I Did 850 Tech Interviews For Amazon And I Learned This

Summary

The speaker recounts their journey from a support engineer at Amazon to a principal software engineer, highlighting the pivotal role of embracing change. They share three key lessons: viewing interviews as a numbers game, understanding that interviews assess potential rather than daily job skills, and the importance of both technical and behavioral performance in securing job offers. The script emphasizes strategic interview preparation and the need to balance technical proficiency with interpersonal skills.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker started at Amazon as a support engineer and felt like a 'digital janitor', leading to a turning point in their career.
• 🔧 The speaker's experience of being the only one on-call motivated them to change careers from support engineer to software developer.
• 💡 The importance of taking action was highlighted, quoting Tony Robbins on the necessity of the pain of staying the same being greater than the pain of change.
• 🎯 The speaker emphasizes the importance of preparation for technical interviews and shares their journey from a heavy on-call load to becoming a principal software engineer.
• 📈 The concept of interviewing as a numbers game is introduced, suggesting that success is not guaranteed even with perfect preparation.
• 🃏 A poker analogy is used to illustrate the unpredictability of interviews and the importance of making good decisions over time.
• 📚 The speaker advises lining up multiple interviews to increase the chances of receiving offers and to avoid emotional investment in a single opportunity.
• 🚫 The lesson of not taking interviews personally is shared, as companies are optimizing for minimal false positives and external factors can influence outcomes.
• 🎲 The difference between limit and no-limit poker games is used as a metaphor for the different approaches needed in interviews compared to day-to-day job skills.
• 👂 The importance of listening to the interviewer and allowing them to guide the conversation is stressed to avoid misunderstandings during the interview.
• 🤔 The potential trap of focusing solely on the technical portion of the interview is warned against, highlighting the significance of the behavioral portion in landing a job.
• 📘 The speaker shares personal strategies for answering behavioral questions effectively and the impact they had on securing job offers.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial role at Amazon?

The speaker started at Amazon in 2006 as a support engineer, responsible for keeping the website up and running.

How did the speaker describe their experience carrying the pager?

The speaker described the experience as challenging, feeling like a 'digital janitor' and being paged more than 100 times a week, which was emotionally and physically draining.

What motivated the speaker to change their career path?

The speaker was motivated to change their career path by the difficult period of being the only one carrying the pager, which led them to realize they didn't want to be a support engineer for the rest of their life.

What did the speaker do to prepare for a career change to software development?

The speaker went all in on preparing for technical interviews to become a software developer, which included studying and practicing for the interview process.

What is the speaker's current position at Amazon?

The speaker is currently an L7 Principal Software Engineer at Amazon.

How many technical interviews has the speaker conducted?

The speaker has conducted 850 technical interviews.

What is the first lesson the speaker learned about the interview process?

The first lesson is that interviewing is a numbers game, and one should not expect to win every time, even with perfect preparation.

Why did the speaker line up multiple interviews instead of just one?

The speaker lined up multiple interviews to increase the chances of receiving an offer and to be selective, understanding that focusing on a single opportunity could lead to disappointment if it didn't work out.

What is the purpose of technical interviews according to the speaker?

The purpose of technical interviews is to ensure that companies never hire a bad candidate, even if it means filtering out people who would otherwise perform well in the job.

What is the second lesson the speaker learned about interview preparation?

The second lesson is that interview preparation should be based on the way things actually are, not the way one thinks they should be, to avoid falling into the trap of preparing for the wrong aspects of the interview.

What is the role of the behavioral portion of an interview according to the speaker?

The behavioral portion of an interview is critical to landing the job, as it allows interviewers to assess a candidate's prior experience, communication skills, and potential fit within the team.

What advice does the speaker give for candidates who perform well technically but not in the behavioral portion?

The speaker advises not to neglect the behavioral portion of the interview, as it can make a significant difference in the final decision, especially if the technical performance is not outstanding.

What is the third lesson the speaker learned about interview preparation?

The third lesson is to avoid target fixation and to ensure a balance between technical and behavioral preparation, as focusing solely on technical aspects can lead to overlooking the importance of the behavioral portion.

Outlines

00:00

🔧 From Support Engineer to Software Developer: A Journey of Change

The speaker reflects on their early career at Amazon as a support engineer, a role that involved constant troubleshooting and carrying a pager, leading to a high-stress work environment. They describe how being the sole person on-call for several months was a turning point, motivating them to transition to a software developer role. The speaker emphasizes the importance of viewing job interviews as a numbers game, akin to poker, where even the best preparation doesn't guarantee success but increases the chances over time. They share their strategy of lining up multiple interviews to increase the likelihood of receiving offers and discuss the emotional toll of focusing on a single opportunity.

