Another benefit of learning about Amazon’s peculiar culture is challenging your motivation to join the company. Are you interviewing with Amazon for the right reasons? Are you passionate enough to join the business?

If you join a company like Amazon, you will find few employees for random reasons. Instead, most have highly personal reasons for wanting to work there. So, as you learn more about Amazon’s culture, ask yourself if it is something you can see yourself doing long-term.

Here are some vetted resources that you can use to connect with Amazon’s peculiar culture:

1. Think Like Amazon YouTube Series. We partnered with the Think Like Amazon podcast creator and re-published the best episodes to our YouTube channel. In this playlist, former senior Amazonians speak about solving real-life business problems with their unique Amazonian approach.
2. Books from our reading list. The list of books we mentioned in this guide's previous section will give you a glimpse into how Amazon functions daily.
3. YouTube interviews of current and former Amazon leadership. Look for interviews with Jeff Bezos, Andy Jassy, Jeff Wilke, and Dave Limp.
4. Amazon Interview Success System. We created an entire section dedicated to Amazon’s peculiar culture, where we explain the most critical cultural quirks of Amazon. This section is part of Amazon Interview Success System – a flagship online training by Day One Careers.

Step 3: Master the Amazon STAR Method

To form your responses, tell stories about times you demonstrated the desired behaviors. However, this doesn’t come naturally to most candidates since most companies don’t use behavioral interviewing and prefer to ask hypothetical questions or focus on your resume.

A popular interview storytelling framework for Amazon behavioral interviews is STAR (Situation, Task, Actions, Results). Most companies that use behavioral interviewing recommend that candidates follow this format when responding to interview questions.

In the Situation part of the story, you would share the context that prompted you to act.

The Task part is where you talk about what you need to accomplish.

Actions are self-explanatory – these steps you took to get to the results.

Finally, in the Results section, you’d share the outcomes of your activities.

STAR has been around for decades. Getting comfortable with this format will be sufficient to learn basic interview storytelling. However, to land a role at Amazon, you must learn how to enhance your responses to raise the bar – proving that you are better than 50% of current Amazonians at the same level (or the Amazon STAR Method).

First, you must ensure that the bulk of your story is understandable without extensive follow-up questioning. This is done by skillfully establishing the context and adapting the level of technical details to your audience.

Second, your stories must be believable and credible. You must show that your actions had a real impact and were successful unless the question asks for a story about failure. To achieve this, you must use facts and data wherever possible.

Finally, you must signal that you are senior enough for the role you are interviewing for. Remember that organizational hierarchies exist for a reason. Usually, more is expected of employees working at higher levels. Therefore, you must pick the situations that give your profile the best chance to prove that it is senior enough for the level of the Amazon job and fit for the role.

Learn from former hiring managers and Bar Raisers to fine-tune your STAR for Amazon. If you know someone who used to interview and hire candidates at Amazon, contact them. Both current and former Amazonians tend to be helpful when it comes to aspiring candidates, so you may be surprised at how much value you can get from your network.

Alternatively, we recommend exploring the “Mastering the Behavioural Interview” and “How Amazon Amazon Hires” sections in our Amazon Interview Success System video course content. These sections offer an Amazon-tuned, impact-optimized STAR interview framework and a blueprint for signaling your seniority.

Step 4: Practice With Partners

Acing behavioral interviews at Amazon typically comes with challenges. For example, candidates usually need to be able to recall and describe up to 24 different stories, depending on the job they are interviewing for. They also need to withstand interjections and follow-up questioning from interviewers and explain complex themes simply.

The only way to achieve this interview mastery is to practice with partners (learn about the importance of practice to land a job offer with Amazon). Therefore, we recommend finding a community of candidates preparing for interviews with Amazon. This will ensure that you practice with motivated individuals who share your situation.

We also advise only using the example questions provided in this guide. Please avoid Glassdoor or any other sources of questions, as they won’t be vetted by anyone who worked at Amazon.

Finally, ensure you have a good night’s sleep between practice sessions with these interview questions. Our brain learns when asleep, so try to space your mock interview practice sessions at least one day apart.

To kick-start your Amazon interview preparation, we invite you to join our free community, where you will find plenty of motivated candidates preparing to interview with Amazon. You can get access to this community after getting our free taster course.

Vetted Interview Questions for Amazon Leadership Principles With Example Stories

Below is a list of example questions for your interview preparation. For an even more extensive collection of questions, we recommend you get our Amazon Interview Toolpack – a complimentary resource we’ve made available to everyone at no cost. Amazon Interview Tool Pack has 90+ fully vetted example questions for behavioral interviews you can use to practice with partners.

While the example questions in this guide are hypothetical, GG and Evgeny have ensured their relevance to the Leadership Principles, reflecting their deep understanding of the company's unique culture.

Example stories are skeletons that are offered to give you a flavour of how to structure your responses in the STAR format. Note that your interview answers must be longer and more nuanced than the examples in this section.

Customer Obsession

Definition

Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers.

Example behavioral questions

• Tell me about a time you made something better or created something new because you listened to a customer/s. What was the situation and what action did you take?
• Give me an example of when you disappointed a customer. What happened, and how did you attempt to rectify the situation?
• Tell me about a time you handled a difficult customer. What did you do? How did you manage the customer? What was her/his reaction? What was the outcome?
• Tell me about a time you put the customer first, regardless of what peers or higher management directed. What was theoutcome? How did this impact day-to-day interaction with your peers and/or management?
• Tell me about a time when you’ve refused an unreasonable customer request.
• Tell me about a time when you over promised to a customer and then failed to deliver. How did you deal with the situation?

Example response

Situation: In my previous role as a Customer Service Manager for a leading e-commerce platform, we faced an unprecedented challenge during the holiday season. A technical glitch led to the loss of hundreds of critical customer orders, risking immediate revenue loss and long-term customer trust. Understanding the gravity of the situation, I took ownership of resolving this issue, knowing that our commitment to our customers was at stake.

Task: My objective was not only to recover the lost orders but also to enhance the customer experience to turn a potentially harmful situation into a positive one. The goal was to ensure no customer felt the impact of our internal issues and to strengthen their loyalty to our brand ultimately. I aimed to achieve a 100% recovery rate of lost orders and aimed for an increase in customer satisfaction scores by 10% from the interaction.

