Everyone uses Amazon, whether it be for holiday shopping or purchasing daily-use products at a low cost. Because it is such a successful and influential company, Amazon tends to attract some of the most talented and qualified employees. If you want to land a well-paying tech job with great benefits, you might be wondering how to get a job at Amazon.
To get hired at Amazon, you will need to take the time to learn about the company’s background, prepare for the interview process, and ensure you meet the requirements of the open position. In this guide, we cover everything you need to know about how to work at Amazon.
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Key Takeaways
- Working at Amazon offers good pay and generous benefits such as medical insurance and paid maternity leave.
- The application process at Amazon involves applying online through their employment portal and submitting your qualifications, including a resume.
- The interview process at Amazon includes behavioral-based interviews and may also include technical questions and assessments. Salary negotiation can occur during the interview process.
- Programming experience and professional experience are common requirements for software development roles at Amazon. Candidates must have impressive technical skills, relevant work experience, and familiarity with Amazon’s leadership principles.
- If applying for a developer position, it is recommended to review computer science basics to prepare for the interview process.
- Some popular job opportunities at Amazon include DevOps engineer, database engineer, systems development engineer, software development engineer, and systems administrator.
Amazon: Company Background
Back in 1994, Jeff Bezos started an online bookselling marketplace called Amazon from his garage. The company quickly expanded and began selling all sorts of products, including electronics, furniture, clothing, toys, and even food. In 1997, the company went public.
By 1998, Amazon was already operating internationally by purchasing books and music from international retailers. By 2015, Amazon had become so popular that the company managed to surpass Walmart as the most valuable retailer in the United States. Then, in 2017, Amazon further expanded its empire by purchasing Whole Foods.
Today, it is rare to find a person who does not use Amazon or Amazon Prime services. With options for two-day shipping, millions of products, and the ability to easily have purchases shipped across the country, it is no surprise that Amazon is such a successful company.
How to Get a Job at Amazon
As it is one of the largest companies in the world, it can be very difficult to get a job at Amazon. You will be up against very qualified and experienced applicants. However, there are currently thousands of open tech jobs, so with the right combination of dedication, motivation, education, and experience, getting hired at Amazon is very possible.
Below, we will go into the application and interview process to give you a better idea of how to get a job at Amazon. We also detail some of the most common education and professional requirements for open positions.
Requirements to Work for Amazon
The requirements to work for Amazon vary depending on what level you are applying for. You do not necessarily need a bachelor’s degree for entry-level roles or IT apprenticeships, though you will need an impressive resume with evidence of your technical skills. Internship experience can help strengthen your resume.
Common Amazon requirements to work in software development roles include programming experience in Java, C++, or C# and two years of professional experience in the field. For managerial and mid-level positions, you may be required to have at least a bachelor’s degree.
Applying for a Job at Amazon
The process of applying for a job at Amazon starts with visiting the company’s website. You can search for jobs based on department, location, and other categories, or you can go through the Best Fit Job Match option. This allows you to input your information and get matched with multiple roles across various teams. This speeds up the process of applying for Amazon jobs.
While filling out your job application, be sure to have all appropriate materials ready. You will likely need to have your education and work experience, as well as a list of all your qualifications for the position. While a resume is not strictly required to apply to work at Amazon, it is strongly recommended.
Amazon hires based on your responses to the online assessments and interview questions asked during the hiring process. Whether you apply for a delivery service, customer service, or technological position, you will have to go through behavioral-based interviews to get the job. This is why it is important to stand out against other candidates.
Amazon Application and Interview Process
After filling out the Amazon job application online, you’ll need to pass the interview process. If they are interested, an Amazon recruiter will reach out and ask you to complete at least one online assessment. If you pass this test, you will move on to the phone interview.
