Someone once mentioned to me that they were interviewed three times in five years but still couldn’t get hired for the job. I also know of someone who told me they interviewed four times at Amazon in a year as a system admin level five.
I told this client that he was not just a system admin and that he needs to amp up his tech experience, he now works as a level six solution architect. I spent about three months counseling the man. This man took all my advice and worked really hard to make it. He was successful in the end because he didn’t lose hope and believed in his abilities.
The purpose of this article is not to give you the job. Getting hired for a job has mostly to do with the extent to which you’re willing to work hard. In addition to counseling, my self-service course teaches you to get job invites. It also helps you to decide what position would be the best fit for your abilities.
My Top Tips on Amazon Interview Prep
This article covers my favorite tips to help you prepare for your next Amazon interview.
Find the Gap
If you continue to apply to jobs when you have failed the respective interviews then it’s time for you to stop. The most pivotal thing as a job applicant for you is to identify the gap. Before moving to apply for the next job, you need to take a moment and figure out what the gap is and how you can overcome this gap that is keeping you from landing your dream job. If you don’t work on filling this gap then you’ll just become trapped in this exhausting cycle of applying for jobs and getting rejected.
Learn How to Articulate Your Story
It is very crucial to learn how to articulate your story in a powerful manner. If you’re going to be applying for a position at Amazon, then you need to make sure you make an astounding statement.
An excellent way to start learning is by recording yourself either practicing in front of a mirror or pressing the record button on the Zoom app. If you only do this 10 times, then your chances of getting hired are greatly reduced. You need to have at least 20 separate recordings of yourself to tell the difference.
In addition to the stories, you need to be able to thoughtfully articulate and convey your thoughts. Any mumbo-jumbo you try to communicate will not pass as a good example.
Ask for Feedback
There are times when you fail to make it through an interview process but the recruiter ends up inviting you for more interviews. Here is when you need to ask if it’s for the same role, for the same team or a different team, and lastly if the recruiter can provide you with any material or advice regarding feedback so you can be prepared for the next time. It is not concealed from anyone that recruiters don’t share any feedback because of obvious reasons.
However, there are a few recruiters who are not reluctant to share useful tips when an applicant asks them for feedback. You as an applicant can frame your statement by requesting them to point you in the right direction so you know you are not wasting your time and effort. If a recruiter is hesitant to do that, you can simply ask them to give you the right material so that you are well-prepared for the next interview.
Brand, Brand, Brand
We’ve all heard that networking is the linchpin for garnering success in any field. Most people often forget that networking is only efficient if you’ve intelligently established your brand. In most cases, people fail their interviews because they do not like to brand and network.
Even if branding and networking make you uncomfortable, it’s a non-negotiable aspect of landing a job. If you just apply for a job without proper networking, then there are very few chances of you getting hired for the job.
Pay Attention to Your Interviewer
In addition to that, sometimes a hiring manager who has interviewed you before might be present in the next interview. One possible reason could be that the hiring manager is interested to learn about your area of specialization, or maybe they want to give you another opportunity to shine.
In some cases, if a hiring manager has already interviewed you and is satisfied, they might shift to online mediums such as virtual chat or launch a Zoom meeting since we’re living in a pandemic nowadays. Act as if it’s a new interview and allow the hiring manager to take the lead. You should also have a look at the template called questions to ask your interviewer to increase your chances of getting hired.
If you’re reapplying for a job when you have failed the interview, then if you don’t take the appropriate measures you’ll end up failing again for the same reasons. It is recommended that you pay attention to your interaction with the interviewer. This includes the way you articulate your answer, which lets you identify the areas you need to work hard on improving.
Amazonians who have experience of six-plus years are pretty good at diving deep into your work history and background. Interviewers are often looking for potential applicants who possess the ability to think big and dive deep and can deliver great results.
Conclusion
In the end, I will like to end this article by saying that it’s very important to find the mistakes you made in your failed interview and identify the gap and work on it before your next interview at Amazon. By doing this, you will increase your chances of landing the job.
However, getting hired at Amazon doesn’t happen overnight, and applicants have to work really hard to make their dreams become a reality. After you’ve figured out the gap, you can also take the feedback or advice from the recruiter to work on perfecting your next interview.
In addition to that, make sure you’re on brand and that you further your brand by effective networking. Have a realistic and objective view of the situation and pay attention to the last interaction between you and the interviewer(s). Working at Amazon is not a piece of cake and requires a great deal of hard work and perseverance. If you think you have everything in you that working at Amazon demands then nothing can stop you.
Be prepared to fail in the beginning but that doesn’t mean you stop trying. Amazon is all about earning your place by excelling in your field. And that means being the best in your area of specialization. That is where I use my ex-Amazonian recruiter experience to help you do your best in your next interview with the company.