Hi everyone, this topic is for sharing Preparation guidelines and interview experience for Amazon Intern-SDE
The Intern-SDE at Amazon involves a multi-stage assessment and interview process, designed to evaluate both technical skills and business proficiency. Below is a summary of the process and key points from the interviews you provided:
Assessment Test Rounds:
Round 1: Online Assessment (HackerRank)
Three coding questions to be solved in 2 hours.
Candidates who solved all/most questions progressed to interviews.
Interview Rounds:
Technical Interview (Online)
Typically 2 DSA coding questions (LeetCode medium level).
Expect to explain your thought process while coding.
Solving both questions efficiently led to selection in one shared experience.
Online Interview (another experience)
Two coding questions asked; candidate solved one.
Outcome not shared, but clarity of thought and communication were emphasized.
Interview Preparation Tips:
Focus on LeetCode medium-level DSA problems; practice core data structures and algorithms.
Practice explaining your approach while solving problems to ensure clarity during the interview.
Time management is crucial during online assessments—practice under timed conditions.
Clear communication of your logic and trade-offs is as important as arriving at the correct solution.
Technical/DSA/Coding
Introduce and implement solutions to two LeetCode medium-level DSA problems live.
Explain your approach and thought process while coding a solution.
Analyze the time and space complexity of your solution.
Identify and handle edge cases for the given problem.
Optimize your initial solution if there is a more efficient approach.
Write or discuss test cases and dry-run the code to validate correctness.
Debug and fix issues when a test case fails.
Complete three coding problems within a 2-hour online assessment window.
HR/Personality/Behavioral
Introduce yourself / Tell me about yourself.
If you have attended the process from your campus, pls share your experiences here; Please follow [guidelines](https://discuss.boardinfinity.com/t/interview-transcript-guidelines/22428?u=abhay-gupta-ebaf4123)
Application Process: Applied through the campus placement process.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked:
Introduction.
Two DSA questions (Leetcode medium level).
Your Approach:
Gave a brief introduction about myself.
Solved both DSA questions efficiently, explaining my thought process clearly.
Outcome: Selected for the role after solving both questions.
Preparation Tips:
Focus on solving Leetcode medium-level problems, especially those related to data structures and algorithms.
Practice explaining your approach while solving problems to ensure clarity during the interview.
Conclusion:
The interview was straightforward, and solving both DSA questions was the key to selection. Practicing problem-solving under time constraints and improving communication skills would be beneficial for future candidates.
Application Process: Applied through campus placement.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked: The interviewer asked for an introduction and then introduced himself and his role at the company. He presented a DSA (Data Structures and Algorithms) question, explained it, and provided hints when I got stuck.
Your Approach: I tried to understand the problem thoroughly and worked through it step by step, taking the hints provided by the interviewer to guide my solution.
Outcome: The round was challenging, but I managed to arrive at a solution with the interviewer’s guidance.
Preparation Tips:
Focus on core Data Structures and Algorithms concepts.
Practice explaining your thought process clearly while solving problems.
Take mock interviews to get comfortable with the interview environment.
Conclusion:
Overall, it was a great learning experience. I realized the importance of staying calm and communicating my thought process effectively. For future candidates, I’d recommend practicing problem-solving under time constraints and being open to hints during the interview.
Application Process: Applied through the company’s job portal. After submitting the application, I received an online assessment link.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Online Assessment:
Questions Asked: The assessment included questions on DBMS, networking, SQL, and a coding problem.
Your Approach: I focused on revising core concepts of DBMS and networking beforehand. For the coding question, I practiced problem-solving on platforms like LeetCode to ensure I could tackle it efficiently.
Outcome: Successfully cleared the online assessment, and a recruiter contacted me to schedule the interview loop.
Round 2 - Interview Loop:
Questions Asked: The interview loop consisted of technical rounds covering data structures, algorithms, and system design. Specific questions included optimizing a given algorithm and designing a scalable system.