Action: To address and solve the problem, I initiated a three-pronged strategy:

1. Rapid Response Team: Formed a task force comprising members from IT, customer service, and logistics. This team worked round-the-clock to identify, recover, and process the lost orders.
2. Proactive Communication: Implemented a proactive outreach program, contacting every affected customer personally. We informed them of the glitch and the steps we were taking to address it and offered expedited shipping at no extra cost. For those whose orders couldn't be recovered in time, we provided a full refund and a significant discount on their next purchase.
3. Feedback Loop: Established a direct feedback channel for these customers, inviting them to share their experiences and suggestions. This feedback was used to refine our processes and prevent similar incidents in the future.

Result: The dedicated efforts of the task force led to the recovery of 98% of the lost orders. Our proactive communication and compensation strategy increased customer satisfaction scores among affected customers by 15%, surpassing our initial objective. Moreover, the feedback collected led to significant improvements in our IT infrastructure and customer service processes, reducing the risk of similar issues in the future. This incident became a case study within the company on the importance of transparency, swift action, and the value of customer feedback in turning challenges into opportunities for improvement.

Invent and Simplify

Definition

Leaders expect and require innovation and invention from their teams and always find ways to simplify. They are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere, and are not limited by “not invented here.” As we do new things, we accept that we may be misunderstood for long periods.

Example behavioral questions

• Tell me about a time you removed complexity for customers. What drove you to implement this change?
• Tell me about a time when you found it difficult to deliver an imaginative idea you had. Why was it so difficult to deliver?
• Tell me about a time when you were faced with a difficult problem or situation where the normal approach or solution was not going to work.
• Tell me about a time you had a big impact on your business by thinking really differently.
• Tell me about a time you chose to re-purpose a solution from another area ratherthan design your own solution. How did you come across this solution and why wasit better to use than designing your own?

Example response

Situation: As a product manager at Tech Innovate Inc., a leading technology solutions provider, my team faced the challenge of streamlining our customer onboarding process. The process was cumbersome and involved multiple steps that customers found confusing, leading to a significant drop-off rate and customer dissatisfaction.

Task: My objective was to design a novel solution that simplified the onboarding process, improving customer satisfaction and reducing drop-off rates. I aimed to cut the onboarding time by at least 30% and increase customer satisfaction scores by 20%.

Action: I initiated the project by gathering customer feedback and collaborating with the sales, marketing, and IT departments to understand the pain points in the current process. Inspired by user-friendly apps in different sectors, I proposed the development of an AI-powered assistant as a solution to a complex problem, guiding customers through the onboarding process in a conversational, interactive manner.

I led a cross-functional team to develop the AI assistant, focusing on user experience design and integrating it with our CRM system to personalize the onboarding experience. We conducted iterative testing with a small user group, using their feedback to refine the assistant further.

Result: The introduction of the AI-powered assistant was a success. We reduced the average onboarding time by 40%, exceeding our initial goal. Customer satisfaction scores increased by 25%, with customers praising the new process's simplicity and personalized approach. The project demonstrated our ability to innovate and simplify complex processes and set a new standard for customer onboarding within our industry.

Dive Deep

Definition

Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, audit frequently, and are skeptical when metrics and anecdote differ. No task is beneath them.

Example behavioral questions

• Give me an example of a time when you had to dig really deep into multiple tiers of information to get to the source of a problem. What information did you look at? Who did you talk to?
• Can you give me an example of a time when someone gave you an explanation for something, you didn’t think was right and you investigated in order get to the true answer?
• Walk me through a problem where the solution wasn’t easy to get to and you needed to use lots of data, information and scrutiny to solve it. How did you know you were focusing on the right things?
• Amazon uses a route cause analysis process called the 5 whys. Where you ask yourself “why” five times to try to get to the origin of a problem. Can you give me an example of when you have asked yourself “why” 5 times or more to get to the bottom of a problem?

Example response

Situation: While working as a Data Analyst at a leading e-commerce company, our team was challenged to optimize the inventory management system to reduce overstock and stockouts, significantly affecting our profit margins and customer satisfaction. This issue was particularly pressing during the peak holiday season, when demand forecasting accuracy was crucial.

Task: My task was to utilize data analytics to improve our inventory management system, ensuring we could accurately forecast demand, optimize stock levels, and enhance our overall supply chain efficiency. The primary objectives were to reduce stockouts by 30% and overstock by 25% within six months, aiming to boost customer satisfaction and profitability.

Action: To address this challenge, I began by diving deep into historical sales data, market trends, and customer behavior analytics. I conducted a comprehensive data analysis using statistical modeling and machine learning techniques as a solution to a complex problem, predicting future demand more accurately. This involved:

1. Collecting and cleaning extensive datasets to ensure accuracy and relevance.
2. Implementing predictive analytics models to forecast demand for different product categories.
3. Analyzing supply chain logistics and lead times to adjust inventory levels dynamically.
4. Collaborating with the supply chain and sales teams to further incorporate their insights and refine the demand forecasts.
5. Setting up a dashboard that provided real-time inventory insights, allowing for quick adjustments based on actual sales data and demand signals.

Result: The data-driven approach to optimizing the inventory management system led to a 35% reduction in stockouts and a 28% decrease in overstock within the first six months, surpassing our initial objectives. This improvement significantly enhanced customer satisfaction, as indicated by a 15% increase in positive customer feedback regarding product availability. Additionally, the project contributed to a 10% increase in profit margins due to reduced inventory holding costs and lost sales.

Frugality

Definition

Accomplish more with less. Constraints breed resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and invention. There are no extra points for growing headcount, budget size, or fixed expense.

Example behavioral questions

• Describe a time when you had to decide whether or not to award or ask for additional resources. What criteria did you use for making the call?
• Tell me about a time where you thought of a new way to save money or reduce excess within your operation.
• Tell me about a time when you pushed for a more cost-effective or operationally efficient process or solution. What motivated you and how involved did you get on with achieving the outcome?
• Give me a time you requested additional funding/budget to complete a project. Why was it needed? Did you try to figure out another approach? Did you get the additional resources? Why or why not?

