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Ask HN: Is it crazy to ask for team specific interview at Amazon?

Hi HN, A recruiter from Amazon contacted me recently offering a job. I've been through their interviews a few times now and flunked. He mentioned the same process as usual - coding screen, then a 5 round virtual onsite with a mix of algo/sys design and behavioral questions. At this point I really just don't want to go through the entire pointless rigmarole again. I am a passionate and talented developer, but I suck at leetcode and suck at behavioral questions. I might like to work at a few specific teams on Amazon if they matched my technical interests and skills. Like I'm good at performance tuning, databases, networking and ops. Is it crazy to ask my recruiter to let me interview for team X,Y and Z directly? I'm imagining it more like a real interview at a startup, where I could just speak directly to the hiring manager and team members, present a tailored resume showing my skills at what they need and an interview process focusing on the actual skills the team needs. Is it okay to ask for this? Is there any chance they will approve it?

flakyfilibuster 4y ago
At this point I'd ask myself why I'd want to work for a company whichs interview process is so misaligned with my expectations... Why not look elsewhere?
rantallion 4y ago
With the long list of folk that dream of working at FAANG companies, I highly doubt you'll get any special treatment. They don't need to change their process so long as people are still lining up to get in. I'd echo the other comment and suggest looking elsewhere so you don't have to go through such a ridiculous hiring process just for the 'prestige' of working for somewhere so 'amazing'.
- zaptheimpaler 4y ago
  Thanks, that makes sense. I couldn't care less about prestige and don't consider Amazon to even be prestigious.. it's just that there are not a lot of companies that pay well where I live.
- al_borland 4y ago
  Are enough people lining up? I had an Amazon recruiter reach out to me on LinkedIn. I figured they would get enough applicants where that wasn’t needed, so ignored it as some kind of scam. A couple months later a co-worker of mine put in his notice to leave for Amazon. He told me he got the same kind of message on LinkedIn, but actually replied.
frou_dh 4y ago
Doesn't hurt to ask, but just be prepared for there being a good chance that the answer is "Nah".
angusmk 4y ago
You could probably reach out to the specific hiring manager via Linkedin, not sure if you'd get any traction but couldn't hurt ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ If you're CV is great and they do refer you, the incentive from their side is getting a referral bonus
- isbvhodnvemrwvn 4y ago
  A referral won't make you skip all technical interviews.
wizwit999 4y ago
Not ridiculous at all, know your worth. Can also try to connect with hiring manager directly.
yuppie_scum 4y ago
If you’re looking to avoid bullshit, Amazon is not the company for you
giaour 4y ago
Teams at Amazon do their own hiring, so you're not really asking for special treatment there (at least as far as interviewing for team X, Y, or Z). The interviews will be leetcode and behavioral questions, though.
- yellow_lead 4y ago
  yeah, the process is the same.

flakyfilibuster 4y ago

At this point I'd ask myself why I'd want to work for a company whichs interview process is so misaligned with my expectations... Why not look elsewhere?

rantallion 4y ago

With the long list of folk that dream of working at FAANG companies, I highly doubt you'll get any special treatment. They don't need to change their process so long as people are still lining up to get in. I'd echo the other comment and suggest looking elsewhere so you don't have to go through such a ridiculous hiring process just for the 'prestige' of working for somewhere so 'amazing'.

zaptheimpaler 4y ago
Thanks, that makes sense. I couldn't care less about prestige and don't consider Amazon to even be prestigious.. it's just that there are not a lot of companies that pay well where I live.
al_borland 4y ago
Are enough people lining up? I had an Amazon recruiter reach out to me on LinkedIn. I figured they would get enough applicants where that wasn’t needed, so ignored it as some kind of scam. A couple months later a co-worker of mine put in his notice to leave for Amazon. He told me he got the same kind of message on LinkedIn, but actually replied.

frou_dh 4y ago

Doesn't hurt to ask, but just be prepared for there being a good chance that the answer is "Nah".

angusmk 4y ago

You could probably reach out to the specific hiring manager via Linkedin, not sure if you'd get any traction but couldn't hurt ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ If you're CV is great and they do refer you, the incentive from their side is getting a referral bonus

isbvhodnvemrwvn 4y ago
A referral won't make you skip all technical interviews.

wizwit999 4y ago

Not ridiculous at all, know your worth. Can also try to connect with hiring manager directly.

yuppie_scum 4y ago

If you’re looking to avoid bullshit, Amazon is not the company for you

giaour 4y ago

Teams at Amazon do their own hiring, so you're not really asking for special treatment there (at least as far as interviewing for team X, Y, or Z). The interviews will be leetcode and behavioral questions, though.

yellow_lead 4y ago
yeah, the process is the same.