Your first Amazon job interview will include behavioral questions related to the company’s leadership principles. The phone interview might also include technical questions, so make sure you review computer science fundamentals if you are applying for a tech role. Some sample behavioral Amazon job interview questions include:
- Tell us about a time you had to solve a problem with many possible solutions. What was the outcome of your decision?
- What are your leadership skills and how do you motivate others?
- Have you ever taken the lead on a project?
- Tell us about a time you took a risk or made a mistake. How did you respond to this setback?
After the phone interview, you will sit for at least one in-person interview. There will be a mix of behavioral and technical questions, and you might meet with anywhere between two and seven interviewers from different departments, depending on the role. Each Amazon job interview lasts around 45 minutes. All technical roles require white board interview questions.
Amazon Skills Tests and Assessments
Before you get to the interview stage, you will need to fill out at least one Amazon assessment test. The most common include a work style assessment and a work sample simulation. Amazon coding assessments are also common for technical roles. These tests are almost always virtual, and often come with a very strict deadline and time limit.
Amazon Salary Negotiations
Amazon salary negotiation often occurs during the interview process. Your salary is dependent on your level, which is determined by your experience and interview performance.
Once you have been scheduled for an interview, you can ask what level you are being considered for. To negotiate your salary at Amazon, you can advocate for yourself in your interview if you feel like you are qualified for a higher level.
How Hard Is It to Land a Job at Amazon?
It is hard to get a job at Amazon, especially in a technical role. Since Amazon is such a large company, it can be a very competitive job market. There is quite an intense job application and interview process, so you will need to find a way to stand out to the hiring managers.
Although it can be harder to get a job at Amazon than it is to land a career at other large companies like Costco, it is totally possible. By taking the time to ensure the qualities you possess will put you ahead of other candidates and preparing properly for the interview process, you can increase your chances of getting hired.
What’s It Like to Work at Amazon?
There are conflicting opinions when it comes to working at Amazon, but the consensus is that employees receive good pay, decent benefits, and prestige. Though there are many benefits of working at Amazon, some employees say it is difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Below, we detail what it is like to work at Amazon.
Good Pay
Even for part-time delivery drivers, Amazon pays employees well. In 2018, Amazon raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour, though for most of the higher positions, the pay is even higher than this.
Amazon employees can earn this generous minimum wage whether they are part-time, full-time, temporary, seasonal, or even Whole Foods employees. In technical roles, such as engineer or data scientist, you will earn a great deal more.
Generous Benefits
Full-time employees at Amazon enjoy generous benefits. For starters, all employees have access to medical, dental, and vision insurance. You will also be given the option of a 401(k) retirement plan.
One of the other benefits of working for Amazon is the paid maternity leave. Women are given up to 20 weeks of paid time off for maternity leave, six weeks parental leave is available for adoptive or non-birth parents, and parents get free access to a network of millions of caregivers when it comes time to return to work.
Prestigious Job Title
Perhaps the best reason for many to work at Amazon is simply for the prestigious job title. Since Amazon is such a giant company, being able to say you work for or have worked for the giant ecommerce company is a big achievement.
For those who see getting a job at Amazon as a stepping stone on the way to their true dream job, it can be especially important to hold a prestigious job title. Being able to list Amazon as a previous or even a current employer on a resume is a great way to achieve your professional dreams.
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Amazon Careers: Job Titles and Descriptions
There are hundreds of open positions at Amazon at any given time. You can find internships, part-time work, and Amazon work from home jobs. Below, we provide more detailed information about some of the most common and most desired job opportunities at Amazon. Any of the following Amazon careers will provide you with a high salary and great benefits.
DevOps Engineer
- Salary: $184,027
- Benefits: 401(k), medical insurance, PTO, work with a great team
- Level: Intermediate
- Required Experience: 2+ years programming in Python, Ruby, Java, C++, or a similar object oriented language, exposure to cloud native technologies, hands-on experience with Infrastructure as Code, experience with the Software Development Lifecycle
- Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in a related field
As an Amazon DevOps engineer, you will spend your workdays collaborating with other Amazon teams to solve cloud-based solutions. You will need previous DevOps experience to work at this level, and will likely be in charge of leading small initiatives in addition to assisting on large projects.
