Amazon Leadership Principles Interview Questions

Customer Obsession

• Tell the story of the last time you had to apologize to someone
• When you’re working with a large number of customers, it’s tricky to deliver excellent service to them all. How do you go about prioritizing your customer’s needs?
• Give me an example of a time when you did not meet a client’s expectation. What happened, and how did you attempt to rectify the situation?
• Walk us through a time when you helped a customer through a difficult process and what that looked like.

Ownership

• Tell me about a time when you had to leave a task unfinished
• Tell me about a time when you had to work on a project with unclear responsibilities
• Give me a example of when you took a risk and it failed

Invent and Simplify

• Tell me about a time when you gave a simple solution to a complex problem
• Tell me about a time when you invented something
• Tell me a time when you created an innovative product

Are Right, A Lot

• Tell me about a time when you were wrong
• Tell me about a time when you had to work with incomplete data or information
• Tell me about a time when you observed two business opportunities to improve ROI, and how did you determine that they were connected

Learn and Be Curious

• Tell me about a time when you influenced a change by only asking questions
• Tell me about a time when you solved a problem through just superior knowledge or observation
• How do you find the time to stay inspired, acquire new knowledge, innovate in your work?

Hire and Develop the Best

• Tell me about a time when you mentored someone
• Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a poor performer on your team

Insist on the Highest Standards

• Tell me about a time when you couldn’t meet your own expectations on a project
• Tell me about a time when a team member didn’t meet your expectations on a project
• Tell me about a time when you could have stopped working but persisted

Think Big

• Tell me about your proudest professional achievement
• Tell me about a time when you went way beyond the scope of the project and delivered
• Tell me about a time when you proposed a new business

Bias for Action

• Tell me about a time when you took a calculated risk
• Tell me about a time you needed to get information from someone who wasn’t very responsive. What did you do?
• Describe how you would handle a busy situation where three people are waiting for help from you

Frugality

• Tell me about a time when you had to work with limited time or resources
• Tell me about a time where you thought of a clever new way to save money for the company –

Earn Trust

• What would you do if you found out that your closest friend at work was stealing?
• Tell me about a time when you had to tell someone a harsh truth
• Tell me a time when you earned trust of a group –

Dive Deep

• Give me two examples of when you did more than what was required in any job experience
• Tell me about a time when you had to dive deep into the data and the results you achieved

Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit

• Tell me about a time when you did not accept the status quo
• Tell me about an unpopular decision of yours
• Tell me about a time when you had to step up and disagree with a team members approach
• If your direct manager was instruction you to do something you disagree with, how would you handle it?
• Tell me about the most difficult interaction you had at work

Deliver Results

• What is the most difficult situation you have ever faced in your life? How did you handle it?
• Give me an example of a time when you were 75% of the way through a project and you had to pivot strategy – how were you able to make that into a success story?
• Tell me about a time where you overcame an obstacle and delivered results