Example response

Situation: In my previous role as a project manager at a mid-sized software development company, we faced a significant challenge. We were tasked with developing a new client management system with an extremely limited budget and a tight deadline of just three months. The constraints were daunting, given the complexity and scale of the project, which was critical for enhancing our customer service efficiency and operational scalability.

Task: I aimed to deliver a fully functional, scalable client management system within the specified timeframe and budget. This required innovative cost-saving measures and maximizing the use of existing resources without compromising on quality or functionality. The key performance indicators (KPIs) were to stay within budget, meet the project deadline, and achieve a system adoption rate of at least 80% by our customer service team within the first month of launch.

Action: To address these constraints, I initiated a thorough review of our existing tools and resources to identify opportunities for reuse and adaptation. I led brainstorming sessions with my team to encourage innovative ideas for cost-effective solutions, promoting a culture of frugality and resourcefulness. We decided to utilize open-source technologies to reduce expenses and implemented agile project management methodologies to accelerate development while maintaining change flexibility. Additionally, I negotiated with vendors for more favorable terms and engaged the team in cross-training to fill skill gaps, avoiding needing external consultants. Regular progress reviews and adjustments ensured we stayed on track and optimized resource allocation throughout the project.

Result: Despite the tight constraints, we successfully developed and deployed the client management system within the three-month deadline and under budget. The project resulted in a system adoption rate of 85% by the customer service team within the first four weeks post-launch, exceeding our initial target. This initiative demonstrated our ability to deliver significant projects frugally and sparked a wave of innovation and efficiency improvements across the company. Our approach to maximizing resource value and fostering a culture of innovation has since been adopted as a best practice for future projects.

Ownership

Definition

Leaders are owners. They think long term and don’t sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just their own team. They never say “that’s not my job.”

Example behavioral questions

• Tell me about a time when you decided to accept a trade-off of short term benefits in order to secure long-term benefit.
• Describe a time when you took on something significantly outside your normal area of responsibility. Why did you think it was important for you to take it on?
• Tell me about a time you missed a deadline. What happened and what did you learn?
• Describe a situation where you failed to deliver on something important to a customer or a colleague. What did you do when the failure surfaced?
• Give me an example of a time when you revised a decision or a plan based on the consequences to other teams in your business.

Example response

Situation: At Global Tech Solutions, a software development company, I was a senior developer tasked with leading a critical project to create a new customer relationship management (CRM) platform. The deadline was tight, and the project was pivotal for securing a long-term partnership with a major client. Midway through, we encountered significant technical challenges that threatened to delay our delivery.

Task: My primary goal was to ensure the timely and high-quality completion of the CRM platform. Understanding the project's importance, I decided to take full ownership beyond my initial responsibilities, aiming not only to meet but to exceed the project delivery standards and ensure client satisfaction.

Action: I took several steps to address the challenges we faced:

1. Extended Work Hours: Recognizing the urgency, I extended my work hours, dedicating early mornings and late evenings to troubleshooting and developing solutions.
2. Cross-Functional Collaboration: I initiated daily stand-up meetings with the IT, marketing, and customer service teams to ensure alignment, gather insights on user experience, and incorporate feedback directly into the development process.
3. Mentoring Team Members: Aware of the steep learning curve some newer technologies presented to the team, I conducted hands-on training sessions—this effort aimed to address immediate project needs and upskill the team for future projects.
4. Client Engagement: I increased the frequency of communication with the client, providing transparent updates on progress and challenges. Their feedback built trust and allowed us to adjust project specifications in real-time.
5. Innovative Solutions: To address the technical challenges, I researched and implemented cutting-edge solutions that were new to our team, significantly improving the platform's performance and user interface.

Result: Through these actions, we scoped the project and delivered the CRM platform two weeks before the deadline with features that surpassed the client's expectations regarding functionality and user experience. The client was delighted, leading to a long-term partnership and a 30% increase in projected revenue from this relationship. Internally, the project was recognized as a benchmark for excellence and innovation, and the solutions I developed were later adopted as best practices for future projects. This experience underscored the value of taking ownership, proactively addressing challenges, and going the extra mile to exceed expectations.

Earn Trust

Definition

Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. Leaders do not believe their or their team’s body odor smells of perfume. They benchmark themselves and their teams against the best.

Example behavioral questions

• Describe an time when you received negative feedback about yourself or your performance.
• Describe a time when there was a morale issue in your team but thanks to your effortsthe team was able to recover. How did you identify the issue, turn things around andmake sure the problem didn’t return?
• Building trust within teams can sometimes be an uphill task. Describe how you successfully forged trustful professional bonds.
• Tell me about a time when you needed the cooperation of someone who didn’t want to give it. How and did you convince them to support you?
• Tell me about a time you were tasked with giving your team news that you knew they would not like. How did you plan the message and deal with the reactions?

Example response

Situation: At my previous job at TechInnovate, a leading software development company, I was the Team Lead for the UI/UX Design Department. We were in a critical project to revamp the user interface for one of our flagship products. During this time, I noticed one of my team members, Sarah, seemed increasingly overwhelmed and struggled to keep up with her deliverables. Her challenges were starting to impact the project timeline and the team's morale.

Task: Recognizing the importance of maintaining a positive and supportive team environment, I set a goal to assist Sarah in overcoming her immediate challenges and strengthen the team's resilience and collective ability to address similar issues in the future. My objectives were to improve Sarah's project contribution by 30% and reduce the team's overall project delay from two weeks to less than four days.

Action: I first approached Sarah for a one-on-one discussion to understand her challenges. Listening attentively, I learned she juggled too many tasks and felt unsure about her priorities. To address this, I:

1. Reassessed Task Allocation: Reviewed the project tasks among the team to ensure a more balanced workload, allowing Sarah to focus on tasks that matched her strengths and reduced her stress.
2. Implemented Weekly Check-Ins: Introduced weekly check-in meetings for the team, providing a platform for everyone to voice concerns, share progress, and support each other. This fostered a culture of openness and mutual support.
3. Offered Mentorship: Provided Sarah with one-on-one mentoring sessions focusing on time management and prioritization techniques. I also encouraged her to be vocally self-critical, helping her identify areas for self-improvement without feeling embarrassed or awkward.
4. Encouraged Team Collaboration: Promoted a team environment where everyone felt comfortable offering and asking for help. This supported Sarah and empowered the entire team to collaborate more effectively.

