Amazon Program Manager Interview Process
Are you preparing for an interview to become a technical program manager (TPM) for Amazon? It’s a
career with a ton of responsibilities, so it’s very wise that you want to learn all you can about the
interview process.
The interview process of a technical program manager is in three phases: The recruiter screening, the
phone interview, and the onsite interview rounds. All phases question you about your leadership,
technical capabilities, and adaptability.
Keep reading to learn more about what your future interviewers are looking for in a TPM.
What Does an Amazon Program Manager do?
As a TPM, you’re following a technical object or online service from its idea stage to its development, to
its launch and you work closely with the engineers of the tech item or program until it is successfully
launched.
A TPM, particularly for Amazon, is responsible for…
1. Managing the technical team’s roles
2. Working with stakeholders that have overlapping functions in the company,
3. Making sure multiple complicated projects reach their next phase(s) on time,
4. Making sure a program or tool is functioning as desired,
5. And steering the strategy of Amazon to a successful outcome.
Depending on how much technical experience you have, you may be more responsible for the business
aspects of the production or you’ll be a big part of the actual development process. Because this role is
so often deep in the technology itself, preferable candidates for this position are former software
engineers.
Phases of the Interview Process
The three phases of the interview process are all made up of individual interviews and screening. Each
phase will have you asked specific questions.
Recruiter Screening
This part is about half an hour long and focus on questions that evaluate your relevant previous
experience in electronics, management, teamwork, what you’ve accomplished in the past, and what
kind of work you do best.
Be prepared for questions such as:
● Why should we hire you? (classic)
● Why do you think you fit this role?
● Where did you work last?
● Have you worked in a team before?
● Have you managed a team before?
Phone Interview
The second phase is a phone call with the hiring manager that lasts for one hour. It has three 20min.
parts testing your management skills, your technical skills, and your leadership skills.
Examples of interview questions might be about:
● Previous management experience (again)
● Specifics on system designs
● Specifics on architectural designs
● Coding processes
● Amazon’s 14 leadership principles
Onsite Interview Rounds
The last, phase has you onsite Amazon headquarters where you are interviewed by the leaders of
various teams in Amazon for one hour EACH. You’ll be asked questions about Amazon’s leadership
principles and your technical experience again.
Potential interview questions could be:
● System design specifics
● What the most complex project you worked on was
● How you would adapt if the direction of a project suddenly changes
● The difference between TCP and UDP
● How do you handle failure and constructive criticism?
Conclusion
As you can see, this is a pretty important position. It’s an intimidating evaluation process to look at, but
so long as you are confident in your abilities, brush up on technical principles, and practice how you
want to answer interview questions and types like those above, you’ll already be steps ahead of your
competition.
Resources:
● Amazon Technical Program Manager: Ultimate Interview Guide [2021] | Prepfully
● Technical Program Manager vs. Product Manager: What’s the difference? | AIM Consulting
● Amazon program manager interview guide (questions and prep) – IGotAnOffer
