Amazon | SDE-1 (L4 - New Grad) | Bangalore | Jan 2025 Offer | Select ✅

I received an off-campus offer from Amazon for the SDE-1 (L4 - New Grad) role in Bangalore. My journey started in early November 2024 after filling out a Hiring Interest Form and applying through their jobs portal.

Online Assessment (Nov 4, 2024)

The online assessment was conducted on HackerRank and consisted of two coding questions and over 50 behavioral questions. I successfully solved the "Password Similarity Check" problem quickly, passing all test cases. The second coding question, "Maximize Warehouse Efficiency," was trickier; I ran out of time and only partially passed the test cases (6/15). For the behavioral questions, I followed my intuition, scaling myself within the provided ranges.

A week later, on November 11, 2024, I was notified that my interviews were being scheduled.

Virtual Interview Rounds

The virtual interviews comprised a maximum of three eliminatory rounds, each lasting one hour. These rounds assessed my Data Structures & Algorithms, Problem Solving, Coding, Amazon Leadership Principles, and Behavioral skills.

Technical Round 1 (Nov 12, 2024)

After a brief introduction, the interviewer (an SDE with 4+ years at Amazon) moved straight to coding questions on their Livecode platform. I could use any preferred language.

• Complete Binary Tree Node Count: I started by discussing a brute-force approach, then provided and coded the optimized solution efficiently, answering follow-up questions based on my approach.
• Sort String by Frequency: I directly presented and coded the optimized solution. With 30 minutes still remaining, the interviewer mentioned the next questions would be "bonus," indicating I had performed well.
• Aggressive Cows (Max Distance): I recognized this problem immediately, having solved it just the day before. The interviewer laughed and asked me to just provide the optimized solution, which I did, without coding.
• Directed Graph Edge Score: This was a bit tricky. I discussed a brute-force approach first, then provided the optimized one, followed by questions on time and space complexities.

I used the remaining time to ask the interviewer about their team and work culture.

On November 15, 2024, I received an email confirming I had cleared Round 1.

Technical Round 2 (Nov 18, 2024)

This round had two interviewers and started directly with the interview structure: two behavioral questions followed by two coding questions (one requiring optimized code, the other just an approach). The behavioral section, including follow-up questions, took the first 30 minutes, making me a bit nervous despite my confidence.

• Most Played Songs: I provided the optimized solution and was asked to explore other linear space approaches. Although I couldn't find one, I discussed various alternatives. The interviewer was satisfied and asked me to code my initial solution. I answered follow-up questions successfully.
• Longest Repeating Substring: I provided the optimized approach. Despite the interviewer initially saying only an approach was needed for one question, I managed to code this solution just in time. During the dry run with a tricky input, the interviewer tried to confuse me, but I confidently stood by my correct output.

I asked a question about their tech stack. The interview extended slightly beyond the hour mark due to our discussion. I was worried this might lead to rejection, recalling a similar past experience.

However, the next day, November 19, 2024, I received an email confirming my progression to the Final Round.

Bar Raiser Round (Nov 21, 2024)

The interviewer was an SDM with extensive experience. He skipped self-introductions and stated we would assess three behavioral situations. These were somewhat unconventional questions.

• Leading Something Out of Scope: I shared a real-life example, ensuring I followed the STAR technique. The interviewer seemed satisfied and gave positive feedback.
• Overcoming Negative Feedback: This was challenging as I struggled to recall a suitable scenario. I presented a scenario, but it wasn't what he expected. I then came up with another, which he only hardly justified. I'd rate my performance on this question as below average.
• Learning Something New: I related this to a real-life scenario, explaining my process. I answered a few follow-up questions by providing examples. I'd rate my performance on this as above average.

The round concluded in just 40 minutes, even after my questions, leaving me confused and worried about the outcome, especially given the low success rate I found online for Bar Raiser rounds.

A few days later, on November 26, 2024, I received a call from the recruiter confirming I had cleared all rounds and providing me with the offer. We discussed locations (I chose Bangalore) and a January 6, 2025 start date. I accepted the offer and received the final letter on December 2, 2024.