Amazon flew me over to interview and paid a very nice hotel. The people who interviewed me were very friendly but in a very corporate way. You could tell they were instructed to be smiley. Also, I found it a bit ridiculous that when I got the chance to ask questions about whether they felt challenged and stimulated by their job they said yes, or simply nodded in one case, with such an unconvincing facial expression (like "I have to say yes, but I absolutely do not mean it"). I was given a document a few days before stating what I had to prepare for the interview. The document stressed that the most important thing was to prepare on algorithms and data structures and it stated clearly that no specific knowledge of databases was assumed. Well, guess what, half of the interviewers asked me about databases, so overall it did not go well... I spent several days preparing for the interview and took the time (and vacation) to go through the process. I think they should stick to what they write on their own documents. But the thing that was most annoying is that when they communicated me I was not being made an offer they sent me a copy and paste email they sent to all candidates, without even addressing me by my first name. I thought it was incredibly rude, after all the time I spent to prepare and go to the interview, that they don't take a second to make a message they send you personal. This is so below standard for most US hi tech companies out there. I'll never interview for amazon again. I heard and read bad things about the bad atmosphere, excessive and boring work, etc. but you always have to judge first hand right? Well, my first hand opinion is BAD. Ah, I forgot to mention, one of the guys had an incomprehensible accent, just to make matters worse. I am very much in favor of multiculturalism and diversity, but if someone speaks bad English, how about not making them interview people who end up not understanding them?