Homework: Preparing for Amazon
Amazon interviews are behavioral based on the STAR framework. That is Situation/Task, Action and Result. You are expected to use that framework to answer every question. You should probably also add to that Introclusion before diving into the ‘S’ in S.T.A.R.
Give them the headline and the punchline before you start so they can follow along.
To help you prepare, we think a crucial first step is for you to create a spreadsheet (see pro forma below) where you list at least 10 different experiences that you want to talk about during your interviews.
Then label them as being appropriate stories for addressing the different leadership principles. Most stories you have can be used to answer more than one leadership principle, it is all in how you tell your story to the interviewer.
NOTE: It is crucial that you do NOT reuse the same story with every interviewer on the panel. They will compare and contrast and if they all talk about the same story you told they will think you don’t have enough depth.
Step one: List your stories
Documenting your stories will help you think through the milestones in your career.
You can find the spreadsheet pro forma here.
Make a copy
Look at the tab with the 14 leadership principles listed before you start
List 10-14 career/project milestones you can use to answer behavioral questions based on the leadership principles you read.
Step Two: Write Out Your Stories
These two worksheet formats have prompts to help you breakdown your description of each previous experience. Most candidates find using this two or three times works to make the format comfortable. The truly prepared do one exercise for each experience they want to leverage in their interviews.
Option 1: For Spreadsheet Fans
Make a copy of the tab ‘Story Breakdown’.
Write out your answers, one tab Story Breakdown per milestone.
Option 2: For Document Fans
Fill out this worksheet. You can print a PDF or work from a digital copy.