Amazon SDET Interview Process & Preparation Guide

The interview process at Amazon is as unique as it is challenging just like at all BIG 5 (MAANG) companies. 

The questions are comprehensive and can get pretty Amazon-specific at times.

It has been a cause of worry for a lot of talented job candidates over the years. 

“An individual must identify what they want. They have to figure out a single cause for which they must wake up early in the morning or work on it after office hours. If that means cracking an interview at Amazon, they should keep working towards preparing for it.”

~ Gourab Banerjee, Senior SDET, Amazon

Aiming to be an Amazon SDET

Amazon has a high payout structure because the company doesn’t compromise on talent.

They are always seeking passionate developers who are adept at handling tough projects and complicated requirements. 

However, the question comes down to this: How do you prepare for the SDET interview at Amazon? 

You should know by now that you needn’t treat it as a run-of-the-mill interview, given that it has a 2% acceptance rate.

According to our analysis and observations, Amazon probably has the most challenging SDE interview process (comprising six rounds) among all MAANG+ companies. 

Not only does it test your problem-solving and software development skills, but it challenges you on a 360-degree level.

The process also identifies whether you culturally fit the company’s environment.

The key to acing the interview lies in practising the questions they often ask during the process and being aware of the kind of answers that will do justice to your skills. ✔️

This SDET interview preparation guide is prepared to help you with just that!

To gain insights into what the SDET interview process at Amazon really looks like and how to prepare for the Amazon SDET interview, we invited Gourab Mohan Banerjee, a Software Development Engineer in Test at Amazon. 

Before I start, Preplaced is a mentorship platform where you can find experts from all domains and companies. ✨

📌 So, click here to select an Amazon or any other domain/company mentor and book a 1:1 FREE trial call with them.

Now, let's get into it!

What does an SDET do at Amazon?

Here are the top 5 main responsibilities of an Amazon SDET:

• Automated Testing: Create and maintain test automation frameworks.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure software quality through rigorous testing.
• Collaboration: Work closely with developers to identify and fix issues.
• Process Improvement: Continuously enhance testing processes and tools.
• Delivery of Quality: Contribute to delivering high-quality software products.

Interview Process for Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) at Amazon

Gourab explains that all Amazon SDET interviews consist of six rounds after the recruiter has shortlisted a resume and contacted a candidate. 

The entire process takes about four to six weeks.

🔶 Resume sorting:

Your resume and cover letter land right in the hands of the recruiter.

They then match the said resume with the posted job description and the prerequisites with the candidate’s qualifications.

"I keep my resumes short and keep them only one page long. I avoid company descriptions, project details, etc., and add my skills and whichever companies I have worked with. I highlight the areas where I have done exceptional work."

~ Gourab Banerjee

If your resume fits the role, you will be scheduled for an initial screening interview and the Amazon team will directly contact you.

If the resume is not the right fit, you will be notified by email. 

The Amazon recruitment team keeps your details for any future opportunities at the company.

🔶 Round 1: Online assessment

The assessment is no easy feat; it takes more than an hour to complete. 

The assessment contains questions on coding, low-level design, leadership principles, and data structures. 

The test is designed to identify the capabilities of the candidate as an all-around developer.

If you clear this round, you will move on to the next.

If not, your candidature will not be considered any further.

💡 The key tip here is to focus on the optimisation of the solutions rather than the solutions themselves. 

You may also be asked to prepare and then explain a High-level Design (HLD) which needs to be at the least, workable. 

You will need to use cases, flow diagrams, etc., and then have a dry run of the program before submitting.

🔶 Round 2: Technical interview

As described by Gourab, the questions asked in this round revolve around your introduction, leadership principles, and follow-up on the online assessment answers.

This is followed by a coding problem related to data structures and algorithms.

The entire interview lasts about an hour, with 30 minutes given to the coding problem and the remaining time for introduction and discussions.

🔶 Round 3: Technical and behavioural interview

The third round is also very similar to the second round, only the questions get a bit more difficult. 

Since there is a new set of people interviewing you this time around, you will once again have the opportunity to introduce yourself and answer questions related to leadership principles. 

This time, the coding-related problem will be a bit more difficult than the one in the first round.

💡 Note: Leadership is very important to Amazon. They value accountability and prepare their engineers to exceed their expectations.

🔶 Round 4: Debugging

This round lasts about 20 minutes and comprises 7 questions. 

You will be presented with a problem and a snippet of code that is supposed to solve the problem. 

📌 You need to fix each of the 7 codes inside the time limit (around 3 minutes each).

The three languages required for this round are Java, C, and C++.

🔶 Round 5: Low-level designing

In some instances, you may be asked to prepare Low-Level Designs (LLDs).

Your grasp over this space will be tested with questions on load balancing, CAP theorem, multithreading, ACID property, SOLID principles, etc.

🔶 Round 6: Managerial round

Finally, you talk with the panellists about coming this far.

They ask you even more difficult behavioural questions. 

These questions are asked to test your attitude towards work and the company, which is quite important to Amazon.

