I was given a code assignment to complete one day in advance of the interview (code the classes for a deck of cards) and received an email indicating that the interview would involve the use of an collaborative whiteboard. However, no collaborative whiteboard was used during the interview, so at the end of the interview I asked why. The interviewer told me that the email I received about the collaborative whiteboard is generic and that not all groups within the company make use of the whiteboard. The interviewer had not looked at the code I submitted and I'm not sure he looked at my resume. Before asking me technical questions, he asked me things like: Do you have a degree in Computer Science? Do you know Unix? Do you know OO? Since he asked me these questions before asking the detailed questions, I don't think he was being derogatory, but after a while it made me uneasy as I couldn't figure out why he would ask me those things. Why would I be interviewed if didn't have a degree in CS, a background in Unix and experience with OO? It was disconcerting. I handled some of his technical questions ok, but then was thrown off by some of his comments and started to give bad or wrong answers. I can't believe I screwed up some of the simpler questions; I should have gotten a grip and just ignored his comments. For instance, at some point in the conversation I mentioned Apache and he said I wouldn't have Apache on my laptop. I told him that I did because my laptop runs Fedora and I've installed and configured Apache to run on it. I also didn't know the term "Big O notation" so he said - "didn't you get a CS degree, you should know this". The interview just seemed "off" and I won't be surprised if I don't get a second interview. I also wouldn't care to work with someone like that -- he wasn't prepared for the interview and his attitude was rather negative.

The interview process for a Software Development Engineer II (SDE II) role at Amazon typically consists of three main stages: HR Screening The process begins with an initial conversation with a recruiter. This discussion focuses on your background, experience, and overall fit for the role. You may also go over basic behavioral questions aligned with Amazon’s Leadership Principles, along with details about the team and position. Online Assessment (OA) Candidates who pass the initial screening are invited to complete an online assessment. This stage generally includes: Data structures and algorithms coding problems Logical reasoning or work simulation tasks (in some cases) Basic system design or debugging questions (role-dependent) The goal is to evaluate problem-solving skills, coding ability, and efficiency. Technical Interview (Live Coding) The final stage involves one or more live technical interviews. These are typically conducted via an online coding platform and may include: Solving algorithmic problems in real time Explaining your thought process clearly Writing clean, efficient, and correct code Answering follow-up questions and optimizing your solution