A Gen Z Insider's 5-Hour Amazon Interview Journey

Sooraj Kumar's Journey to Amazon: A Year of Persistence and Learning

Sooraj Kumar's journey to landing an analyst role at Amazon was anything but straightforward. After a year-long job search, he finally secured the position without any referrals, showcasing the power of persistence and preparation.

Kumar’s job search began in January 2022 when he moved to the United States from Pakistan to pursue a master’s degree in business analytics at DePaul University. He started looking for full-time employment in November 2022, but the job market proved challenging. One of the main obstacles was his work authorization status, as some employers were hesitant to sponsor a visa or wait for the process to complete.

In June 2023, after graduating from DePaul, Kumar began interviewing for a business analyst position at an investment firm. Following four interviews, he received a verbal offer in August, pending a background check. However, the process took longer than expected. He anticipated a 15-day timeline, but by day 25, there was still no update. The company informed him that due to business needs, they could not wait any longer for the background check to clear, leading to the rescission of his offer.

Despite this setback, Kumar remained determined. He started an unpaid business analyst internship to keep his OPT visa status active. While this helped maintain his legal standing, it also meant he was still searching for a full-time job. After taking time to regroup, he resumed his job search with renewed focus, applying to around 50 jobs a day.

One of those applications was for a business analyst role at Amazon. He submitted the application through the company’s website, without a referral. In November, Amazon reached out to schedule an interview. This led to a one-hour phone interview with someone from the hiring team, followed by a “loop” interview — a daylong series of interviews conducted virtually.

The loop included five interviews, each lasting about an hour, with only a 30-minute lunch break in between. Kumar spoke with members of the hiring team, people from teams he would collaborate with, and one person from HR. He emphasized the importance of being familiar with Amazon’s leadership principles, such as “customer obsession,” “ownership,” and “invent and simplify.” He also used the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure his responses during the interviews, which helped him clearly convey his impact.

By Christmas 2023, Kumar received and accepted an offer from Amazon, which came with a six-figure compensation package. Reflecting on the experience, he noted that the interview preparation and previous job search experiences played a crucial role in his success.

Key Takeaways from the Job Search

Kumar shared two main takeaways from his job search. First, while the quality of an application is important, he found that volume was equally, if not more, significant. Given the competitive nature of the job market, he believed that applying to as many positions as possible increased his chances of success.

Second, he noted that referrals were not as effective as they once were. Most of the interviews he landed came from cold applications, while those submitted with referrals often went unanswered. He suspects that referrals have become too common at large companies, and unless the referrer is directly involved in the hiring process, they may not carry much weight.

“Referrals are very mainstream now,” he said. “I don’t think that many referrals carry much weight.”

Kumar’s story highlights the challenges and rewards of a persistent job search, offering valuable insights for others navigating the current job market.