05:01

🎯 Interviewing as a Numbers Game: Overcoming Mental Blocks

In this paragraph, the speaker delves into the mental aspect of interviewing, highlighting the common misconception that interview preparation should mirror day-to-day job skills. They argue that interviews are designed to filter out poor candidates, even if they might perform well in the actual job. The speaker uses the analogy of poker to illustrate the concept of a numbers game, where the goal is to make good decisions repeatedly over time. They advise candidates to listen to interviewers and follow their lead, warning against the trap of expecting interviews to be a direct reflection of job performance. The speaker also introduces a sponsor, Brilliant.org, advocating for interactive learning in various fields, including math, science, and computer science.

🃏 The High Stakes of Technical vs. Behavioral Interviewing

The speaker discusses the importance of not solely focusing on the technical aspects of an interview, warning of the potential pitfalls of target fixation. They compare the interview process to poker, where considering only one's hand is insufficient; one must also account for position, bet sizing, and opponent behavior. The speaker emphasizes that while technical skills are necessary, they are not the only factors for securing a job offer. They stress the significance of the behavioral portion of an interview, where candidates must demonstrate qualities such as being a fast learner, thorough, a good co-worker, and ambitious. The speaker shares personal anecdotes from their interview experiences, where strong behavioral responses compensated for average technical performances, ultimately leading to multiple job offers.

Keywords

💡Support Engineer

A support engineer is a professional responsible for maintaining the functionality and performance of a system or website. In the context of the video, the speaker describes their initial role at Amazon as a support engineer, which involved dealing with website issues around the clock, often feeling like a 'digital janitor' due to the constant need to address problems. This role was pivotal in motivating the speaker to transition to a software developer position.

💡Technical Interview

A technical interview is a process used by companies to assess a candidate's technical skills and knowledge, typically for software development roles. The video script discusses the speaker's preparation for technical interviews as a critical step in their career transition from a support engineer to a software developer. It underscores the importance of thorough preparation and the strategy of treating interviews as a numbers game to increase the chances of success.

💡Principal Software Engineer

A Principal Software Engineer is a senior position within a software development team, often responsible for leading projects and guiding other engineers. The speaker in the video mentions their current role as an L7 Principal Software Engineer at Amazon, which signifies a significant career progression from their initial support engineer position.

💡Bar Raiser

In the context of Amazon's interview process, a 'Bar Raiser' is an individual who has been trained to uphold the company's high hiring standards. The speaker identifies themselves as a Bar Raiser, indicating that they are involved in ensuring that only top talent is recruited, which is a key part of their role as a senior engineer at Amazon.

💡Numbers Game

The concept of a 'numbers game' in the video refers to the idea that success in interviews, much like in poker, is about making good decisions over time rather than winning every single instance. The speaker uses this analogy to emphasize the importance of conducting multiple interviews to increase the likelihood of receiving an offer, rather than focusing on a single opportunity.

💡Tier List

A tier list is a ranking system used to categorize items or opportunities into different levels of preference or priority. In the script, the speaker advises job seekers to create a tier list of companies they are interested in, using the lower-tier companies as practice for interviews and the higher-tier ones as their primary targets for job offers.

💡False Positives

In the context of hiring, a 'false positive' refers to the situation where an interviewer mistakenly assesses a candidate as suitable for a job when they are not. The video discusses how companies aim to minimize false positives during interviews by using proxy questions and evaluating candidates on a range of factors beyond just technical skills.

💡System Design Interview

A system design interview is a type of technical interview where candidates are asked to design a system or explain how a system works, often without the benefit of real-world experience. The speaker recounts a personal experience where they misunderstood the direction of a system design question during an interview, leading to a poor outcome despite their extensive knowledge of the subject.

💡Behavioral Interview

A behavioral interview focuses on a candidate's past experiences and behaviors to predict how they will perform in the future. The video emphasizes the importance of the behavioral portion of an interview in securing job offers, especially when technical performance is average. The speaker advises candidates to prepare stories that highlight their positive attributes and avoid raising concerns about their work style.

💡Target Fixation

Target fixation is a psychological phenomenon where an individual becomes overly focused on a specific goal to the exclusion of other important factors. In the script, the speaker warns against target fixation in the context of interview preparation, where candidates may focus solely on technical questions and neglect the behavioral aspects of the interview, potentially leading to missed opportunities.

💡Brilliant.org

Brilliant.org is an online platform offering interactive courses in various subjects, including math, science, and computer science. The speaker mentions Brilliant.org as a sponsor of the video and recommends it as an effective way to learn and practice skills, drawing a parallel to the importance of interactive problem-solving in technical interviews.

Highlights

The speaker started at Amazon in 2006 as a support engineer, responsible for website maintenance, often feeling like a 'digital janitor'.

The speaker's experience of being the sole pager holder led to a turning point in their career, motivating a shift to software development.

Tony Robbins' quote about change is cited as a driving force for the speaker's career transition.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of preparation for technical interviews to become a software developer.

