Latest / The Career Change Podcast with Fexingo: Switching Fields, Bootcamps, and Reskilling / How Bootcamp Grads Can Crack the Interview at Amazon
Transcript
- Lucas: Let's talk about the elephant in the room for a lot of bootcamp grads — the FAANG interview. Specifically, Amazon. It's the company that hires more people from non-traditional backgrounds than almost any other big tech firm, but the process is famously grueling. Luna: And a lot of bootcamp grads I talk to feel like they're at a disadvantage — no computer science degree, no years of LeetCode grinding. But I've seen people pull it off. Lucas: Right, and that's exactly what we're going to unpack. The key isn't to pretend you have a CS degree — it's to play to your strengths. Bootcamp grads have hands-on project experience, they're used to shipping code fast, and they often have really compelling narratives about why they switched into tech. Luna: So where do you even start? Because the Amazon interview process is, what, three to five rounds? And one of them is the bar raiser? Lucas: Yes. Typically you have an initial phone screen, then a loop of four to five interviews. One of those interviewers is the bar raiser — a trained interviewer whose only job is to make sure the hire meets Amazon's long-term quality bar. They don't care if you're perfect for this one role; they care if you'd be a strong hire for the company in general. Luna: That's a different mindset. It means you can't just cram for the specific job description. You have to show you're a solid engineer, full stop. Lucas: Exactly. And Amazon publishes its leadership principles — sixteen of them. Things like 'Customer Obsession,' 'Bias for Action,' 'Learn and Be Curious.' The interviewers are going to ask behavioral questions that probe those principles. They want stories from your experience that demonstrate you live those values. Luna: And this is where bootcamp grads can actually shine. Because you don't have to pull from your previous tech job — you can use bootcamp projects, side projects, even non-tech work experience. Lucas: Exactly right. One of the most common mistakes I see is people trying to make up a story from a part-time job that doesn't fit. Instead, look at your bootcamp capstone. Did you have to make trade-offs between features and delivery time? That's 'Bias for Action' and 'Deliver Results.' Did you pivot based on user feedback? That's 'Customer Obsession.' Luna: So you're saying prepare three to four stories from your bootcamp experience that map to multiple principles. That's actually more authentic than trying to force a corporate story you don't have. Lucas: Yes. And use the STAR method — Situation, Task, Action, Result. Amazon interviewers are trained to dig into each part. If you say 'I led the team to refactor the codebase,' they'll ask 'How many people? What was your specific role? What was the measurable outcome?' So you need concrete numbers. Luna: I've heard that for the coding interview, Amazon tends to focus on data structures and algorithms, but not as much on obscure CS theory as Google or Facebook. Lucas: That's generally true. Amazon's coding questions are often at the medium level on LeetCode. They care about clean code, edge cases, and your ability to explain your thought process. They'll also ask about system design for senior roles, but for entry-level, it's more about basic scalability — like, how would you design a URL shortener? That's actually a common one. Luna: And that's something a bootcamp grad can prepare for. There are free resources — Grokking the System Design Interview, YouTube channels, even Amazon's own AWS training materials. Lucas: Absolutely. And here's the thing: Amazon also values 'Hire and Develop the Best.' One of the leadership principles. They want people who can teach themselves. So if you can say 'I didn't know system design, so I spent a month studying AWS whitepapers and building a sample app,' that's a powerful narrative. Luna: That leads to another point — you can use Amazon's own resources to prepare. They publish a lot. The Amazon Leadership Principles page, obviously. But also their AWS documentation, their engineering blog, and even their press releases about how they build things. Lucas: One of my favorite tips: read the 'Amazon Press Release' about a product they haven't launched yet — they often write internal press releases. That gives you insight into how they think about customer problems. You can reference that in your interview to show you've done your homework. Luna: That's next-level. Okay, so let's talk about the bar raiser interview specifically. What's the best way to handle that one? Lucas: The bar raiser is usually more behavioral, but they can also ask technical questions. The key is to stay calm and be honest. If you don't know something, say 'I don't know, but here's how I'd approach finding out.' The bar raiser is looking for intellectual honesty and growth mindset. Luna: And they also look for that 'Customer Obsession' principle. So you might get a question like 'Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a user.' As a bootcamp grad, you can talk about a side project where you interviewed potential users before building anything. Lucas: Exactly. And don't be afraid to talk about failures. Amazon loves 'Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit.' If you had a disagreement with a teammate in a group project and how you handled it, that's gold. They want to see that you can stand up for what's right, but also commit once a decision is made. Luna: One thing I want to caution about: don't try to memorize answers. Interviewers can tell if you're reciting a script. They'll ask follow-ups that you can't predict. The preparation should be about knowing your stories cold, not writing a script. Lucas: Right. And practice out loud. Record yourself. Have a friend mock-interview you. I've seen people who are great engineers bomb because they couldn't articulate their thought process. Communication is a huge part of the evaluation. Luna: Alright, let's talk logistics. When should a bootcamp grad apply to Amazon? Immediately after bootcamp? Or after some work experience? Lucas: It depends. If you have a strong portfolio with several projects, you can apply right away. But if you only have the one bootcamp project, I'd recommend spending two to three months building a couple of side projects and doing LeetCode. Amazon hires year-round, so there's no rush. Luna: And for the application itself — should you go through a referral or just apply online? Lucas: Referral always helps. If you know someone at Amazon, even a former bootcamp classmate who just got hired, ask them to refer you. Internal referrals get a much closer look. If you don't know anyone, connect with Amazon recruiters on LinkedIn and attend their virtual recruiting events. Luna: There's actually a lot of free resources for that. Amazon runs 'Amazon Rekindle' for returning professionals, and they have specific programs for military veterans and people from non-traditional backgrounds. Lucas: That's a good point. Amazon has publicly stated they want to increase diversity in tech. Being a bootcamp grad isn't a liability — it's a different path. If you frame it right, it can be an asset. Luna: I want to touch on something you mentioned earlier — the time investment. How many hours should a bootcamp grad realistically prepare? Lucas: I'd say three to six months of consistent practice, maybe two to three hours a day. That's for someone who's already comfortable with the basics from bootcamp. Focus on LeetCode medium problems, system design basics, and story preparation. Amazon's interview is hard, but it's not impossible. Luna: And you don't have to do it alone. There are study groups, mock interview platforms like Pramp, and even bootcamp alumni networks. Leverage those. Lucas: If we've helped you think through a career move or decision, consider supporting the show. A couple of dollars a month is genuinely what keeps these going — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, if you've gotten something out of them. Luna: Yeah, it really does make a difference. Even small contributions add up and keep us ad-free. Lucas: So, back to the interview — one more thing that's specific to Amazon: the 'Work Hard. Have Fun. Make History.' motto. They want people who are passionate. So in your answers, let your enthusiasm show. Talk about why you love building things. Luna: That's actually a great note to end on. So to summarize: know the leadership principles, prepare STAR stories from your own experience, practice coding and system design, and be yourself. It's a process, but it's learnable. Lucas: And remember, even if you don't get the offer, the interview itself is incredible practice. You'll come out a better engineer and a better communicator. Then you can target other companies with confidence. Luna: Good luck, everyone. We'll be back next week with another career change strategy.