💡 Note: Each interview has a Bar Raiser (BR) as a panellist whose job is to analyse if a certain candidate is better than at least 50% of the current job family he/she has applied to. 

This is Amazon’s unique way of ensuring that quality talent is added to its growing workforce. 

Give your best in the interviews and try to be honest about what you can do and what you are yet to learn. 

📌 The BR’s decision carries weight but it won’t matter if you cannot ace the other rounds.

If you manage to get through all these rounds smoothly, you will get a call from the recruitment team within a week, depending upon the urgency to fill the role.

You can also read related interview process and prep guides for: 

Amazon Interview Process for SDE

AWS SDE Role - Process and Preparation

How to Prepare for an Amazon SDET Interview?

Gourab explains that most candidates struggle either with their confidence or with their interview preparation routine. 

He says that the best way to prepare for an Amazon SDET interview is to go back to getting your fundamentals right.

You should constantly be trying to apply your skills through various assessments and projects on your own. 

📌 Having your fundamentals clear can help you not only land the job but also on the job where you constantly need to learn new skills and come up with new ideas.

▶️ Focus on Data Structures and Algorithms

The main focus area should be data structures and algorithms, as it is the base of the questions in the technical rounds.

Within one month, you can cover Selenium, RestAssured, etc. and explain in the interview.

But for DSA, you need to practice to be quickly able to Search, Sort, etc.

Learn what weapons you can use to train your brain to approach a problem.

Go to LeetCode and find Amazon questions. 

Try to solve them quickly and pay attention to how much time you are taking to solve a problem.

💡 Consistent practice is key to mastering DSA and excelling in your Amazon SDET interview.

Here is an in-depth guide on DSA Preparation shared by an Amazon SDE.

▶️ Testing Fundamentals

When it comes to testing fundamentals, consider exploring the following resources to enhance your understanding:

• How Google Tests Software and

• How We Test Software at Microsoft

These books provide valuable insights into the thought process of a tester when approaching a problem.

Additionally, make the most of online platforms such as UncleBob’s Code on YouTube and Udemy. 

The book "Clean Code" is another excellent resource that can contribute significantly to your testing knowledge.

▶️ Skill Enhancement and Continuous Learning

To further enhance your skills, consider revisiting low-level design concepts, even if you've covered them before. 

Often, there are valuable insights and techniques that might have escaped your attention. 

Additionally, staying connected with Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) is essential, even if you're not actively seeking a job change. 

This continuous learning not only prepares you for interviews but also bolsters your career growth as a software developer.

▶️ Problem Understanding and Communication

In your Amazon SDET interview, understanding the problem statement and effective communication is key. 

First, take the time to really get what the problem is about, especially if it's one of those open-ended ones. 

Note down the exact requirements so you're crystal clear on what's needed.

Ensure that you have a clear understanding of the problem statement before attempting to solve it.

Involve the interviewer as much as you can to give them a chance to understand your perspective and how you think.

Lastly, share some valuable insights during your interaction.

It'll show them that you've got a 360-degree understanding of the concepts, which is pretty darn impressive in an interview setting.

▶️ Seek Mentorship

A 1:1 consultation with a mentor allows you to have focused, personalised discussions.

📌 You can ask questions, seek advice, and receive feedback on your strengths and areas that need improvement.

This kind of individualised attention can help you identify blind spots in your Amazon SDET interview preparation that you might not have noticed on your own.

⚡ If you are looking to know how it feels to prepare with a mentor, try out a FREE 1:1 strategy call with an Amazon SDET here.

The Role of a Mentor in Your Amazon SDET Interview Preparation Journey

Mentors are important people fit for imparting a wide range of knowledge, abilities, and wisdom to individuals who need their support. 

Most mentors have gone through the interview process and are now a part of the interview panel in their companies.

Hence, they are the best people to guide you when it comes to Amazon SDET interview preparation or for any other role and company. 

They can take you through how you can deal with specific circumstances that show up in your professional life. 

Specialised interviews are one of the numerous things they can assist you with.

Technical interviews are created to target a specific set of candidates, and so, without preparation, it can be nearly impossible to crack them. 

A mentor is someone who can take you through the nitty-gritties of an interview, and sometimes even unveil a shortcut or two to address a problem.

Preplaced is a hub of some of the most experienced domain experts who offer 1:1 mentorship to aspiring candidates. 

It isn't just limited to interview preparations; you get an overall approach to crack interviews and get placed.

You get a personalised interview prep plan that includes guidance on resume preparation, portfolio building, targeted upskilling, mock interviews, referrals, etc. 

The process is simple, really. 

You select a mentor that best matches your requirements -domain, experience, skills, etc. 

Then book a 1:1 FREE trial session before going for the month-long program.

If your selected mentor's mentorship style didn't resonate with you in the trial session, don't worry, you can select a different mentor and book a trial session with them. ✔️

With 1:1 expert guidance, you won’t have any trouble cracking your interviews. 💪

Good luck!

More Amazon-related articles that you'd like: 👇

A Day in the Life of a Full Stack Developer at Amazon

How did I Build the SDE-2 Amazon Interview Preparation Routine?