Results: These actions significantly improved team dynamics and project outcomes. Sarah increased her contribution to the project by 40%, surpassing our initial goal. The project delay was reduced to only three days, better than our target of four days. The team's morale improved noticeably, with members feeling more connected and supportive of each other. This experience reinforced the importance of listening, empathy, and proactive problem-solving in leadership. It also demonstrated how fostering a culture of respect and collaboration can lead to better individual and team performance.

Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit

Definition

Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly.

Example behavioral questions

• Recall an occasion where you stood your ground on an unpopular viewpoint in a team setting, becoming the minority.
• Describe a situation where you thought you were right, but your peers or supervisor did not agree with you. How did you try to convince them that you were right? Did you succeed?
• Give me an example of a time you chose to acquiesce to the group even when you disagreed. Would you make thesame decision now?
• Tell me about a time that your manager and you took firm opposite positions on a decision, recommendation or next best action. What was it about and how did you handle it?

Example response

Situation: At Spark Innovations, a fintech startup where I served as the Product Manager, our team faced a pivotal decision regarding implementing a new feature within our mobile banking app. The feature in question was designed to enhance user security through biometric authentication. While the majority of the team, including senior leadership, favored a rapid deployment to stay ahead of competitors, I harbored concerns about user privacy and data security implications.

Task: My goal was to ensure that the feature we were introducing would set us apart in the market and uphold our company's commitment to user privacy and data security. I aimed to convince the team to adopt a more cautious approach involving further security vetting and a phased rollout plan.

Action: I took several steps to address this challenge:

1. Conducted Thorough Research: I spent considerable time gathering data on potential security vulnerabilities and user concerns regarding biometric data. This included case studies from other companies and feedback from forums and social media.
2. Prepared a Comprehensive Presentation: Armed with this data, I prepared a presentation highlighting the risks of rushing the feature's deployment without adequate safeguards. I emphasized the long-term impact on user trust and our brand's reputation.
3. I sought External Expert Opinions. To strengthen my case, I consulted with cybersecurity experts and included their insights and recommendations in my presentation.
4. Facilitated Open Discussion: I presented my findings to the team and senior leadership, encouraging open discussion and addressing counterarguments with respect and factual evidence.
5. Proposed a Constructive Alternative: Instead of merely opposing the rapid deployment, I proposed a phased rollout plan that included an initial pilot with a limited user group. This would allow us to gather feedback and make necessary security enhancements.

Results: While my stance was initially unpopular and met with resistance, the thoroughness of the research and the constructive nature of my proposal gradually won the team over. The leadership agreed to adopt the phased rollout approach, which allowed us to identify and rectify several security concerns that had been overlooked. The feature was successfully implemented, receiving positive feedback from users for its security measures.

Hire and Develop The Best

Definition

Leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion. They recognize exceptional talent, and willingly move them throughout the organization. Leaders develop leaders and take seriously their role in coaching others. We work on behalf of our people to invent mechanisms for development like Career Choice.

Example behavioral questions

• Share an experience dealing with an underperforming team member.
• Recall an instance where your mentoring turned an average performer into a star.
• Describe a situation where you assembled a specialized team for a unique project.
• Tell me about a time when you hired someone to fill gaps in your own skill set. How were you still able to support their development?

Example response

Situation: At Quantum Solutions, a cybersecurity firm where I worked as a Security Solutions Manager, I encountered a challenging situation with an underperforming team member, Alex. Alex has been a valuable asset to our team and is known for his innovative approaches to cybersecurity challenges. However, over the past quarter, I noticed a significant decline in his performance and engagement, affecting the team's overall productivity and project timelines.

Task: My goal was to constructively address Alex's underperformance, aiming to improve his performance by at least 25% within a three-month period. I also aimed to re-engage him with the team and our projects, ensuring his growth aligned with our department's objectives and standards.

Action: I took a multi-faceted approach to address this situation, ensuring my actions were aligned with the leadership principle of "Hire and Developthe Best":

1. Initiated a Candid Conversation: I arranged a private meeting with Alex to discuss my observations. I approached the conversation with empathy, expressing concern for his well-being and seeking to understand any underlying issues contributing to his underperformance.
2. Set Clear Expectations and Objectives: Together, we established clear, measurable objectives for his performance, including specific project milestones and behavioral changes within the team dynamics.
3. Developed a Personalized Development Plan: Recognizing the need to invest in Alex's growth, we created a development plan that included mentorship from a senior team member, targeted training sessions to upgrade his skills, and regular check-ins to monitor progress.
4. Provided Constructive Feedback: Throughout the process, I offered regular, actionable feedback on Alex's performance, highlighting areas of improvement and acknowledging progress to keep him motivated.
5. Encouraged Peer Support: I facilitated opportunities for Alex to collaborate more closely with his peers, fostering a supportive team environment that encouraged sharing knowledge and skills.

Results: This approach led to a noticeable improvement in Alex's performance and engagement. Within three months, his productivity increased by 30%, surpassing our initial goal. He became more proactive in team meetings and projects, contributing innovative solutions significantly benefiting our department. Additionally, the process strengthened our team's cohesion and reinforced a culture of continuous improvement and support. My efforts to invest in Alex's development salvaged a valuable team member and underscored my commitment to nurturing talent and maintaining high standards within my team.

Bias for Action

Definition

Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. We value calculated risk taking.

Example behavioral questions

• Give me an example of a considered risk you took because you had to act fast.
• Describe a moment when you took a significant business decision when your management wasn't available to get approval from.
• Tell me about a time you overcame indecision because there just wasn’t time to keep thinking. What did you use to aid your decision to move forward?
• Tell me about a time when you were faced with a decision where the path to follow wasn’t obvious. How did you decide what direction to take?
• Walk me through a time you didn’t have all the facts but you still had to make a decision.

Example response

Situation: While working as the Project Manager at Innovatech Dynamics, a tech startup specializing in renewable energy solutions, I faced a pivotal moment. Our team was on the verge of launching a groundbreaking solar panel technology. However, a week before the launch, our final tests revealed potential efficiency issues under certain environmental conditions. With the launch event already publicized and stakeholders eagerly anticipating it, delaying seemed detrimental to our momentum and could severely impact investor confidence.

