Amazon Interview

Reader, if you have come across this post, it implies you are curious about my recent interview failure at Amazon. Please understand, i am not writing this to bring about self-pity; rather, i am posting my understaning of the experience to document and to share insight into the interview i had attended.

Why did you interview at Amazon?

Let me spare you with the prettier answer, I wanted to interview for Amazon, becuase who would not want to work at Amazon. The pay is high, the status is high, and the work seems meaningful. Orignally, the way i went about answering this question, read outloud, to be a huge cope. Now, i could rationalize my interest to make the conjecture that I applied for this role, becuase i deserved this role. However, although my feelings tell me that this was meant to be, the bitter reality was very different. Some cool notes about the role, it had to do with Space Tech (broadband sattelites). Now this post is not a study about Amazons current investments or about my personal feelings after recieving a rejection. Rather, i'd like to share the interviews format, questions asked and my reflection of my performance.

Tell me the Deets!

Before i begin sharing - I'd just like to point out, it has been years since ive written with my own voice. I have been spoiled with chatgpt, and to my suprise, i feel like ive almost forgotten how to write.

Recuiter Reached out

Now it should be no surprise, I was the one who applied for this position, System Admin. To my surprise, a recruiter had reached out to me, by email, simply asking if I had a green card or if I was a citizen; to which I replied yes. Now, coming from a security-focused program, I was excited to know that the recruiter was part of Amazon's security talent team. This means, in my head, I’m closer to where I'd like to be. To say the least, I was very excited.

I scheduled my interview, and instantly the fear hit. I believe I am a valuable asset to any team. My years of dedication and hard work, both in academia and the market, have bolstered my confidence, yet, I could not shake off the anxiety. FEAR OF FAILURE. For the next couple of days, all I could do is pace. I thought to myself, there was no possible way that I was Amazon material. I did not go to a prestigious college, and I have not contributed significantly to any public project.

Fear of Failure

Funnily, as I read through my thoughts, this post has shaped into the exact opposite of my intention — this is an insight into my rejection, and how I plan to handle it. Now long story short, I gave the interview. There were moments where I believed that, perhaps, it would be better for me if I declined to interview and waited until I felt more prepared. However, I kept on. To prepare, I was under the suggestion to practice my coding skills. Oh, how that was wrong. See, if you go anywhere on Reddit or Google, people are constantly talking about Amazon's coding challenges. I was under the impression that I would not be tested on System Admin skills, as it relates to online applications, but rather, I would be tested to see if I could reverse a linked list.

Interview Questions

Now to the meat of the pie - what were the technical questions asked?

If I go to www.amazon.com, what does my computer do?
List 5 linux network commands that can help resolve api latency issue
List 5 Linux non network commands that can help resolve API latency Issues
Favorite Distribution of Linux

Preformance

Now I could give a long-winded essay on exactly what I said and how I said it. However, reflecting on what I said — I noticed one thing about the interviewer — they were looking for detail. I believe I had a great understanding of all the questions given, and if my life depended on it — I would be able to deliver with such detail. I will not lie, Amazon's want for perfection caught me off guard. I have been used to IT departments full of middle management that would not be able to tell you the difference between Bash and PowerShell. Although I failed the interview, I have gained a lot of confidence in the direction I'm taking myself. Amazon said I would be interviewed by a peer; after looking at the interviewer’s social media — I found he had twenty years on me. The fact that I could communicate and understand the questions asked of me gave me immense dignity. I may not have scored an opportunity to work at Amazon, but the opportunity to interview gave me incredible insight into my own potential.