Your Approach: I prepared by revising key algorithms and practicing system design problems. During the interview, I made sure to communicate my thought process clearly and considered edge cases.
Outcome: The interview went well, and I received the outcome within 5 business days.
Preparation Tips:
Focus on core CS fundamentals like DBMS, networking, and SQL for the online assessment.
Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode to improve problem-solving speed and accuracy.
For the interview loop, revise system design concepts and be prepared to explain your thought process step-by-step.
Conclusion:
Overall, the experience was smooth and well-structured. I realized the importance of clear communication during technical interviews. For future candidates, I’d recommend practicing under timed conditions to simulate the actual interview environment.
Application Process: Applied through the campus placement process.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked:
A graph-related problem.
A binary search on arrays problem.
Your Approach:
Struggled with the graph problem despite the interviewer providing hints.
Managed to solve the binary search problem but couldn’t fully crack the graph question.
Outcome: Could not solve the graph problem within the given time. The interviewer was supportive and provided hints throughout.
Preparation Tips:
Focus on graph algorithms and binary search problems as they are frequently asked.
Practice time complexity analysis for all approaches.
Conclusion:
The interviewer was friendly and helpful, but I realized I need more practice with graph problems. For future candidates, I’d recommend focusing on graph theory and ensuring you can solve problems under time constraints.
Application Process: Applied through the campus placement process. The initial step was an Online Assessment (OA) followed by interview rounds.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Online Assessment (OA):
Questions Asked:
Aptitude MCQs (Quantitative and Logical Reasoning).
1 DSA question (Medium difficulty).
Your Approach:
For the aptitude section, I relied on basic problem-solving skills and practiced common aptitude topics beforehand.
For the DSA question, I chose an optimal approach and ensured my code was clean and efficient.
Outcome: Cleared the OA and moved to the interview rounds.
Round 2 - Technical Interview (DSA Round):
Questions Asked:
2 Medium-level LeetCode-style DSA questions.
Your Approach:
I discussed my thought process out loud before coding.
For each question, I first explained the brute-force approach and then optimized it.
I also handled edge cases and wrote clean, modular code.
Outcome: The interviewer seemed satisfied with my approach and solutions.
Preparation Tips:
Focus on DSA topics like Arrays, Strings, Trees, and Graphs.
Practice solving problems on platforms like LeetCode and GeeksforGeeks.
Work on explaining your thought process clearly during interviews.
Revise basic aptitude topics for the OA.
Conclusion:
Overall, the interview process was smooth and well-structured. I felt confident in my DSA skills, but I could have practiced more aptitude questions to improve my speed. For future candidates, I’d recommend consistent practice and clear communication during interviews.
Application Process: Applied through the campus placement process.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Online Assessment (OA):
Questions Asked: Not specified.
Your Approach: Focused on solving problems efficiently and ensuring code correctness.
Outcome: Cleared the round and moved to the next stage.
Round 2 - Virtual Interview:
Questions Asked:
Reverse k nodes in a linked list.
Reverse a linked list.
Your Approach: Explained the logic step-by-step, wrote clean code, and discussed edge cases with the interviewer. The interviewer was supportive and provided hints when needed.
Outcome: Performed well and received positive feedback.
Conclusion:
Overall, it was a great experience. The interviewer was very kind and made the process comfortable. Preparing thoroughly for linked list problems and practicing coding under time constraints helped a lot. For future candidates, I’d recommend focusing on data structures, especially linked lists, and practicing problem-solving on platforms like LeetCode.
Application Process: Applied online through the company’s career portal.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked:
Leetcode easy/medium questions.
Buy and Sell a stock.
A DP question based on grid paths (1, 2).
Your Approach:
Started by understanding the problem and discussing the approach before coding.
For the Buy and Sell a stock problem, used a greedy approach to maximize profit.
For the DP question, broke it down into subproblems and built the solution iteratively.
Outcome: The interview was very chill and easy, lasting about an hour. Passed this round.
