How long is an Amazon interview?

An Amazon interview typically lasts between 4 to 6 hours in total, depending on the role and number of rounds. Here's a breakdown of how long each part of the interview process can take:

1. Phone Screen (30 to 60 minutes)

• Duration: Each phone screen usually lasts about 30 to 60 minutes.
• Format: This round may include a combination of technical questions, coding problems, or behavioral questions focused on Amazon’s Leadership Principles.

2. Onsite or Virtual Interview (4 to 5 hours)

• Duration: The onsite (or virtual) interview typically takes between 4 to 5 hours. It's broken up into several rounds of 45 to 60 minutes each, with short breaks in between.
• Format: These rounds cover a mix of:
  • Technical interviews: Coding problems or system design questions.
  • Behavioral interviews: Focus on your past experiences and how they align with Amazon’s Leadership Principles.
  • Bar Raiser: One round will include a Bar Raiser, who ensures you meet Amazon's high standards.

3. System Design Round (Senior Roles, 60 minutes)

• Duration: For senior roles like software engineers, solutions architects, or technical managers, there is an additional 60-minute system design interview.
• Format: You’ll be asked to design a scalable, efficient system to test your architecture and problem-solving skills.

Total Interview Time:

• Phone screen: 30 to 60 minutes per round, usually with 1-2 rounds.
• Onsite/Virtual Interview: 4 to 5 hours in total, broken into multiple rounds.
• System Design Round (for senior roles): 60 minutes.

Preparation Resources:

• For coding interviews, check out Grokking the Coding Interview: Patterns for Coding Questions to help you practice common coding patterns and improve your speed and accuracy during the interview.
• For system design interviews, Grokking the System Design Interview is a great resource to prepare for designing scalable systems.

Summary:

• The total interview process typically lasts 4 to 6 hours across several rounds.
• Each round, whether technical or behavioral, lasts about 45 to 60 minutes.
• System design rounds for senior roles also last around 60 minutes.

The process is thorough, ensuring Amazon gets a deep understanding of both your technical skills and cultural fit.