Task: I aimed to ensure the product met our quality standards without significantly delaying the launch. The well-considered risk involved fast-tracking an innovative but untested solution to the efficiency issue, aiming to implement it within an extremely tight deadline of three days, thereby minimizing the launch delay to under a week.

Action:

1. Rapid Solution Development: I convened an emergency meeting with our R&D and engineering teams to brainstorm and finalize a potential solution within hours. We decided to integrate a new, lightweight thermal insulation layer that could improve efficiency without overhauling the existing design.
2. Stakeholder Communication: I communicated transparently with stakeholders about the discovery and our plan to address it, emphasizing our commitment to quality and innovation. This built trust and bought us crucial extra time.
3. Focused Team Effort: I reorganized the team’s workload, prioritizing tasks related to implementing the new solution. We worked in round-the-clock shifts to expedite development, testing, and integration.
4. Managing Risks: To mitigate the risk of this untested solution and solve a problem, we set up parallel testing scenarios to quickly identify any further issues and developed contingency plans for rapid iteration.
5. Stakeholder Updates: Throughout this intensive period, I provided daily updates to stakeholders, maintaining transparency about our progress, challenges, and any adjustments to our plan.

Results: The team's hard work and the innovative solution paid off. We successfully integrated the thermal insulation layer, improving the solar panels' efficiency by 15% under the identified conditions. The launch was delayed by only five days, significantly less than initially feared. The product received high praise for its efficiency and reliability, and the trust we built with our stakeholders through transparent communication led to an increased investment of 20% from our primary investors. This experience underscored the importance of swift, decisive action and the value of calculated risk-taking in the face of uncertainty.

Deliver Results

Definition

Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a timely fashion. Despite setbacks, they rise to the occasion and never settle.

Example behavioral questions

• It can be difficult to set goals for a team that are challenging yet achievable. Tell me about a time when you hit the right balance. How did you approach setting the goals? What was the outcome?
• Share an experience where you not only achieved a goal but surpassed the expectations. What led to you being able to over-achieve?
• Give me an example of a time when you were at risk of not meeting a goal. What did you do to try to meet it? Were you successful?
• Tell me about a time when you were trying to achieve a goal but barriers you hadn’t planned for kept getting in your way. How did you get past those barriers?

Example response

Situation: During my tenure as a Marketing Manager at BrightSpark Innovations, a company specializing in educational technology, we faced the challenge of launching a new e-learning platform. The market was highly competitive, and our entry needed to make a significant impact. My role involved leading the marketing campaign for the launch, with the primary goal of securing 10,000 user sign-ups within the first three months post-launch.

Task: To achieve this goal and surpass expectations by increasing user engagement and creating a solid foundation for future growth, I aimed to double the target to 20,000 sign-ups while ensuring high user satisfaction and engagement rates.

Action:

1. Data-Driven Strategy: I initiated a comprehensive market analysis to understand our target audience's preferences and pain points. This data informed our marketing strategy, highlighting the unique features and benefits of our e-learning platform.
2. Engaging Content Creation: Developed a series of engaging, informative content tailored to our target demographic. This included instructional videos, infographics, and blog posts distributed across various digital platforms.
3. Collaborative Partnerships: Forged partnerships with influential educational bloggers and institutions to promote our platform. These collaborations extended our reach and added credibility to our marketing efforts.
4. Referral Program: I implemented a referral program incentivizing existing users to recommend our platform to peers. This strategy increased sign-ups and fostered a community of engaged users.
5. Feedback Loop: Established a system for collecting user feedback post-launch, enabling us to identify and address any issues quickly. This proactive approach to problem-solving significantly enhanced user satisfaction.

Results: The campaign was a resounding success. We surpassed our initial goal within the first month, achieving over 30,000 user sign-ups by the end of the third month, tripling our original target. User engagement metrics exceeded industry averages, with an exceptionally high daily active user rate. The feedback loop provided valuable insights to solve a problem, leading to two significant updates, increasing user satisfaction and retention. This project achieved its goals and set a new standard for product launches within the company, demonstrating the power of a well-executed, data-driven marketing strategy.

Insist on the Highest Standards

Definition

Leaders have relentlessly high standards — many people may think these standards are unreasonably high. Leaders are continually raising the bar and drive their teams to deliver high quality products, services, and processes. Leaders ensure that defects do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed so they stay fixed.

Example behavioral questions

• Tell me about a time when you’ve been discontented with the accepted norm. What did you do to change it? Were you successful?
• Describe a situation that when you looked back on it, you wished you’d done better. What was the situation and how could you have improved on it?
• Tell me about a time when you put in place to drive continuous improvement in yourself or others or in business output?
• Can you describe a situation where you had to balance delivering high-quality work with staying within budget or resource constraints? What factors did you consider when making tradeoffs, and how did you ultimately prioritize quality and cost?

Example response

Situation: At GlobalTech Solutions, a leading IT services company, I led a team responsible for software quality assurance. The prevailing norm within our department was to rely heavily on manual testing methods, which, while thorough, were time-consuming and increasingly inefficient given the complexity and scale of our projects. I noticed this approach was causing delays in project timelines and affecting our ability to meet client expectations for rapid deployment.

Task: My goal was to challenge this traditional approach by integrating automated testing tools into our workflow. The endeavor aimed not only to maintain but to elevate our quality standards, reducing the time required for testing phases by 50% and increasing our defect detection rate by 30%.

Action:

1. Research and Proposal: I researched the most effective automated testing tools suitable for our projects. Based on this research, I prepared and presented a detailed proposal to senior management, outlining the potential benefits, costs, and an implementation plan.
2. Pilot Program: With approval, I initiated a small pilot program, selecting a few projects to integrate automated testing. This allowed us to demonstrate the approach's effectiveness without disrupting ongoing work.
3. Training and Support: I organized training sessions for my team to ensure they were proficient in using the new tools. I also established a support system for troubleshooting and continuous learning.
4. Feedback Loop: Implemented a feedback mechanism to collect data on the performance of automated testing, allowing for adjustments and optimization based on real-world use.
5. Scaling Up: After the pilot's success, I led the process of scaling up automated testing across all projects, ensuring that the transition was smooth and that quality standards were consistently met or exceeded.