The speaker's progression from heavy on-call load to a Principal Software Engineer and a bar raiser at Amazon.

The speaker has conducted 850 technical interviews and trained over a thousand people in interview techniques.

Three big lessons learned from overcoming a challenging period are promised to be shared in the video.

The first lesson is about the mental block in interviewing and the importance of viewing it as a numbers game.

The analogy of professional poker as a numbers game is used to illustrate the unpredictability of interview outcomes.

The speaker advises lining up multiple interviews to increase the chances of receiving an offer.

The second lesson addresses the common mistake of preparing for interviews based on personal expectations rather than reality.

The purpose of interviews is explained as a means to avoid hiring bad candidates, not necessarily to find the best fit for the job.

The speaker shares a personal anecdote about a system design interview where misunderstanding the question led to a failed outcome.

The importance of listening to the interviewer and following their lead during the questioning is stressed.

The third lesson warns against target fixation and the danger of focusing solely on the technical portion of an interview.

The analogy of poker strategy is used again to emphasize the importance of considering the full picture in an interview.

The behavioral portion of the interview is highlighted as critical to landing a job, not just the technical skills.

The speaker provides advice on how to answer behavioral questions effectively and avoid getting down-leveled.

A call to action for viewers to subscribe to the channel and email newsletter for career advancement advice.

