How to Answer Amazon’s “Dive Deep” Interview Questions Like a Pro

As a software engineer, getting hired at Amazon is a dream for many. This tech giant is one of the biggest employers in the industry, and they hire for various tech roles throughout the year. However, the competition is intense, with Amazon’s rigorous technical rounds and tricky “Dive Deep” interview questions.

The “Dive Deep” principle is one of Amazon’s 14 leadership principles. It means that leaders at all levels stay connected to the details, audit frequently, and are skeptical when metrics and anecdotes differ. No task is beneath them. In simpler terms, Amazon wants to hire people who can get to the root cause of any problem by digging deep into the details and using those details to come up with appropriate solutions.

In this article, we’ll explore how to answer Amazon’s “Dive Deep” interview questions effectively. We’ll cover:

• Understanding the “Dive Deep” leadership principle
• How to structure your responses using the STAR method
• Sample “Dive Deep” interview questions and answers
• Tips for cracking Amazon’s “Dive Deep” interviews

Understanding the “Dive Deep” Leadership Principle

Amazon is interested in candidates who can demonstrate functional and leadership skills. Just acing the coding interview is not enough. Regardless of whether you’re applying for a software developer, tech lead, or engineering manager role, you’ll need to answer behavioral questions to showcase your leadership skills.

The behavioral interview questions are designed to assess each candidate on specific Amazon leadership principles and understand whether they fit the bill of a leader at Amazon. Every candidate should fulfill the “minimum expectation” on all the leadership principles and get an “outstanding” remark on at least one principle.

The “Dive Deep” principle evaluates your ability to get to the root cause of any problem and gauge your decision-making abilities. Hiring managers advise approaching these questions as if you’re peeling an onion – you should be able to keep going several levels deeper to highlight interesting details.

However, this doesn’t mean you need to remember every single detail of every challenge you’ve faced. The idea is to show the interviewer how the leadership principles have guided your work experiences.

Structuring Your Responses: The STAR Method

Framing responses to “Dive Deep” questions can be tricky. In such cases, the STAR (Situation-Action-Result) method is an excellent way to answer these questions. Here’s a quick primer on how to use the STAR method:

Situation

Think of this as peeling the first layer of the onion. Highlight the specific issues that prompted you to work towards a solution. For instance, if you’re going to talk about how you implemented a new system for ensuring better quality control, start with the problem your team was facing with the completed products.

While you want to be as detailed as possible, keep the details relevant to the rest of the response. You don’t want to come off as someone who digresses a lot by talking about irrelevant information.

Task

Give a clear explanation of the particular task or objective you were given or chose to take on. Your goal may be to increase the overall quality of the product, decrease faults, or optimize the effectiveness of the quality control procedure while putting a new quality control system into place.

Action

Once you have the interviewer’s attention, move on to the next stage. The hiring manager is eager to know what you did to overcome the challenges you’ve described. This is a critical part of the response as it will directly reflect your decision-making abilities.

Dive into the details to reveal the next layer of the onion. Amazonians are big believers in “trust yet verify,” so ensure everything you talk about is backed by concrete data. Vague responses without any data will make you seem like just another person with an opinion.

Result

Finally, it’s time to peel off the last layer and talk about what you achieved. Ideally, you should show the direct effect and measurable results you witnessed due to your actions. Many candidates make the mistake of not talking about the results in detail, which is a surefire way of losing the interviewer’s attention.

Use this opportunity to illustrate and highlight the Amazon leadership principles you applied. For example, if you proactively stepped up and took responsibility to fix an issue, you can talk about how you demonstrated ownership, which is one of the leadership principles.

Sample “Dive Deep” Interview Questions and Answers

How well you structure your responses to interview questions has a significant impact on your performance during the behavioral interview. Here are some common “Dive Deep” Amazon interview questions and sample answers that you can use for your prep. Please note that these are only illustrative, and it’s essential to provide more details in your responses.

1. Give me two examples of when you did more than what was required in any job experience.

Pick a project that had a goal and discuss how you took ownership. Explain how you went beyond what was required from you. Follow the STAR method while answering and add enough emphasis on the outcome.

Sample answer:
In my previous role, the biggest challenge I faced on a project was managing my team members efficiently. For a couple of months, I implemented various initiatives, such as holding weekly and daily meetings, setting measurable targets for each individual, and mentoring those who needed my help. This helped my team exceed the customer’s expectations.

1. Tell me about something you learned recently in your role.

Your answer should tell the interviewer that you’re keen to learn. Whether it’s learning a new skill or finding opportunities in the face of a problem, you don’t shy away from stepping out of your comfort zone. It’s also important to share a true story without embellishments and back it up with facts. The last thing you want is to lie during an interview and get caught.

Sample answer:
My team manager told me that I needed to brush up on my communication skills to be more effective during meetings with our design team. I took an online course and also reached out to an executive coach. I worked with my coach and supplemented the sessions with my learnings from the course. I was able to spot my weaknesses and work on my skills. During the next review, my team manager agreed that my communication style had improved, and I successfully led meetings.

1. Tell me about a time you had to quickly adjust your work priorities to meet changing demands?

This question assesses whether the experience taught you something that you can implement in the future when priorities change without notice.