Results: The initiative was a resounding success. We scoped the project and delivered a 60% reduction in testing time across projects, surpassing our initial goal. The defect detection rate improved by 40%, indicating a significant increase in the quality of our software products. The shift to automated testing enhanced our efficiency and allowed us to allocate more resources to innovation and development, improving client satisfaction and competitive advantage in the market. This endeavor challenged the status quo and demonstrated the value of embracing new technologies to uphold and exceed high-quality standards.

Learn And Be Curious

Definition

Leaders are never done learning and always seek to improve themselves. They are curious about new possibilities and act to explore them.

Example questions

• Tell me about a time when you explored an existing process, system or solution outside of your normal scope. What triggered you to look into it and what did you learn?
• Tell me about a project that required you to learn something new.
• Describe a situation when you willingly stepped outside of your comfort zone or usual responsibilities and ended up gaining something positive from the experience.
• Outside of your formal education and training, can you share an example of something you taught yourself that has been useful in improving your work output?
• Tell me about a time you taught yourself something new, just because you were interested in it.

Example behavioral questions

Situation: As a Digital Marketing Specialist at CreatiVista, a boutique marketing agency focused on innovative digital strategies, I recognized the emerging significance of data science in shaping targeted marketing campaigns. Despite having a solid background in traditional and digital marketing, I noticed a gap in my ability to leverage advanced data analytics for predictive modeling and customer behavior analysis. This realization sparked my curiosity and led me to self-learn data science fundamentals, particularly Python programming for data analysis and machine learning.

Task: I aimed to integrate data science techniques into our marketing strategy development process. By doing so, I aimed to enhance campaign personalization, improve customer segmentation, and ultimately increase ROI for our clients. I set a personal goal to develop and implement a predictive model for customer purchasing behavior within six months.

Action:

1. Online Learning: I dedicated evenings and weekends to online courses and tutorials, focusing on Python for data analysis, machine learning basics, and statistical modeling.
2. Project-Based Learning: To solidify my understanding, I initiated a personal project that involved analyzing historical campaign data from past clients to identify patterns and predict outcomes of future campaigns.
3. Peer Review: I sought feedback from peers in online data science communities, refining my approach based on their insights and suggestions.
4. Integration into Work: Once confident in my skills, I proposed a pilot project to my team at CreatiVista, aiming to utilize my newly developed data science capabilities to enhance our upcoming campaigns.
5. Collaboration and Implementation: Working closely with the analytics team, I integrated predictive modeling into our campaign planning process, focusing on optimizing email marketing campaigns for a key client based on predicted customer engagement.

Results: The pilot project succeeded, leading to a 35% increase in customer engagement for the targeted email marketing campaign, surpassing our client's expectations. My self-taught data science skills allowed us to refine our customer segmentation and personalization strategies significantly. This initiative not only boosted our agency's value proposition but also fostered a culture of continuous learning and innovation within the team. My journey into data science underscored the importance of being curious and proactive in acquiring new skills that align with industry trends and future needs.

Think Big

Definition

Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They think differently and look around corners for ways to serve customers.

Example behavioral questions

• Tell me about at time when you identified a chance to make a bigger impact that originally planned while working towards a goal.
• Tell me about a time when you encouraged a team member or organization to take a big risk. How did you balance the risk against existing business goals? What was the outcome? What did you learn from this situation?
• Share a moment when higher-ups embraced your visionary proposal across the enterprise.
• Tell me about a time that you proposed a solution to a significant problem that was drastically different to any solutionanyone had come up with before. Why did you think it needed such a drastically different approach. Did it work?

Example response

Situation: I served as an innovation strategist at Vertex Dynamics, a leading enterprise in the renewable energy sector. Recognizing the shift towards sustainable business practices, I observed a gap in our product portfolio concerning integrating innovative technology with renewable energy solutions. Despite our company's strong market presence, our innovation pipeline lacked a bold, forward-thinking project aligned with future sustainability trends and digital transformation.

Task: I proposed to develop an integrated intelligent solar solution, combining IoT (Internet of Things) with solar technology to optimize energy production, management, and usage for commercial clients. The aim was to solidify Vertex Dynamics' position as a leader in renewable energy and open new revenue streams and partnerships in the tech industry. The project's success metrics were set to include establishing at least three strategic partnerships, a 20% increase in R&D investment return within two years, and launching a pilot project with a flagship commercial client.

Action:

1. Comprehensive Market Analysis: Conducted thorough research on current trends, consumer demand, and competitive offerings in the innovative technology and renewable energy sectors.
2. Stakeholder Engagement: I initiated discussions with key stakeholders across various departments to assess the feasibility, gather initial feedback, and build a coalition of support before presenting to senior leadership.
3. Visionary Proposal Development: Developed a detailed proposal outlining the project's objectives, expected outcomes, required investments, and a roadmap for implementation. This included potential risks and mitigation strategies to ensure a well-rounded presentation.
4. Persuasive Presentation: I presented the proposal to the company's senior leadership team and board members, highlighting its strategic alignment with global sustainability goals and the potential for market leadership in a nascent field.
5. Pilot Project Initiation: Upon approval, led a cross-functional team to initiate a pilot project, collaborating with technology partners and a select commercial client to prototype the smart solar solution.

Results: The senior leadership team embraced the proposal, recognizing the opportunity to position Vertex Dynamics at the forefront of innovation in renewable energy. The project received an initial investment significantly above the standard R&D budget to fast-track development. Within the first year, we established partnerships with two leading tech companies specializing in IoT solutions and initiated a successful pilot with a significant commercial real estate firm. This venture not only projected Vertex Dynamics into a new market segment but also significantly boosted our brand as innovators in sustainable technology. The project's success laid the groundwork for further innovation-driven initiatives and underscored the value of thinking big and strategically leveraging cross-industry trends to drive growth and sustainability.

Are Right, A Lot

Definition

Leaders are right a lot. They have strong judgment and good instincts. They seek diverse perspectives and work to disconfirm their beliefs.

Example behavioral questions

• Give me an example of a decision you made where you didn’t have personal expertise or data to guide you. What didyou use to help you make the decision?
• Give me an example of when you didn’t have any data but you still had to make a decision. What was the situation and what led you to your final decision?
• Tell me about a business model decision or key technology decision or other important strategic decision you had to makefor which there was not enough data or benchmarks. In the absence of all the data, what guided your choice and how didyou make the call? What was the outcome?
• Give me an example of a significant failure in judgment at work. What did you learn from this situation?