Preparation Tips:
Focus on Leetcode easy and medium problems, especially those related to arrays, DP, and greedy algorithms.
Practice explaining your thought process clearly while solving problems.
Conclusion:
The overall experience was smooth and the interviewer was supportive. I could have practiced more DP problems to feel even more confident, but the preparation I did was sufficient. For future candidates, I’d recommend practicing a variety of problems and staying calm during the interview.
Application Process: Applied through the campus placement process.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked:
Introduction of panel members and myself.
A coding question based on the sliding window technique.
A second coding question based on anagrams.
Your Approach:
For the sliding window question, I was able to solve it correctly.
For the anagram question, I provided a solution but couldn’t optimize my code.
Outcome: The interviewer seemed satisfied with the sliding window solution but pointed out the lack of optimization in the anagram problem.
Preparation Tips:
Focus on mastering data structures and algorithms, especially sliding window and string manipulation techniques.
Practice optimizing code for time and space complexity.
Conclusion:
Overall, the interview was a good learning experience. I realized the importance of optimizing solutions and will work on improving my problem-solving speed and efficiency for future interviews.
Application Process: Applied through the campus placement process.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked:
Sort a 2D matrix with rotated rows using binary search and recursion.
Determine the quantity of a glass in a pyramid of wine glasses poured with a jug from the top (a dynamic programming problem).
Your Approach:
For the first question, I started by understanding the rotation pattern of the rows and then applied binary search to locate the target row. Recursion helped in handling the nested structure.
For the second question, I visualized the pyramid as a DP problem, where each glass’s quantity depends on the overflow from the glasses above it. I built a DP table to track the quantities.
Outcome: Cleared the round with positive feedback on problem-solving and approach.
Preparation Tips:
Practice recursion and dynamic programming problems thoroughly.
Focus on visualizing problems before jumping into coding.
Use platforms like LeetCode and GeeksforGeeks for targeted practice.
Conclusion:
The interview was challenging but fair. I felt confident in my approach, but I could have optimized my code further for the DP problem. Future candidates should focus on clarity of thought and efficient coding.
Application Process: Applied through the campus placement process.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked:
Introduction and discussion about my projects.
DSA questions (LeetCode-style problem).
Optimization of the solution followed by coding it.
Your Approach:
Started with a brief introduction and explained my projects clearly.
For the DSA problem, I discussed my thought process aloud and iteratively optimized the solution based on the interviewer’s hints.
Coded the solution after finalizing the approach.
Outcome: The interviewer was supportive, and it was a great learning experience.
Conclusion:
Overall, the interview was a mix of project discussion and problem-solving. The interviewer was chill and encouraged optimization. It was a valuable experience, and I realized the importance of clear communication and iterative problem-solving. For future candidates, I’d suggest practicing LeetCode problems and being comfortable with discussing your thought process openly.
Application Process: Applied through the campus placement process.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked:
The interviewer asked 2 Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) questions.
Your Approach:
I explained my solution to the DSA questions, which I believed was correct. However, the interviewer seemed unsure about the approach and suggested I was going in the wrong direction.
Outcome:
The round was challenging due to the interviewer’s lack of clarity on the DSA concepts. Despite my confidence in the solution, the feedback was not constructive.
Conclusion:
The experience was a bit frustrating because the interviewer’s lack of proficiency in DSA made it difficult to communicate my solutions effectively. For future candidates, I’d advise staying calm and trying to simplify explanations if the interviewer seems unsure. It’s also important to trust your preparation and not let such situations shake your confidence.
Application Process: Amazon visited our campus for a 6-month SDE internship. Around 90 candidates were shortlisted, and I was one of them.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked:
Describe yourself.
Two technical DSA questions (specifics not mentioned).
Your Approach:
For the first question, I gave a brief introduction about myself.
For the DSA questions, I took some time to think through the first question and stumbled a bit but eventually answered it. The second question was answered quickly.
