Amazon SDE-1 | 2025 Grad🚀
Summary
I'm thrilled to share that I've been selected as a Software Development Engineer 1 (SDE-1) at Amazon for the 2025 graduating class after a challenging but rewarding interview process.
Full Experience
I was thrilled to be selected as a Software Development Engineer 1 (SDE-1) at Amazon for the 2025 graduating class. My journey began with an Online Assessment in December 2024, which consisted of standard DSA questions that I found manageable thanks to frequent LeetCode practice.
The interview rounds kicked off with the First Technical Round on February 4, 2025. This round focused on DSA, including one graph problem and one tree-based problem. Additionally, I was asked theory questions on Operating System basics such as processes vs threads, deadlocks, and memory management. My tip from this round is to be thorough with core CS fundamentals and standard LeetCode mediums, especially in topics like trees, graphs, and OS.
The Second Technical Round on February 13, 2025, was centered on System Design. I was tasked with designing a Rate Limiter and then asked a follow-up on how to scale it across distributed systems. Towards the end, we also discussed a few Amazon Leadership Principles (LPs). For system design, even at an entry level, it's crucial to be ready to justify your design choices and trade-offs.
There was a significant gap before my Third (Final) Round on July 17, 2025. This delay was due to a process mishap where I had mistakenly mentioned my graduation year as 2023 instead of 2025. My application was put on hold until I followed up multiple times with the recruiter. This entire round was dedicated to Amazon's Leadership Principles. I found that not strictly following the STAR method led to some additional follow-up questions, so I recommend using STAR for structured behavioral answers.
Finally, I received the offer call on July 25, 2025, and the offer letter arrived a few hours later, marking the successful culmination of this journey.
Interview Questions (3)
Discussion around core Operating System concepts including processes vs threads, deadlocks, and memory management.
Design a rate limiter. Discuss how to scale it across distributed systems.
This round entirely focused on Amazon's Leadership Principles. I shared my experiences, though I didn't strictly follow the STAR method, which led to some follow-up questions.
Preparation Tips
My preparation heavily involved consistent LeetCode practice, which built the foundational DSA skills I needed for the Online Assessment and technical rounds. I also made sure to follow up regularly with recruiters after my interviews, typically 4-5 days later, to keep my application active and ensure it wasn't overlooked. It's important to be prepared for system design and Amazon's Leadership Principles questions, even at the SDE-1 level. Don't hesitate to clarify or follow up with recruiters, as polite nudges can be very helpful. A critical learning was to always double-check details in application forms, as a small error like an incorrect graduation year can significantly delay the process.