The best of the rest
The best of the rest
- Excellent salary (but weird refresher model)
- Great work-life balance – While I’m not sure about AWS specifically, non-AWS groups have an outstanding balance. Anyone claiming otherwise is either misinformed or exaggerating.
- Opportunities (though not mandatory) to travel for business and visit different parts of the world.
- Excellent development tools – you have access to the full range of AWS services, allowing you to build anything you want. Just start coding; nothing is stopping you.
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Slow career progression – Moving from L5 to L6 can take 4+ years, so be prepared for long periods without a level promotion.
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Small role in a massive organization – While some teams operate in a "startup mode," they still have to adhere to Amazon's strict rules and regulations, which may not suit everyone.
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No guaranteed bonuses or stock refreshers – Unlike other companies that provide annual refreshers, Amazon does not guarantee them. If you reach the end of your vesting period without receiving a refresher, it's often a strong signal to start looking for another job. For most "regular" employees, refreshers typically arrive after year three.
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Amazon Interview Questions
Amazon Interview Experiences
Software Development Engineer (SDE) II
Recruiter reach out -> OA. Solved one question completely and passed half of the other question's tests. Later, I was rejected due to lack of experience on my resume. I actively asked if there were any SDE I positions, but they were unable to provid
Software Development Engineer (SDE) II
Introduction, some info about the project. A detailed explanation for why a particular tech stack was chosen. Two DSA questions were asked, the approach was discussed, and time complexity analysis was done.
Software Development Engineer (SDE) II
I first had to complete an online assessment, which consisted of two Medium-level DSA questions and a series of multiple-choice questions about system design. The OA questions are more challenging than those encountered during the actual interview lo
Software Development Engineer (SDE) II
Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaNovember 6, 2025Recruiter reach out -> OA. Solved one question completely and passed half of the other question's tests. Later, I was rejected due to lack of experience on my resume. I actively asked if there were any SDE I positions, but they were unable to provid
Software Development Engineer (SDE) II
Bengaluru, Karnataka, IndiaNovember 6, 2025Introduction, some info about the project. A detailed explanation for why a particular tech stack was chosen. Two DSA questions were asked, the approach was discussed, and time complexity analysis was done.
Software Development Engineer (SDE) II
Austin, Texas, United StatesOctober 12, 2025I first had to complete an online assessment, which consisted of two Medium-level DSA questions and a series of multiple-choice questions about system design. The OA questions are more challenging than those encountered during the actual interview lo