Transcripts

I started at Amazon in 2006 as a support

engineer a person responsible for

keeping the website up and running it's

an important job but sometimes when

everything was broken it felt like I was

a digital janitor constantly cleaning up

other people's messes I had to carry a

pager it was not uncommon to be paged

more than 100 times in a week whenever I

was paged I had to stop whatever I was

doing and log on to see what the issue

was there was no end to it it happened

day and night usually carrying the pager

is spread across all of the members of

your team however when I arrived at

Amazon several people were leaving as a

result for many months I was the only

one carrying the pager this difficult

period in my life turned out to be a

turning point as it motivated me to take

action as Tony Robbins said change

happens when the pain of staying the

same is greater than the pain of change

I knew that I didn't want to be a

support engineer for the rest of my life

even if my on-call shifts got better I

wanted to be a software developer write

code and build systems so I went all in

on preparing for the technical interview

to become a software developer while

Ally had a heavy on-call load now I'm in

L7 principal software engineer I've also

conducted 850 technical interviews I'm a

bar raiser and I've trained over a

thousand people at Amazon how to conduct

interviews and I finally know why I was

successful back then in this video I'll

share with you three big lessons I

learned while I was digging myself out

of that hole so you don't have to go

through the heartache I did this is my

free gift from Uncle Steve to you all I

ask is that if you find my content

useful you subscribe to my channel and

email newsletter where I help Tech

professionals level up in their careers

there's a link in the description the

first lesson is a mental block that

people have when they're interviewing

and it holds them back and makes them

feel bad about themselves unnecessarily

preparing for interviews is emotionally

and physically draining so you want to

minimize the time it takes to get an

acceptable offer if you don't learn this

lesson you'll drag things out longer

than you have to I see it all the time

in people that I talk with and I don't

understand how it got into their heads

it can ruin their chances of getting a

different job and it also kills their

self-esteem and that lesson is that

interviewing is a number numbers game

when I was younger I wanted to become a

professional poker player and if ever

there was a numbers game it's

professional poker and the sick part

about it is that you can have the best

hand two Aces and still lose that hand

and you can have the worst hand a 2-7

offsuit and still win you make money in

poker over time by making good decisions

hand after hand and so with interviewing

you should not expect to win every time

even if you have prepared everything

perfectly when I was finally ready to do

software developer interviews I didn't

do just one interview I lined up four

interviews looking back at it I probably

should have lined up 10. I ended up

receiving three offers from those four

which allowed me to be selective if I

had spent all that time targeting just

one team could have been the team that

passed on me I would have felt terrible

and it might have discouraged me at the

very least it would have prolonged the

time it took to actually receive an

offer if you know anything about

recruiting it's that they operate on

their own schedule at some companies

they're fast and efficient at some

companies they aren't so fast and

efficient you want to start the process

with many companies in parallel not

serially when you're interviewing don't

become emotionally invested in a single

opportunity there are too many external

factors that you can't control you could

encounter an inexperienced interviewer

who had a bad day or stepped in dog poop

right before your interview they might

ask you the one question you wanted to

prepare for but couldn't get to perhaps

they already interviewed a superstar

earlier that week and the position is

already filled when interviewing segment

accompanies you're interested in into a

tier list with proper preparation you

should expect at least one offer from

your top tier use the companies in the

lower tier as practice to reduce

nervousness in subsequent interviews

plus who knows maybe a lower tier

company will surprise you by practicing

with these companies good things are

more likely to happen the second lesson

I learned is a common complaint that

I've heard from many people and it holds

them back because they think the world

shouldn't be this way they prepare the

way they think they things should be

instead of the way that things actually

are it's a common trap that I've also

fallen into during a question I went off

on a tangent and it led me to not

receiving an offer that lesson is that

inner interviews are not intended to

test your day-to-day job skills instead

the purpose is to ensure that companies

never hire a bad candidate even if that

means filtering out people who would

otherwise perform well in that job the

Gatehouse does not resemble the

clubhouse the skills that make you

successful at work are not the same as

those that make you successful at

interviewing there are two types of

Poker limit and no limit in limit games

the number of chips you can put into the

pot is capped while in No Limit games

the amount you can bet is not capped

even though the rules are otherwise

exactly the same these games could not

be more different during a system design

interview I was once asked to design a

system that I had actually built in real

life I was thrilled to receive that

question and I could hardly contain my

excitement I had filed patents in this

area and I was intimately familiar with

how to actually build these systems in

real life I could talk about it forever

but where I took the question was not

the same place as the interviewer wanted

to go and so I bombed that question that

I should have crushed because I thought

the interviewer wanted to talk about

what it actually took to build one of

these systems and production when

actually he wanted to talk about

something else I've seen it on both

sides of the table when I ask a system

design question I'm not actually asking

you to design a system that takes weeks

or months I'm trying to have an

interesting conversation about some of

the topics I want to talk about to size

you up companies don't give you real

world work during interviews because it

takes longer than the hour they have to

evaluate you instead they ask proxy

questions to minimize false positives it

can be frustrating to be filtered out

because the interviewer wanted to talk

about some arbitrary thing even though

you may be a good fit for the job

however it's best not to take it

personally and recognize that it's a

numbers game companies are optimizing

for minimal false positives so when you

go into an interview you need to make

sure to listen to what the interviewer

is saying and let them guide you through

their questioning if you play a No Limit

game like a limit game you're gonna get

destroyed don't get caught playing the

wrong game because you think the world

should be a different way before we

continue I'd like to drop a quick note

for today's sponsor brilliant.org just

like the best way to prepare for a

coding interview is by doing coding

problems if you you're trying to learn

math science or computer science the

best way to do so interactively is with

brilliant reading or passively watching

YouTube videos is probably the worst way

to learn something not only does the

information not stick it gives you a

false sense that you understand things

deeply when you don't with Brilliance

interactive courses you can learn the

key Concepts and practice your skills in

the same place brilliant has lessons on

everything with new ones added every

month from probability to machine

learning there is so much content on

brilliant I really value continuing

education if I didn't have to work I

just take courses all day I'm currently

working through the kurz Gazette beyond

the nutshell content on Space disasters

and life it's mind-blowing entertaining

and educational in a way that just

watching their videos isn't to try

everything brilliant has to offer free

for a full 30 days visit brilliant.org

life engineered or click on the link in

the description the first 200 of you

will get 20 off Brilliance annual

premium subscription the third lesson is

the most important of all it's a trap

that one can fall into even if they've

been crushing their interview prep I've

noticed this phenomenon frequently in

the past couple of years with the rise

of Lee code and the tech interview prep

industry it's a form of Target fixation

that can lead to down leveling or Worse

not getting an offer even if you've

answered all of the questions perfectly

and that lesson is only focusing on the

technical portion of the interview in

poker if you only look at your hand and

don't take anything else into

consideration you're only seeing part of

the picture to be successful it's

important to consider your position the

number of trips you have as well as the

number of trips the other players have

and how they're behaving yes you should

get good at Lee code and system design

questions but the technical portion of

the interview is the ante is it

necessary but not sufficient condition

to get the offer the behavioral portion

of a job interview is critical to

actually Landing the job this is where

interviewers ask about your prior

experience you want to make sure you

tell good stories that communicate your

high performance seniority and relevant

experience and avoid raising red flags

such as giving them the impression that

you're difficult to work with it can

also be the difference when you have a

lukewarm performance during the

technical portion of the interview if

you have three technical interviews one

bombed one's really good and one was

just okay the conversation is going to

shift to the behavioral portion of the

interview you have a good showing there

you may be able to salvage an offer when

I was interviewing for sde positions I

didn't crush the technical portions I

did okay I did make sure though that the

answers to the soft questions

demonstrated that I was a fast learner

thorough with my work a good co-worker

and hungry for more and I think that was

the critical difference to getting all

of those offers of course none of this

matters if you don't do decently well in

the technical portion of the interview

but it doesn't take too much effort to

make sure you have good answers to

behavioral questions so don't neglect

them because they aren't technical if

you want to know how to answer these

questions effectively and avoid getting

down leveled I break it down step by

step in this video if you got the job

and want to know what to do next take a

look at this video where I break down

what new software developers should

focus on either way work hard and don't

let your uncle Steve down

foreign