Learnings from Conducting 1,000 Interviews at Amazon
Published on 21.04.2026
Learnings from conducting ~1,000 interviews at Amazon
TLDR: Steve Huynh, a former Amazon Principal Engineer, shares insights from conducting nearly 1,000 interviews, emphasizing that behavioral interviews often decide hiring outcomes more than technical skills. He highlights the common mistake of over-preparing technically while neglecting soft skills, and provides practical advice on story delivery and understanding company fit.
Summary: The article features Steve Huynh, who spent 17 years at Amazon and conducted around 1,000 interviews, including 600 as a Bar Raiser. Bar Raisers ensure new hires elevate the company's talent level. Steve's key observation is that candidates rarely fail due to technical shortcomings but often because of poor presentation of their experiences.
He notes that most candidates spend 95% of preparation time on technical skills and only 5% on behavioral aspects. Yet, behavioral rounds determine whether interviewers want to work with the candidate. Technical skills get you in the game, but soft skills win the hand.
Common pitfalls include rambling during story delivery without prior practice. Steve advises rehearsing stories out loud, recording yourself, and refining responses to sound natural and compelling.
Interviews aren't exams with right answers; they're auditions for future collaboration. Interviewers assess if they'd enjoy working with you, trust your judgment in crises, and if you'd improve the team.
The article includes an excerpt from Steve's book "Technical Behavioral Interview," explaining how companies evaluate role fit and company fit through candidates' stories. Role fit looks at handling specific job challenges, while company fit examines alignment with organizational values like speed vs. thoroughness or independence vs. collaboration.
Four dimensions determine level: scope (impact breadth), contribution (personal involvement), impact (positive change), and difficulty (problem complexity). Examples show how the same accomplishments manifest differently across career levels.
Researching companies reveals what they value, helping candidates choose resonant stories. Steve recommends talking to recruiters, reading blogs, analyzing job postings, and checking Glassdoor for patterns.
Preparation involves understanding fit and leveling appropriately. The goal is finding the right offer at the right level for genuine success.
Key takeaways:
- Behavioral interviews are critical for hiring decisions despite being under-prepared
- Reallocate preparation time from technical (diminishing returns) to behavioral skills
- Practice story delivery through recording and rehearsal
- Treat interviews as auditions for future collaboration
- Research company values to select appropriate stories
- Understand the four dimensions of leveling: scope, contribution, impact, difficulty
Why do I care: As a senior developer, I've learned that technical skills open doors, but communication and interpersonal abilities determine how effectively you contribute to teams. These insights help me better prepare for leadership roles and mentor others on presenting their achievements compellingly. In an industry where collaboration is key, understanding behavioral expectations could be the difference between getting stuck and advancing.