Outcome: Rejected. A total of 30 candidates were selected for the internship.
Conclusion:
Overall, it was a good learning experience. I realized that I need to work on my problem-solving speed and clarity of thought during interviews. For future candidates, I’d suggest practicing DSA questions under time constraints to improve efficiency.
Application Process: Applied on the Amazon portal and received the online test link. After the test, I got an interview call within two days. The interview was scheduled after 5 days of the interview call.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Online Test:
Questions Asked: The test included coding questions and some multiple-choice questions related to data structures and algorithms.
Your Approach: I practiced coding problems from various platforms and focused on time management during the test.
Outcome: Cleared the test and received an interview call.
Round 2 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked: The interviewer asked me to solve a problem related to trees and another one on dynamic programming. They also asked about my previous projects and how I handled challenges in them.
Your Approach: I explained my thought process clearly while solving the problems and discussed my projects in detail, highlighting my contributions.
Outcome: The interviewer seemed satisfied, and I moved to the next round.
Round 3 - HR Interview:
Questions Asked: Questions about my motivation for joining Amazon, my strengths and weaknesses, and how I handle teamwork.
Your Approach: I answered honestly, aligning my responses with Amazon’s leadership principles.
Outcome: The HR round went well, and I received the internship offer.
Preparation Tips:
Practice coding problems regularly, especially on data structures and algorithms.
Revise core computer science concepts.
Be prepared to discuss your projects and experiences in detail.
Familiarize yourself with Amazon’s leadership principles as they often guide interview questions.
Conclusion:
Overall, the interview process was smooth, and I felt well-prepared. I could have practiced more dynamic programming problems, but the experience was great. For future candidates, I’d recommend staying calm and confident during the interviews and thoroughly preparing for both technical and HR rounds.
Application Process: Applied through campus placement.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked:
A question related to linked lists.
A pattern question where you need to determine the numbers in each layer that sum up to the maximum value.
Your Approach:
For the linked list question, I started by explaining the problem and then walked through my thought process step-by-step, ensuring I covered edge cases.
For the pattern question, I broke it down into smaller subproblems and used a systematic approach to identify the layers and their sums.
Outcome: Cleared the round successfully.
Preparation Tips:
Focus on understanding core Data Structures and Algorithms concepts thoroughly.
Practice pattern-based problems as they are common in interviews.
Mock interviews helped me get comfortable with explaining my thought process aloud.
Conclusion:
The interview was a great learning experience. The interviewer was friendly, which made me feel at ease. I realized the importance of clear communication while solving problems. For future candidates, I’d recommend practicing problem-solving under time constraints and working on explaining your approach clearly.
Application Process: Applied through the online portal for the internship position.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Online Coding Round:
Questions Asked: Data Structures and Algorithms problems.
Your Approach: Focused on solving the problems efficiently, ensuring optimal time and space complexity. Practiced common DSA problems beforehand.
Outcome: Cleared the round and moved to the next stage.
Round 2 - Coding Walkthrough:
Questions Asked: Two Data Structures and Algorithms problems to be solved in 45 minutes.
Your Approach: Prioritized understanding the problem first, then discussed the approach with the interviewer before coding. Ensured clean and efficient code.
Outcome: No specific feedback was provided, but the round concluded the interview process.
Preparation Tips:
Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode and GeeksforGeeks.
Focus on understanding time and space complexity for common algorithms.
Mock interviews can help simulate the actual interview environment.
Conclusion:
The overall experience was challenging but rewarding. While no feedback was given, preparing thoroughly for DSA problems was key. Future candidates should focus on problem-solving speed and clarity in communication during the interview.
Application Process: I applied through the campus placement process. The initial step was a coding assessment round, which included one coding question and multiple-choice questions (MCQs) covering topics like DBMS, networking, OOPs, and data structures.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Coding Assessment:
Questions Asked:
One coding problem (specific problem not mentioned).