Example response

Situation: As the Product Development Manager at TechStream, a software development company, I was overseeing the development of a new project management tool designed to improve team collaboration and efficiency. Based on my assessment of market trends and user feedback, I decided to prioritize the inclusion of an advanced AI feature that would automate task prioritization and allocation. I believe this would set our product apart from competitors and meet a futuristic need in project management.

Task: The goal was to launch a market-leading tool that would streamline project management practices and introduce a new level of automation in task handling, thereby saving time and enhancing productivity for our users.

Action:

1. Feature Development: Directed a significant portion of our development resources towards building the AI functionality, believing in its potential to revolutionize the market.
2. Market Analysis: I conducted what I thought was a thorough market analysis, but in hindsight, I was overly optimistic about the immediate demand for such advanced features.
3. User Testing: Implemented user testing phases that, unfortunately, focused more on the functionality of the AI feature rather than the tool's overall usability and core features.

Results: Upon launching the product, we quickly realized that the market was not as ready for the AI-driven functionality as I had anticipated. The feedback indicated that while the concept was innovative, it wasn't a priority for most users, who found the feature overly complex for their current needs. Moreover, the focus on this advanced feature had detracted from developing and refining basic functionalities that were critical to our target audience. Sales were below projections, and the development team had to work on updates to streamline and simplify the tool, delaying our roadmap for other features.

This experience taught me several valuable lessons. Firstly, the importance of balancing innovation with user-centric design and market readiness. I learned that being right often requires having a good idea, timing it correctly, and ensuring it aligns with user needs and expectations. Secondly, it highlighted the need for more diverse and realistic user testing, ensuring that feedback from a broad user base informs development priorities. Finally, it was a reminder that a "fail fast" approach in product development can be valuable, allowing for rapid iteration and adaptation based on real-world usage and feedback. Moving forward, I've applied these insights to my decision-making process, ensuring that innovative ideas match rigorous market validation and user-centric design principles.

Strive to be Earth’s Best Employer

Definition

Leaders work every day to create a safer, more productive, higher performing, more diverse, and more just work environment. They lead with empathy, have fun at work, and make it easy for others to have fun. Leaders ask themselves: Are my fellow employees growing? Are they empowered? Are they ready for what’s next? Leaders have a vision for and commitment to their employees’ personal success, whether that be at Amazon or elsewhere.

Example behavioral questions

• Describe when you facilitated an environment conducive to others' success.
• Share a moment when you instigated decisions to make the workplace more vibrant and inclusive.

Example response

Situation: As the Head of Operations at EcoTech Innovations, a startup specializing in sustainable technology solutions, I was acutely aware of our team's challenges regarding resource constraints and high expectations. Given our mission to succeed as a business and make a positive environmental impact, it was crucial to ensure that our team felt supported, valued, and motivated to innovate. Recognizing this, I initiated a comprehensive program to enhance our work environment, facilitating success for all team members and aligning with our goal to strive to be Earth's best employer.

Task: My main objectives were to improve employee satisfaction by 30%, reduce turnover rates by half within a year, and foster a culture of innovation and collaboration. These goals were aimed at enhancing productivity and making EcoTech Innovations a model for sustainable and employee-centric workplace practices.

Action:

1. Conducting Surveys: I began by conducting anonymous employee satisfaction surveys to gather insights into the team's concerns, needs, and suggestions for improvement.
2. Flexible Work Arrangements: Based on survey feedback, I implemented flexible work arrangements, including remote work options and flexible hours, to accommodate diverse lifestyles and responsibilities.
3. Professional Development Programs: We established a professional development program that offered training sessions, workshops, and courses related to our industry and general skills enhancement. This program was designed to support career growth and personal development.
4. Mentorship and Team Building: Launched a mentorship program pairing newer employees with experienced mentors. Additionally, I organized regular team-building activities to strengthen interpersonal relationships and foster a sense of community and mutual support.
5. Recognition and Rewards System: Introduced a recognition and rewards system that acknowledged outstanding contributions, innovation, and teamwork. This included public recognition and tangible rewards, such as bonuses or extra vacation days.
6. Sustainability Initiatives: Encouraged employee-led sustainability initiatives within the workplace, providing a budget and resources for projects aligned with our environmental goals. This empowered team members to contribute directly to our core mission.

Results: Implementing these measures led to a significant improvement in employee satisfaction, with a survey conducted a year later showing a 40% increase in overall satisfaction levels. The turnover rate decreased by more than half, and we saw a marked increase in the number of innovative projects and ideas proposed by team members. These initiatives contributed to our business objectives and reinforced our commitment to sustainability and employee well-being. The success of this program underscored the importance of fostering an inclusive, supportive, and flexible work environment as a key driver of both employee success and organizational growth.

Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility

Definition

We started in a garage, but we’re not there anymore. We are big, we impact the world, and we are far from perfect. We must be humble and thoughtful about even the secondary effects of our actions. Our local communities, planet, and future generations need us to be better every day. We must begin each day with a determination to make better, do better, and be better for our customers, our employees, our partners, and the world at large. And we must end every day knowing we can do even more tomorrow. Leaders create more than they consume and always leave things better than how they found them.

Example behavioral questions

• Recount an instance where you reconsidered a decision upon recognizing its negative repercussions on extended team members.
• Narrate a situation where the environmental ramifications of your choices were at the forefront of your considerations.

Example response

Situation: As the Environmental Compliance Officer at GreenManufacture, a company specializing in eco-friendly packaging solutions, I oversaw transitioning to a new material for our packaging products. This initiative aimed to further reduce the environmental impact of our products by utilizing a biodegradable composite material. The challenge was implementing this change without compromising product quality or significantly increasing production costs, all while maximizing the environmental benefits.

Task: My goal was to lead the transition to the new material in an environmentally responsible, cost-effective manner and aligned with our company's commitment to sustainability. This required a comprehensive evaluation of the material's lifecycle, from sourcing to disposal, to ensure its use would have a net positive impact on the environment.

