Amazon || SDE-2 || Interview Experience
Summary
I completed a rigorous SDE-II interview process at amazon, which included multiple rounds of data structures, algorithms, system design, and behavioral questions. Despite feeling I performed well in most technical aspects and providing optimized solutions, I was ultimately not selected, with the feedback indicating a lack of experience.
Full Experience
My SDE-II interview journey at amazon was quite insightful. The overall process was good, and I gained a lot from both the interview preparation and the interviews themselves. I went through a structured process that covered various technical and behavioral aspects.
Round 1: Recruiter Call
This was an initial call with a recruiter to understand the position better and learn about the team's work culture.
Round 2: Phone Screening with Senior Developer
This round was relatively relaxed. I was asked two behavioral (LP) questions, followed by one Data Structures problem. The problem was quite similar to LeetCode's House Robber III. I was able to present an optimized solution, though I ran out of time. The interviewer was pleased with my performance and assured me of positive feedback, leading to a quick call from the recruiter to schedule the next full day of interviews.
Round 3: Software Development Manager
This round began with two more behavioral (LP) questions, then moved to a Data Structures question. The problem presented was similar to Word Ladder II. While I did my best to explain my solution by verbalizing my thought process, the interviewer wasn't fully satisfied with my explanation. This was a bit demotivating, especially since it was one of my highest-voted solutions on LeetCode. It highlighted the need for me to improve my communication skills during problem-solving.
Round 4: System Design Interview with Senior Software Development Manager
After two LP questions, I was tasked with designing a portal similar to Amazon's job portal, complete with certain constraints. This round was excellent for me, and I felt I performed very well. The interviewer was extremely happy with my approach and explanations. This round heavily depended on my ability to think critically and architect a scalable solution.
Round 5: Software Development Manager
This round involved three to four behavioral (LP) questions, followed by a data structures question focused on a sorting technique using a two-pointers approach. I hadn't encountered this specific problem before and don't recall the exact details. However, I managed to complete the code within 20 minutes. Unexpectedly, the interviewer also asked several system design and other technical questions. I tried to answer based on my knowledge, but by this point, I was completely exhausted.
Round 6: Software Development Manager
The final round started with around five behavioral (LP) questions. Then, I was given a design pattern question: to design a Tic-Tac-Toe game. I felt I excelled in this round as well, successfully designing and coding the solution. Although the code was quite lengthy, it was an enjoyable challenge.
After approximately five and a half hours, all my interview rounds were completed. The final outcome was a rejection, with the feedback cited as "Lack of experience," which felt somewhat peculiar given my performance.
Interview Questions (4)
I was asked to design a system similar to the Amazon job portal, including aspects like job posting, searching, application submission, and managing user profiles, along with specific constraints that were discussed during the interview.
I was asked to design and implement a Tic-Tac-Toe game, considering aspects like game state management, player turns, winning conditions, and possibly handling different board sizes or AI players (though the specifics varied).
Preparation Tips
During my preparation, I focused on core concepts such as Trees, LinkedLists, ArrayLists, Sliding Window problems, Two Pointers, Sorting techniques, and System Design. I also reviewed common LeetCode patterns to be ready for various problem types.