MCQs on DBMS, networking, OOPs, and data structures.
Your Approach: I focused on solving the coding problem efficiently and reviewed fundamental concepts for the MCQs.
Outcome: Cleared this round and moved to the next stage.
Round 2 - Technical Interview (1 hour):
Questions Asked:
Detailed technical questions related to data structures and algorithms.
Problem-solving and coding questions (specifics not mentioned).
Your Approach: I tackled the problems step-by-step, explaining my thought process clearly to the interviewer.
Outcome: Successfully cleared this round.
Preparation Tips:
Practice coding problems regularly on platforms like LeetCode and GeeksforGeeks.
Revise core CS subjects like DBMS, networking, and OOPs for the MCQ section.
Focus on explaining your approach during the interview, as communication is key.
Conclusion:
Overall, the interview process was challenging but rewarding. I felt well-prepared for the technical rounds, but I could have practiced more diverse coding problems to handle unexpected questions better. My advice to future candidates is to stay calm, think logically, and communicate your thought process clearly during the interview.
Application Process: Applied through campus placement.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked:
Array (Easy)
Backtracking plus memoization (Medium)
Sliding Window (Medium)
Your Approach:
For the array question, I started by discussing the brute-force approach and then optimized it.
For the backtracking problem, I explained the recursive solution first and then added memoization to optimize it.
The sliding window problem was a bit tricky, but I broke it down into smaller parts and explained my thought process clearly.
Outcome: Cleared the round. The interviewer appreciated my problem-solving approach and clarity in explaining the solutions.
Preparation Tips:
Focus on data structures and algorithms, especially arrays, backtracking, and sliding window techniques.
Practice explaining your thought process out loud while solving problems.
Mock interviews can be very helpful to simulate the actual interview environment.
Conclusion:
Overall, the interview was a great learning experience. I realized the importance of clear communication and breaking down problems into smaller steps. For future candidates, I’d recommend practicing a variety of problems and focusing on optimization techniques.
Application Process: Applied through Amazon WoW, a program exclusively for female candidates.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Technical Interview:
Questions Asked:
A problem related to arrays (easy to medium difficulty).
A problem related to strings (easy to medium difficulty).
Your Approach:
For the array problem, I started by understanding the problem statement thoroughly and then brainstormed possible solutions. I opted for an optimized approach and explained my thought process to the interviewer.
For the string problem, I used a combination of string manipulation techniques and ensured my solution was efficient. I also discussed edge cases with the interviewer.
Outcome: Cleared the round successfully.
Preparation Tips:
Focus on practicing array and string problems from platforms like LeetCode and Coding Ninjas.
Ensure you understand the basics of data structures and algorithms thoroughly.
Practice explaining your thought process clearly during mock interviews.
Conclusion:
The interview experience was smooth, and the questions were manageable with proper preparation. I would advise future candidates to practice consistently and focus on problem-solving techniques. Explaining your approach clearly to the interviewer is as important as writing the code.
Application Process: Applied through the campus placement process.
Interview Rounds:
Round 1 - Online Assessment (Hackerrank):
Questions Asked: Three coding questions to be solved in 2 hours.
Your Approach: Managed to solve all three questions within the given time.
Outcome: Passed this round and proceeded to the next stage.
Round 2 - Online Interview:
Questions Asked: Two coding questions were asked during the interview.
Your Approach: Solved one of the two questions.
Outcome: The outcome of this round was not shared, but the experience was valuable.
Preparation Tips:
Focus on practicing coding problems on platforms like Hackerrank and LeetCode.
Time management is crucial during the online assessment, so practice solving problems under time constraints.
For interviews, clarity of thought and communication are as important as solving the problem.
Conclusion:
Overall, the interview process was challenging but a great learning experience. Solving all three questions in the online assessment was a confidence booster. For the interview round, I could have practiced more to improve my problem-solving speed and accuracy. My advice to future candidates is to focus on both coding skills and clear communication during interviews.