Over the years, Amazon has expanded its reach and has become a leading name in online shopping. There is hardly anything one cannot find on Amazon. Many people have a dream of working for Amazon. If you are looking to work as an Amazon data analyst, you need to read this guide.
General Overview of the Amazon Interview
The data analyst position is one of the three positions in the data science division of Amazon. The other two are Data Engineer and Data Scientist. Interviewing for these three positions requires the same preparation and similar questions.
Before working as a data analyst at Amazon, you will be interviewed. As the saying goes, failure to prepare is to prepare to fail. Before you ever go for the interview, you need to prepare thoroughly for it. If preparing has been challenging for you, you have come to the right place. This article will help you.
This guide covers the different rounds of the interview and the different areas they ask questions. Amazon pays attention to technical skills with questions from coding and algorithm because technical skills are required in every section of Amazon. Your technical skill will be in high demand in any section you work as a data analyst. Amazon also pays ample attention to behavioral and modeling skills. It reflects Amazon’s broad coverage. Because they have global customers, they require good interpersonal relations skills.
While statistics and system design are also essential to qualify for the position, few questions are asked in these areas. However, it does not mean that you should not prepare adequately for every area. Scoring high on every section is essential to passing. As such, this article does not leave any area unattended.
Amazon Data Analyst Interview Format
Considering the global reach of Amazon, it is no surprise that the interview process consists of several rounds of interviews. The data analyst interview at Amazon usually involves an online application, screening, phone interviews, onsite interviews, and technical challenges. Before you are hired as a data analyst, you will have to go through several rounds of interviews.
HR Initial Screening: Round 1
In the initial screening, the hiring manager will screen the applicants. In this initial round, the interviewer will ask questions based on your credentials to ascertain your qualification for the job. The interviewer will question your motivation and reasons for applying for the role. This first round will last for 30 minutes.
Examples of HR Initial Screening Questions
- Are you willing to relocate because of this job?
- Why do you want to leave your current job?
- For how long have you held your current position?
- Walk me through your resume
Technical Screening: Round 1
In this round, the applicants’ technical skills are tested. Questions are taken from coding, machine learning, and algorithm. An Amazon data analyst will ask you these questions to determine your technical preparedness for the role.
Examples of Technical Questions
- What is the accumulative cost of each customer’s purchase? Output their last names, location, and ID arranged alphabetically according to their last names.
- Submit a query on the total sales made on each product in February
- What are convex and non-convex cost functions, and what are their differences?
- Explain overfitting
- Do you think changing the prime membership fee will change the market? If yes, how?
Technical Screening: Round 2
In the second round of the technical screening, questions will be based on the Leadership Principles. Amazon is concerned about this aspect, and many of the questions center on leadership principles.
Examples of Leadership Principle questions
- Why did you choose to work for Amazon?
- Tell us how you handled a disagreement with your manager.
- Has there been a time you fell behind schedule with a project?
Onsite Questions
After the initial interview and technical questions on the phone, you will be invited to an onsite meeting. You will most likely be interviewed by a data analyst and an HR manager. There are 5 rounds in this interview phase, and it can last for up to 6 hours. Questions in each round will be based on data analysis, coding, machine learning, modeling, and behavioral skills.
Onsite: Round 1
Questions in this round are based on the Leadership Principle. Amazon focuses on leadership principles because it helps them improve customers’ satisfaction. In this round, expect general questions targeted at you and your experience in your previous jobs.
Examples of Leadership Principle questions
- Discuss a project you handled and your strategies for meeting the deadline
- Share with me a problem you encountered on a project?
- Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses
Onsite: Round 2
The questions are still based on leadership principles in this second round, but the bar will be higher. Also, there will be questions on statistics. Statistics is integral to data analysis, and you need to know enough to serve in the position.
Examples of Leadership Principles and Statistics Questions
- You will have to discuss some projects listed on your resume
- Out of Amazon’s leadership principles, which one are you most inclined to? And which do you think is most challenging?
- Tell me about a complex situation you invented a solution to
- If the ratio of negative to positive data is high, what is the best way to handle the imbalance?
- Explain the p-value for an engineer
- Where there is collinearity, what would you do?
Onsite: Round 3
In the third round, you will be asked questions on machine learning, SQL skills, and technical skills. SQL and machine learning are some of the in-demand skills for data analysts.
Examples of Machine Learning and Modeling Questions and Technical Questions
- Explain a machine learning model and why it is relevant
- What is your approach to explaining technical concepts like R-square to your non-technical colleagues?
- Discuss a machine learning technique you find interesting
- Differentiate between a queue and a stack
- Do you think an array has any difference from a linked list?
Onsite: Round 4
In the 4th round, you will be asked behavioral questions. You should also expect questions on system design. To answer these questions, you need an in-depth understanding of how systems are produced from scratch to the finish and how they are released.
Examples of Behavioral, System Design, and Technical Questions
- Discuss an experience you had working with non-technical colleagues
- Has there been any time your opinion differed from your colleagues? Discuss it with me.
- Explain what SCD is.
- Design DWH for the media team to gather statistics about their services.
Onsite: Round 5
In this section, the emphasis is on human relations. As such, your behavioral skills will be tested. Amazon is very concerned about the human relations capacity of their data analysts because the company services people from all walks of life and locations.
Examples of Behavioral Questions
- Discuss a time you assisted a team member
- What are your plans for the next 5 years?
- Why did you choose Amazon?
- Is there a question you would like to ask us?
Tips to Pass the Interview
It is essential to prepare adequately to look at how thorough the interview is. Here are some tips that will keep you on the right track. With these tips, you will know what areas to prepare on, and how well to make your preparation effective and get good results.
- Practice the essential concepts for the job.
- While answering questions on the phone, think aloud while considering your answers. It is essential to let the interviewer know how you reason. The interviewer may even interrogate your reasoning process and why you chose a specific approach to a question. This aspect is one area where you can impress the hiring team.
- Know about Amazon. Learn a lot about their services, products, and business processes.
- Learn a lot about Amazon’s leadership principles. There will be a lot of questions on leadership principles.
- Sharpen your coding skills. It will help you if you practice SQL, python, and other necessary areas of coding before you take the interview.
- It would help if you practiced solving some statistics, data analysis, and algorithm questions. The theory part of the test has lots of questions from these areas.
- Read and understand the processes of system designs. You may need to take some classes to refresh your mind and keep you smart. Understand the entire process involved in manufacturing and design.
Conclusion
The Amazon data analyst position is a competitive one. Also, Amazon is a global company servicing people from all walks of life. Therefore, hiring a data analyst requires thorough screening. There is an initial application stage where you register your interest. Then there will be phone interviews. You will have five to six interview rounds onsite. Most of the questions asked during the interviews are centered on algorithms and coding. There are also questions on your behavioral skills to ascertain your suitability for the job. With this guide, your interview will be successful.