Action:

1. Lifecycle Assessment (LCA): Conducted a thorough LCA of the proposed biodegradable material compared to our existing materials, evaluating factors such as carbon footprint, water usage, and potential for pollution.
2. Supplier Evaluation: Worked closely with suppliers to assess their sustainability practices, ensuring that the sourcing of the new material adhered to our environmental standards and ethics.
3. Product Testing: Oversaw rigorous testing of the new material to ensure it met our durability and quality standards, involving laboratory tests and real-world usage scenarios.
4. Stakeholder Engagement: Engaged with key stakeholders, including customers, environmental advocacy groups, and industry partners, to gather input and build consensus around the transition. This included transparent communication about the benefits and challenges of the new material.
5. Cost-Benefit Analysis: Conducted a detailed cost-benefit analysis to understand the financial implications of switching to the new material, taking into account direct costs and potential savings from reduced environmental impact fees and improved brand image.
6. Implementation Plan: Developed and executed a phased implementation plan, starting with pilot runs in select product lines to minimize risk and allow adjustments before a full-scale roll-out.

Results: The transition to the biodegradable composite material was a success, resulting in a 25% reduction in our carbon footprint and a significant decrease in water usage across our production processes. The LCA confirmed that the environmental benefits of the new material outweighed its impacts, marking a significant step forward in our sustainability journey. Furthermore, the initiative was well-received by customers and stakeholders, enhancing our brand's reputation as a leader in environmental responsibility. The project highlighted the importance of thorough evaluation and strategic planning in ensuring that our efforts to innovate and improve our products align with our commitment to the environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should an answer to an Amazon interview question last?

We’ve coached many candidates who came to our sessions with the (false) assumption that their initial STAR response to an Amazon interview question should only last 2 minutes. Unfortunately, most of them got this idea from various YouTube videos advocating this length of a STAR response.

So allow us to be crystal clear: the length of your initial STAR answer to an Amazon interview question should be around 4-7 minutes, depending on the seniority of the role you're applying for. Anything over seven minutes turns your response into a monologue, cutting the interviewer’s time to drill down and follow up. On the other hand, anything less than five minutes will not give you enough time to land the story’s basic facts and will lead to a wasted interview, unless you're interviewing for a role at L4 or below.

Can I bring a “cheat sheet” to my interview?

What we refer to as a “cheat sheet” should be called a “work journal” or “interview notes.” It is the Excel (or PDF) spreadsheet where you map situations from your career to Amazon’s 16 Leadership Principles and bullet out key objectives and results.

The answer to this question is: YES. Evgeny rocked up to all his external and internal Amazon interviews with his interview notes and used them to help him answer answers. The interview, especially in the context of the Amazon hiring process, is not a memory test, and you are not expected to recall the results of all your projects to a decimal point of a percentage.

If the situations are real (you did not make stuff up), please commit them to paper and bring them to the interview. If in doubt, please check with your recruiter.

How far back into my career should my situations go?

Unless you have a career gap, please aim for the situations to not be older than five years. The one exception could be an answer to the Are Right A Lot interview question about an error of judgment. You could potentially go to 6-7 years as an exception. We are unaware of official guidelines, but we’d use these as guardrails.

Can you share answers to the interview questions?

No, and we would highly advise you NOT to use any resources that offer you canned answers to interview questions. Even if you are not concerned about fairness and ethics (we are!), experienced Amazon interviewers will call you out.

In our signature Amazon interview preparation course, we offer plenty of example responses to demonstrate what great looks like and how you should structure your answers to questions. Never invent interview responses. Instead, use the training to help your hard-earned accomplishments shine their brightest.

How should I demonstrate that I am analytical while answering Amazon interview questions?

We get this question from candidates interviewing for Data Science or Business Intelligence Engineering technical roles. While it is true that, according to our experience, Amazon has a recruiting slate for left-brain candidates, Dive Deep is the only Leadership Principle that calls specifically for analytics. Maybe Invent & Simplify (the Simplify part).

Hence, there is no expectation that every answer to an Amazon interview question will result in a STAR story about you cracking a complex problem with your analytical prowess. In addition, some Leadership Principles – like Ownership – have nothing to do with numbers and everything to do with attitude, and you were able to put it to action and impact.

Can I reuse a situation from a screening round during the Loop?

It depends.

If you get a question during the Loop that is precisely the same one someone asked during a phone interview, advise the interviewer. Tell them you will use the same answer you used on the phone screen and ask them if this is ok. You will then know if you can use the same response or not.

In all other cases, if possible, our guidance is to avoid reusing phone screen answers during the Loop. This is because different teams, hiring managers and Bar Raisers will have different attitudes to candidates reusing the same material. Therefore, the only fail-safe strategy is to have fresh material for the Loop.

Can I share multiple situations from the same project?

Yes, you can. You can chunk long projects into distinct situations where you demonstrate different Leadership Principles. Do not ever assume that just because one of your projects took years to come to an important milestone, you have to use it to answer just one question. Instead, consider long projects or programs as sources of multiple situations.

Do I need to prepare a specific set of examples if I’m interviewing for {Role 1, 2,3}?

No. You may hear from your recruiter or the Hiring Manager that the role you are interviewing for requires a specific set of functional skills. If the position is non-technical (e.g. not an SDE or a DE/BIE), your skills will come through naturally during an otherwise LP-focused interview.

In addition, you may want to identify Leadership Principles that are particularly relevant to your functional profile and ensure that the examples you prepare reinforce those skills.

What resume format guarantees my profile will get in front of the hiring manager?

Contrary to a plethora of resume advice, the best format is the one that is optimized for a quick scan by human eyes. No fancy infographics, no photos, no colors, and no progress bars. A white A4 sheet with Times New Roman (ok, Arial if you feel brave), size 11. Clean, tidy, and well-sectioned.

Where can I find more answers about Amazon behavioural interviews?

If we did not answer your questions in this article, we recommend you check out this post with more Amazon behavioural interview questions and answers.

Further Amazon Interview Preparation Resources

Books

• The Everything Store by Brand Stone
• Amazon Unbound by Brad Stone
• Working Backwards by Colin Bryar and Bill Carr

Online Reading

• More Amazon Interview Tips from Day One Careers
• How to negotiate your Amazon offer and salary

Online Learning

Amazon Interview Success System by Day One Careers