Amazon uses a wide variety of tests to screen its candidates. One of the most common tests is the Work Sample Simulation, also known as the Hiring Simulation. This test helps Amazon get to know the strengths of applicants. It also shows if they already possess the key skills necessary for the job they want.
Amazon has a very specific set of traits and skills they want to see in their employees. The assessments they use are designed to ensure that applicants aren’t just skilled in their job area, but that they also have the desired personality traits. They refer to these traits as the Amazon Leadership Principles.
Amazon’s commitment to its Leadership Principles means that the Hiring Simulation, or Work Sample Simulation, is often given in conjunction with the Work Style test. The focus of the Work Style Test is personality and your compatibility with the Amazon work culture and Leadership Principles.
In addition to testing for skills and workplace compatibility, the Hiring Simulation provides an unbiased method of selecting candidates to interview. This allows Amazon to maintain a diverse workplace, and provide all candidates with the same opportunity for success.
What to Expect on the Hiring Simulation?
The hiring simulation takes anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to complete. There are many variations on this test based on the position you have applied for. In addition to specific job skills, you will be tested on 3 key areas:
Problem-solving
Prioritization
Interpersonal abilities
You will need to complete a series of virtual tasks that are consistent with the duties of your desired position. This could be interpreting graphs, finding information for a customer, or demonstrating efficiency at multi-tasking.
Part of the test will resemble a situational judgment test. You will need to answer questions based on common challenges that occur on the job. What makes this test different is that your answers will be weighed on how well they align with the Amazon Leadership Principles.
Amazon Leadership Principles
Much of your success on the Amazon Hiring Simulation relies on your knowledge of the Amazon Leadership Principles. Since these are so important you should make sure you are familiar with these principles. There are 16 principles that Amazon wants to see reflected in their employees:
Customer obsession
Ownership
Invent and simplify
Leaders are right a lot
Invent and simplify
Hire and develop the best
Learn and be curious
Insist on the highest standards
Think big
Bias for action
Frugality
Earn trust
Dive deep
Have backbone, disagree, commit
Deliver results
You can learn more about the importance of these principles on Amazon’s career site.
Sample Questions
Example 1:
Your manager calls to inform you that your team needs to prioritize a new task. Everyone on your team is already working on a project that is also considered priority. How do you handle this?
Delegate responsibilities and shift the workload, making a list of responsibilities for each team member.
Have your team drop their original task and focus only on the new task.
Assign some team members to the new task, and give their uncompleted work to other members of the team.
Tell your boss your team can not take on this project.
Answer:
In this scenario, the correct answer is A. Delegating responsibilities to all the team members means that they are all focusing on their area of speciality, and good time management can allow them to make time for the new project.
B is incorrect because the old project is still considered priority. Simply dropping it means that deadlines will be missed, and your team will be seen as unable to multitask.
C is incorrect because you are now forcing half of your team to pick up a half-completed task, with little knowledge of how it was being performed, and they now also have double the workload of the other half of your team.
D is incorrect because it will get you fired.
On some situational questions, you may be asked to rank the best and worst responses. In that case, the best answer would be a, and the worst would be d.
Example 2:
You are offering a customer an apology, what should you avoid?
Making promises
Giving a clear next step
Feedback options
An explanation of the problem
Answer:
The correct answer is A. You need to avoid making promises to a customer that you will be unable to keep if you are not in control of the situation. Always offer an exclamation as to what went wrong, give them a next step in how their problem will be handled, and offer them a way to provide feedback.
How to Prepare for Amazon’s Hiring Simulation?
Amazon will send you a link to take the Hiring Simulation. Make sure you pay attention to when you need to have the assessments completed since they do not all have the same deadline.
Make sure you are familiar with the Amazon Leadership Principles since all the questions will reflect these. You should also have a good idea of the responsibilities you will need to perform in the job you want. This will prepare you for the types of questions you will be asked and the virtual duties you will need to complete. As you go through the assessment, think about which Leadership Principle the question is reflecting, and use this to weigh your answers.
Since you will be able to take the test in an environment of your choosing, choose carefully. Set yourself up in a quiet area that will be free from interruptions. Take the assessments when you know you will have plenty of free time, and won’t be rushed to finish, or be distracted by watching the time.
