Amazon SDE 1 Interview Experience

If you're a working professional planning for a career switch to FAANG (or specifically Amazon), here's a detailed breakdown of my Amazon SDE 1 interview experience. Hope it will give you a clear roadmap from preparation to the offer letter.

“I knew I had the potential. But potential doesn't get you into Amazon."
- Ajay Naik, SDE 1 at Amazon.

While I had the technical foundation, Amazon’s interview process tested me beyond raw coding ability. It demanded structured problem-solving and alignment with their Leadership Principles

So, if you’re wondering:

• What’s the interview process like?
• What kind of questions do they ask?
• How should I prepare?

...you’re in the right place.

In this blog, I’ll walk you through my entire process explaining what worked and what didn’t. And explain how Bosscoder Academy gave me the competitive advantage that I needed. So, let's dive in.

Application Process

I got help from Bosscoder Academy placement support when I applied for the SDE-1 position at Amazon. Right after that, I was given the Online Assessment (OA), which started the hiring process.

Online Assessment(OA):

1. DSA Problems: I faced two coding challenges, and one was marked as easy and the other was medium. I managed to solve both questions in just 20 minutes because of the regular DSA practice I did with Bosscoder Academy.
2. Work Simulation Round: In this round, I encountered tasks that you would find at an Amazon job. I was responsible for handling an influx of emails, deciding on what needed immediate action, and also tracked down the reason why a product page was not displaying properly. I was evaluated on my skills to prioritize, make thoughtful decisions, and act according to Amazon’s principles.
3. Behavioral Questions: They were multiple-choice behavioral questions about different work situations, and I had to pick the most and least correct choices.

The test went as planned, and shortly after I was finished, a follow-up survey was sent for the next stage. It did not take long before I received a call for the interview.

The Amazon Interview Experience :

Round 1 (DSA with a Senior Engineer)

The first interview was focused on Data Structures and Algorithms, and it was led by a senior engineer from Amazon. The problem I got was a full and focused one using Graphs, that is the Currency Converter problem (Link) which many ask about.

Handling both input and output, as well as using the correct data structure, was what made my solution successful.

The interview concluded positively, and I received an invitation for the second round shortly after.

Round 2 (DSA Focused on Hash Maps)

The second round was also focused on DSA. I got a task in this round that required me to think about maps or hash tables. I found the question simple, and I managed to answer it with ease.

Right after finishing the second round, I was called to confirm that my third interview would be on the same day.

Round 3 (System Design & Project Discussion)

This part was centered on designing a system. They wanted me to plan a bookstore platform, including many books, to check the count of a certain word in each book.

I broke down this problem by listing the important classes, objects, and methods, and making sure the system would work on a large scale and stay clean. The interviewer found my solution easy to understand.

After that, we discussed the projects I have worked on before. I described what I accomplished, talked about the problems I ran into, and discussed the final outcome of my work.

For working professionals trying to break into product-based companies like Amazon, this Career Switch to Software Engineering: A Step-by-Step Guide offers a practical roadmap to get started the right way.

There were no problems, and shortly afterward, I was told about the final round.

Final Round (Tech Talk & Coding)

That final round included both conversations about technology and hands-on problem-solving. It began as the interviewer dove into my career, analyzing the technologies, the systems I designed, and the decisions I made at my workplace.

After the conversation went on for about 40 minutes, we still had extra minutes, so the interviewer handed me a medium DSA problem based on the Sliding Window technique.

I managed to solve it confidently, which concluded my interview process at Amazon.

For more inspiration, read how Structured Prep and Mentorship Landed Me at Amazon — a story many professionals like me will relate to.

Final Thoughts

After my final round, Amazon didn’t send any updates, so I figured the process was over. Even so, going through it was a very fulfilling experience! I found the interviewers to be skilled, the process was well thought out, and the problems gave me a real test of what I've learned.

Just when I thought it was over, I got a call from Amazon HR and I had officially joined as an SDE-1!

“Congratulations! You’re joining Amazon as an SDE-1!”

If you want to succeed in Amazon interviews, it’s very important to work on Graphs, Hash Maps, Sliding Window techniques, and fundamentals of System Design. It’s important to go in-depth about your previous projects because Amazon values your ability to explain your decision-making.

I want to thank Bosscoder Academy for providing me with good guidance, practice interviews, and ongoing placement help that kept me on target.

If you’re serious about cracking FAANG interviews, their Transformer Program is designed to equip you with the skills and confidence you need.

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