Throwback to My Amazon SDE-1 Interview Journey 🚀 Hey everyone! I’m incredibly grateful for all the support and knowledge I’ve gained from this community over time. This post is a small way of giving back — especially for those currently in the pipeline or preparing for the SDE-1 role at Amazon. I’ll be sharing my complete interview experience — from start to finish. ### Profile Snapshot * Experience: 1.5 years * Previous Company: Mobility-based well-known startup * Position Offered: SDE-1 * Total Duration: ~4 months * Rounds: All were eliminatory ### 1. Online Assessment (OA) I don’t remember the exact questions, but both required either a dynamic programming or mathematical approach. I solved them analytically using math. Note: It took almost 30 days post-assessment to receive the next update. ### 2. Technical Round 1 #### Q1. Binary Tree Validation Given a list of TreeNode objects (`val`, `left`, `right`), determine whether they form a valid binary tree. Example: `[TN(1, 2, 3), TN(2, None, None), TN(3, None, None)] → True 🔹 It seems simple, but it’s a very elegant question. 🔹 I started from scratch — defining classes, clean variable names, modular functions, and explained everything as I went. #### Q2. Drone Delivery Route Problem described an array representing drone positions. I was asked to model an efficient delivery tracking logic. 🔹 Solved it within 8 minutes. 🔹 Explained my full thought process clearly — intuition first, code next. 🔹 By this point, the interviewers seemed very satisfied. ### Leadership Principles (LP): * A time when you went through fast-paced learning. * How would you approach learning a new language/framework used in the company? ### 3. Technical + LP + Design Round #### Leadership Principles: 1. A time when you did more than what was required, anticipating customer needs. 2. The most technically challenging task you’ve worked on. #### System Design: Design a flexible music playlist system — create and manage playlists, handle song playback, etc. I began by discussing everything I was thinking out loud and explaining each step of implementation. However, I sensed that the interviewer wasn’t very engaged. Still, I stayed calm and continued articulating my thoughts clearly. Feedback: > "Try to align better with the interviewer’s expectations, but DSA, design thinking, and code quality were strong." ### 4. Bar Raiser Round The interviewer had 8+ years of experience. 🔹 Started with mutual introductions. 🔹 Asked about my past projects — I discussed two in depth. 🔹 Questions on architecture, tech stack choices, and alternative tools. Eventually, he compared my stack with unfamiliar ones. I was honest and said: > "I’ve explored limited tools so far due to time constraints, but what I used worked well for my project needs with zero production issues. I’m always open to learning more." My responses were clear, confident, and honest, especially around topics I truly understood — and I didn’t bluff where I wasn’t 100% confident. --- ### Final Outcome 🎉 After 7 days, the recruiter called: > *"You got very good response from HM and also other candidates were in the list, so we are going with you first, please let us know . We’d like to move forward with your offer." Of course, I said YES! --- ### A Few Notes for Aspirants: * Be patient — the process takes time (it was 4 months for me). * Follow up — If there’s delay, don’t hesitate to reply to the interview invite email or recruiter contact. * Clarity over fluff — Speak only what you’re sure of. Depth matters more than breadth. * Prep leadership principles as much as DSA and LLD/System Design. * Interviewer’s engagement might vary — keep your calm and keep delivering quality. Happy to answer if you’re preparing for Amazon or similar interviews. Feel free to DM or drop questions in the comments 🙌
