HACKER Q&A
📣 zaptheimpaler

Is it crazy to ask for team specific interview at Amazon?


Hi HN,

A recruiter from Amazon contacted me recently offering a job. I've been through their interviews a few times now and flunked.

He mentioned the same process as usual - coding screen, then a 5 round virtual onsite with a mix of algo/sys design and behavioral questions.

At this point I really just don't want to go through the entire pointless rigmarole again. I am a passionate and talented developer, but I suck at leetcode and suck at behavioral questions.

I might like to work at a few specific teams on Amazon if they matched my technical interests and skills. Like I'm good at performance tuning, databases, networking and ops.

Is it crazy to ask my recruiter to let me interview for team X,Y and Z directly? I'm imagining it more like a real interview at a startup, where I could just speak directly to the hiring manager and team members, present a tailored resume showing my skills at what they need and an interview process focusing on the actual skills the team needs.

Is it okay to ask for this? Is there any chance they will approve it?

  👤 flakyfilibuster Accepted Answer ✓
At this point I'd ask myself why I'd want to work for a company whichs interview process is so misaligned with my expectations... Why not look elsewhere?
👤 giaour
Teams at Amazon do their own hiring, so you're not really asking for special treatment there (at least as far as interviewing for team X, Y, or Z). The interviews will be leetcode and behavioral questions, though.
👤 rantallion
With the long list of folk that dream of working at FAANG companies, I highly doubt you'll get any special treatment. They don't need to change their process so long as people are still lining up to get in.

I'd echo the other comment and suggest looking elsewhere so you don't have to go through such a ridiculous hiring process just for the 'prestige' of working for somewhere so 'amazing'.

👤 wizwit999
Not ridiculous at all, know your worth. Can also try to connect with hiring manager directly.
👤 angusmk
You could probably reach out to the specific hiring manager via Linkedin, not sure if you'd get any traction but couldn't hurt ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

If you're CV is great and they do refer you, the incentive from their side is getting a referral bonus

👤 yuppie_scum
If you’re looking to avoid bullshit, Amazon is not the company for you
👤 frou_dh
Doesn't hurt to ask, but just be prepared for there being a good chance that the answer is "Nah".