A complete step-by-step breakdown of the Amazon interview process for software engineers. Learn what happens at each stage, how long it takes, and how to prepare.
The end-to-end Amazon interview process typically takes 4-8 weeks. Here is the breakdown by phase.
Application to OA
1-2 weeks
OA to Phone Screen
1-2 weeks
Phone Screen to Onsite
1-3 weeks
Onsite to Decision
1-2 weeks
Decision to Offer
1 week
Total (typical)
4-8 weeks
Every stage of the Amazon interview process explained in detail with tips and what to expect.
Two coding problems on a timed platform. Typically LeetCode medium difficulty. Also includes a work simulation or leadership principles questionnaire.
What to Expect:
Pro Tip: Practice timed coding on LeetCode. Focus on arrays, strings, trees, and graphs.
One or two coding problems with a live interviewer. You'll share your screen and code in real-time. The interviewer may ask behavioral questions as well.
What to Expect:
Pro Tip: Think out loud. Clarify requirements before coding. Explain your approach step by step.
Four to five back-to-back interviews: 2 coding rounds, 1 system design (for SDE II+), and 1-2 behavioral rounds focused on leadership principles.
What to Expect:
Pro Tip: Use STAR method for behavioral answers. For coding, optimize after brute force. For system design, drive the conversation.
A specially trained interviewer from a different team evaluates whether you raise the hiring bar. This round is a mix of coding and deep behavioral questions.
What to Expect:
Pro Tip: Be authentic. The bar raiser looks for strong leadership principles alignment and problem-solving depth, not perfection.
All interviewers submit written feedback. The hiring committee reviews and makes a decision. A recruiter will reach out with an offer or next steps.
What to Expect:
Pro Tip: If you get an offer, negotiate. Amazon offers are often negotiable on signing bonus and RSU vesting.
The typical Amazon interview process takes 4-8 weeks from application to offer. However, timelines can vary significantly based on the role, team, and hiring urgency. Some candidates report receiving offers within 3 weeks, while others wait up to 10 weeks.
The longest gaps usually occur between the phone screen and the onsite loop, as scheduling 4-5 interviewers can be challenging. If you have competing offers, let your recruiter know, as this can often accelerate the process.
Amazon's interview process stands out for two key reasons: the leadership principles and the bar raiser. Unlike Google or Meta, where behavioral rounds are a smaller portion of the evaluation, Amazon dedicates 40-50% of the interview to behavioral questions tied directly to their 16 leadership principles.
The bar raiser is another unique element. This is a specially trained interviewer from a completely different team who has the authority to veto a hiring decision. Their job is to ensure every new hire raises the overall quality bar of the company. The bar raiser looks for depth of thinking, genuine alignment with leadership principles, and strong problem-solving skills.
The online assessment is usually the first technical step. It consists of two coding problems to be solved in 70-90 minutes. Problems are typically at the LeetCode medium level, though some candidates report seeing easy or hard problems depending on the role level.
In addition to coding, many OAs now include a work simulation component where you make decisions in hypothetical Amazon workplace scenarios. These scenarios are designed to assess your alignment with leadership principles. There is no "right" answer, but consistency and clear reasoning matter.
Amazon offers are structured as base salary + signing bonus + RSU (stock) over 4 years. The unique aspect of Amazon's compensation is the back-loaded vesting schedule: 5% in year 1, 15% in year 2, 40% in year 3, and 40% in year 4. The signing bonus compensates for the low vesting in years 1-2. Base salary was capped at $160K until 2022, when Amazon raised it to $350K to stay competitive. For most SDE roles, higher compensation still comes through stock. When negotiating, focus on RSU grants and signing bonus for maximum flexibility.
Explore interview guides for other top tech companies.