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Success Stories: How Candidates Conquered Amazon OA

*1. From Rejection to Offer: How Maria Aced Amazon OA2 *
Background:

  • Role: SDE II (L5)
  • Previous Attempts: 3 failed OA2s (2024)
  • Breakthrough: Focused on DP optimization & Amazon Leadership Principles (LPs)

Key Strategies:

Customized Study Plan:

  • 2 weeks of LeetCode Hard DP patterns (Knapsack, LCS, Tree DP)
  • Practiced real-time coding under 25-minute limits

Behavioral Prep:

  • Memorized 5 STAR-LP stories (Dive Deep, Bias for Action)
  • Used the "CAR" method (Challenge-Action-Result + LP link)

Result:

  • OA2 Score: 100% (Optimal solutions + edge cases)
  • Offer: $320K TC (Top 10% band for L5)
  1. International Student’s Hack: How Raj Beat the OA1 Debugging Round Challenge:
  2. Visa Pressure: Needed an offer within 3 months
  3. Weakness: Debugging nested loops & race conditions

Winning Approach:

Debugging Drill:

  • Practiced 50+ OA1-style bugs (solved in <5 mins each)
  • Mastered "Bug Bingo" (common Amazon anti-patterns)

Test Case Strategy:

  • Always checked:
    • Null/empty inputs
    • Concurrency issues (for multithreaded code)

Outcome:

  • OA1 Passed in 18 minutes (vs. avg 35 mins)
  • Fast-tracked to VO → Offer in 2 weeks!
  1. The Non-CS Major Who Nailed OA3 (Work Simulation) Profile:
  2. Degree: Mechanical Engineering
  3. OA3 Fear: "I don’t know Amazon’s culture!"

Game Plan:

LP Deep Dive:

  • Prioritized 3 key LPs (Customer Obsession, Ownership, Invent & Simplify)
  • Practiced "LP-First" responses (always linking answers back to Amazon values)

Simulation Hacks:

  • Used the "5-Minute Rule" (never spend >5 mins on any scenario)
  • Always picked the "data-driven" option (Amazon loves metrics!)

Result:

  • OA3 Score: 4.8/5 (Hiring manager praised "natural culture fit")
  • Converted to SDE I despite non-CS background!

*Key Takeaways from 2025 Successes *

  1. OA1 (Debugging):
    • Speed + Precision wins (practice common bug patterns)
  2. OA2 (Coding):
    • DP & Graphs = 70% of questions (2025 trend)
    • Edge cases separate the 90% from the 100% scorers
  3. OA3 (Work Simulation):
    • "LP-First" mindset is mandatory
    • Data > Gut feeling in every scenario

*Want to Be Next? Get the 2025 OA Blueprint! *
Free Download: "Amazon OA Cheat Sheet" (LeetCode patterns, LP scripts, Debugging drills)

1:1 Coaching: Ex-Amazon interviewers reveal 2025’s hardest questions

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