Database Engineer
- Salary: $188,192
- Benefits: 401(k), medical insurance, PTO, work with a great team
- Level: Intermediate
- Required Experience: Broad knowledge of PostgreSQL or MySQL relational databases, familiarity with Amazon web services, proficiency coding in UNIX shell and SQL, and a procedural language
- Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or Engineering, or equivalent experience
Amazon database engineers work toward customer satisfaction. This involves working with customers to solve real problems within the realm of Amazon Web Services, using technical and engineering innovations. To qualify for this Amazon career, you’ll need to show that you can create and manage highly complex and confidential databases in a fast paced environment.
Systems Development Engineer
- Salary: $194,129
- Benefits: 401(k), medical insurance, PTO, work with a great team
- Level: Intermediate
- Required Experience: Development experience in C++, C#, Java, Python, or Ruby, 2+ years of hands-on experience in software engineering, DevOps, or systems development, experience with AWS services
- Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in a technology-related field or equivalent experience
The primary responsibility of a systems development engineer at Amazon is to work with team leaders to refine technical direction. You will use your programming and DevOps experience to review and innovate code to find ways to streamline processes. Some professionals in this role work on a hybrid schedule, making it a promising option if you are looking for Amazon remote careers.
Software Development Engineer
- Salary: $196,616
- Benefits: 401(k), medical insurance, PTO, work with a great team
- Level: Intermediate
- Required Experience: Programming experience with Java, C++, or C#, 1+ year experience contributing to architecture or design of new and current systems, 2+ years of non-internship professional software development, experience building successful production software platforms
- Required Education: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science or a related discipline
To land a job as a software development engineer at Amazon, you’ll need at least a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. A master’s degree or PhD is preferred. You will likely be mentoring junior software engineers and developers, so you’ll need leadership experience. To be considered, you’ll need to be very proficient in every aspect of the software development lifecycle.
Systems Administrator
- Salary: $142,460
- Benefits: 401(k), medical insurance, PTO
- Required Experience: Hands-on experience with Linux or Windows systems administration and scripting, in-depth knowledge of TCP/IP networks and architecture
- Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
The primary duty of a systems administrator is to investigate customer issues and determine the root cause. They will work closely with senior engineers and discuss new approaches to operational issues. This Amazon career requires excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
What Does It Take to Get a Job at Amazon?
To get a job at Amazon, you will need very impressive technical skills and relevant work experience. Even entry-level roles and internships can be very competitive. However, if you can pass the rounds of rigorous interviews and assessments, you will be able to reap the benefits of being an Amazon employee.
To help you get an idea of what it takes to get a job at Amazon, the company lists detailed information about its interview processes, including sample interview questions, on its website. Make sure you know exactly what is expected of you and come prepared. Review computer science basics and make sure you are familiar with Amazon’s 16 leadership principles.
How to Get a Job at Amazon: FAQ
How does the Amazon sign-on bonus work?
The Amazon sign-on bonus incentivises workers to apply for warehouse and delivery positions. The exact amount and time frame vary depending on your location and job title. Generally, Amazon sign-on bonus installments are paid out after your first and third monthly paycheck.
How old do you have to be to work at Amazon?
You have to be at least 18 years old to work for Amazon, even in internship or part-time positions. Amazon requires that all workers have completed high school or have earned their GED.
How many people work for Amazon?
As of 2021, over 1.6 million people work for Amazon, according to the company’s fourth quarter earnings report. This number generally grows during the holiday season, when Amazon services are in high demand.
How long is a seasonal job at Amazon?
Amazon seasonal jobs generally start in November and end in the beginning of January. If you show good work ethic and dedication, you can be hired full-time, however there may be a probationary period.
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