Sample answer:
I was working on designing software for the hospitality industry. There were a lot of live server updates to be carried out. The server was also facing a lot of issues as we were using new technology. This resulted in my priorities changing — I had to continuously work with my colleagues on different caching mechanisms while managing other conflicting deadlines. This experience taught me how I should prioritize while working in a fast-paced environment and be more agile to keep delivering results.

1. Describe a time you took the lead on a project and went above and beyond.

Try to think of examples that show you can handle challenges arising outside your focus area.

Sample answer:
During a recent project, the customer wanted us to add a new feature to the product. The request was beyond the project’s scope, and we hadn’t accounted for extra time in our schedule to design it. However, my supervisors were clear that we couldn’t refuse the request and wanted us to rearrange the schedule. While this resulted in an extra workload for me, and I had to work a couple of hours on several weekends, I took up the challenge. Finally, we completed the project with the new feature, and the client was delighted with the output.

1. What did you do when you needed to motivate a group of individuals or promote collaboration on a particular project?

This question aims to understand how well you work within a team, especially when you’re in charge. How you react in stressful situations and motivate others is a reasonably good indicator of your performance.

Sample answer:
A member of my team was unable to deliver as expected. I decided to assume the role of a mentor and make a conscious effort to help him thrive in the workplace. I would stop by at his desk for a chat, compliment him on things he did perfectly, and provide constructive feedback. After a couple of months, I noticed that his behavior changed, and he was able to contribute a lot more to the team.

1. Tell me a challenge you had where the best way forward was not clear. How did you decide what to do?

When you answer such a question, you want to show the interviewer that you’re not flustered when the solution is not clear, and your opinions are challenged. You’re willing to work toward the most efficient solution to overcome the problem while managing conflicts and interpersonal relationships.

Sample answer:
At my previous company, I worked on a project for almost two weeks when the client completely overhauled the requirements. At the same time, my supervisor on the project also left the company. I did not have a clear direction about how to move ahead with the project. To face the challenge head-on, I scheduled a call with the representative from the client’s company and discussed our options. Ultimately, I completed the project with the revised requirements, and the client was happy with the work.

1. Give me an example of a time when you failed.

Failing at something is not a sign of weakness. The hiring managers want to know whether you learn from your failures and move forward or remain stuck.

Sample answer:
When I first started working as a software developer, I would often fall behind schedule due to my procrastination. Even though I wanted to make a great impression, I wasn’t able to. This was also making things harder for the entire team. My supervisor pointed it out on a couple of occasions, and I felt that procrastination was due to my lack of confidence in my skills. Things didn’t go as well as I had hoped, and I was finally let go. I decided to use this as an opportunity. I enrolled in a special certification course and started working as a freelance software developer. My confidence grew, and I was able to overcome my procrastination by strengthening my skills.

1. Give me an example of a time when you showed initiative.

Hiring managers are looking for self-starters. They want to hire someone who can consistently deliver good results with minimal supervision. Answering such a question is an excellent way to show that you can work independently.

Sample answer:
At my previous company, keeping track of all the past projects used to be a challenge for the team. Even though we had a cloud-based system, I felt that accessibility was always an issue. I took it upon myself to create a project management system that would make our lives easier. My team members were the happiest of the lot.

1. Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.

The interviewer wants to know that you delegate tasks instead of doing everything on your own. This also shows that you have the ability to lead a team and assign tasks to various team members based on their skillset.

Sample answer:
In my current role, I had to form a team to work on a new project. I hand-picked the team members according to their strengths as I knew that some of them had previous experience working on a similar project. Once the team was in place, we had an initial meeting to explain what the client expects from us to my team members. I also reassured them I have faith in their abilities, and I am confident they will deliver as expected.

Tips for Cracking Amazon’s “Dive Deep” Interview Questions

No matter how many sample questions you practice, you might end up facing a question you’ve never seen before. Therefore, it’s important to develop an approach to answering these questions.

• Talking about the details is extremely important to ace “Dive Deep” questions. Always provide a detailed account of what happened and how you overcame the challenge. This is especially important for those more concerned with the bigger picture of a situation. You will need to dig into details while answering these questions.

• The interview is an opportunity to sell yourself. So don’t shy away from highlighting your accomplishments. At the same time, ensure that you don’t undermine the contribution of others or bring them down.

• If you’re unsure about a question, never hesitate to clarify. Asking a lot of questions is also a way to “Dive Deep.”

• Don’t embellish or omit any part of the story.

• Choose examples that highlight your unique skills. That will set you apart from the competition.

• Learn about Amazon. Find out what their values and principles are and include examples that showcase those values in your answers.

• Always remember the mantra “trust yet verify.” When doing your research on Amazon, never blindly believe something because you have been told so. Make an effort to learn the nitty-gritty of everything you do and gather the data. After all, Amazon is a data-driven company.

Cracking the code of how to answer Amazon’s “Dive Deep” interview questions can set you apart from your competitors and get you exactly where you want to be. With the right preparation and approach, you can showcase your ability to get to the root cause of any problem and demonstrate your decision-making skills to the hiring managers.

Remember, your tech interview prep is not all about practicing your coding skills. Unless you clear the behavioral interview and answer the “Dive Deep” questions, the coveted job with Amazon may remain a pipe dream. So, if you need a trustworthy guide to get you interview-ready for FAANG companies, consider signing up for comprehensive interview preparation programs like those offered by Interview Kickstart.